Ding Dong

The buzz: The newest project by Cynthia Chua of the Spa Esprit group and chef Ryan Clift of Tippling Club fame, this Southeast Asian small plates joint has a cool location in a three-story refurbished shophouse on Ann Siang Road.

The vibe: The staff dress in traditional garb with Chinese knot buttons, the decor incorporates plenty of Asian motifs and pink light fills the space—it feels like a retro ‘70s discotheque.

The food: Modern bites like Vietnamese Scotch eggs ($16)—flavored with laksa leaves—smoked pork bao ($19) and fried sushi rice with pickled cucumber and sakura ebi ($16). Desserts include Malacca Chendol 2013 ($15), an update on the local confection incorporating shaved ice, sweet corn ice cream (made with a Pacojet) and popcorn. There’s also a Feed Us menu (from $59) featuring an ever changing range of specialties in sharing portions.

The drinks: A variety of drinks accompany each course of the meal. Pre-dinner, go for an aperitif such as Atas At The Market ($18)—vanilla spirit, white wine, grapes and mint—then, move on to spicy cocktails like the Golden Mile ($17), a mix of Thai herb-infused vodka, blue ginger gomme, citrus and chilli oil, which are designed to complement Asian recipes. The Ca Phe Sua Da #2 ($21)—Vietnamese coffee, VSOP cognac, amaro and agave nectar—is a potent and effective digestif. There’s also red and white wine on tap (from $9).

Why you’ll be back: At the heart of the CBD, it’s the perfect after work hangout. Plus, there aren’t many places in the area to get Asian food of this caliber alongside such fun yet ambitious drinks.