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Lanterne Rooms

Forget the standard-issue red dragons, honey prawns and plastic surroundings – Lanterne Rooms takes suburban Asian dining to new heights. The brains behind The Chairman & Yip have transformed an otherwise unremarkable shopfront into a replica Malaysian kampung, with bamboo and dark wooden shutters creating a series of intimate rooms. Nonya cuisine is the departure point for chef Jeffrey Shim, whose culinary explorations also encompass the Indian subcontinent. It doesn’t get much better here than a twice-cooked pork belly enlivened by black vinegar and palm sugar, or fall-off-the-fork wagyu curry. In contrast, freewheeling forays into cross-continental fine dining don’t always deliver, but kulfi with peppered pineapple hits its mark. There are few better out front than floor manager James Duffel, who offers considered matches from a good-value wine list.