Unlike Zoolander 2, SE Asian is so hot right now. Everywhere you turn, there’s another eatery taking a mod Melbourne approach to the spicy, salty, sweet zingy flavours of our northern neighbours – and not before time. From the young and funky St Cloud in Hawthorn to the neon-cool surrounds of Hochi Mama in the city; the refined styles of Richmond’s Cochin (with wine list to match) to the authentically excellent home-style cooking of Windsor’s House of Hoi An – not to mention the spicy cool alliterative siblings Saigon Sally and Hanno Hannah round the corner – it’s chilli and lemongrass at 10 paces right around town.

The latest addition to the coriander canon is Tenpin – so named for the recycled signage and giant pin of the Mentone Bowling Club – down in Port Melbourne from the same crew as the fab Mr Lawrence pub a few doors along, which does some of the best Turkish pizza in town.

Ashley Richey is the executive chef in charge of those pizzas as well as the hot-and-sour salads and rich curries and fish cakes here, but with a pedigree that includes both Chin Chin and Mecca Bah back when, this makes eminent sense – especially on the plate.

Kim-Maree Moore – herself no slouch on the wok – is executing the menu’s vision that’s served up in the whitewashed, distressed concrete space that’s simple and softened with a soft mustard banquette that runs the length of the room.

While the use of chilli isn’t going to frighten the locals, there’s a deft use of fish/citrus sour through dishes, with the sweet kept admirably in check. A Harvey Bay scallop, served on the shell hidden under a flurry of chilli, crunchy shallots, spring onion and finished with flecks of smoked trout and pomelo pearls shows real class and is worth a visit on its own. Backed up by mussels from Port Arlington swimming in a creamy coconut broth of good heat, the sea saltiness of the molluscs and the aniseed of Vietnamese, and I was planning a return before I’d drunk the bowl dry.

More coconut, this time toasted, adds sweet nutty crunch to the deeply rich rendang gravy in which tender cubes of beef are stuck; the sharp pickled wombok and carrot to the side a novel touch but one that works. Likewise kimchi in the dumplings, the funky spiciness of the Korean condiment plays well with the sweet pork nuggets, especially once swiped through the hot sambal.

It’s fun, it’s fast, and fairly priced and overlooking the cruise ships and silhouetted palms by the setting sun it’s hard to beat on a balmy evening, especially upstairs on the balcony with a suitably themed, lemongrass-licked, ginger kissed Hidden Mule, or a cold draught Singha in hand.

So hot right now, sure, but Tenpin is another strike for SE Asian done well.