The 2016 MasterChef runner-up Matt Sinclair and his three mates have appropriately chosen a coastal location for their first pan-Asian restaurant. Furnishings have a kitsch holiday vibe with raffia lampshades, a mural featuring manga characters and plenty of fluoro neon signage creating a fun atmosphere that highlights the guys’ love of Asian food and culture.

Waitstaff are warm and helpful, with a sommelier happy to recommend wines. But the real excitement in the glass is from the cocktail list, which reads like a postcard from a tropical vacation. The gin-based ‘Wong & Palmy’ has kaffir vermouth, lemon, palm sugar, white peppercorn and coriander, while the ‘Pandan Old Fashioned’ throws pandan and tamarind into this time-honoured favourite.

On the menu, Asian influence spans Indonesia to Japan with plates designed to share that arrive when ready. Slices of mandarin-cured swordfish zing with lime and not-too-spicy nam jim Vietnamese sauce. Even better are the pork and prawn dumplings, super soft centred and served with sticky black vinegar sauce and crisp chilli.

The special fried rice boasts flash-fried prawns in a delicate batter. And be sure to save room for the chewy, perfectly flaky house-made roti that’s perfect for dipping in the soupy coconut cream-based veg curry in between large hunks of pumpkin and vivid snow peas.

The playful decor and tongue-in-cheek menu items may seem light-hearted, but these four young guys are very serious about making food and drinks that impress.

Must-eat dish: Roast pumpkin curry with silken tofu
Instagram: @sumyungguys