Champor-Champor

The design of Champor-Champor's dining room, along with the faint scent of incense, will whisk you away to a fantasy land. Where else could you find a kaleidoscope of Asian fabrics alongside tribal bric-a-brac and a miniature teak house on stilts? The exotic vibe is clearly infectious, as the place was busy.

The menu is inspired by a pot-pourri of Asian cultures, underpinned by Malaysian customs. We kicked off with Japanese-style barbecued unagi (eel), cooked to sweetness and near opalescence, and perched atop spinach noodles in a piquant penang laksa. This could have been a bonkers combination if the kitchen had failed to pull it off. The cross-cultural theme continued with a pan-fried fillet of black bream juxtaposed with sweet miso, which sat on an omelette lifted by a dash of coconut, and paired with a sassy tomato purée infused with sambal. To end, caramelised palm sugar and cinnamon mousse was teamed with yam pengat, a sauce based on coconut milk.

New owners arrived in September 2011 (after our visit), and changes to the menu, including more Thai dishes, are planned.