The Place Located at 38 Carpenter Street, ASIN (pronounced Ace-in) is a new fine dining restaurant by Chef Ace Tan (previously of ASU) and his new partner Desmond Heng of Suguru. At ASIN, Chef Ace brings Progressive Asian Cuisine to a more elevated level, a genre he developed over the years.  

I love the zen looking space. Minimalist with a curved counter table, there are also a couple of tables for small groups, and a space beside the window which can also be repurposed as a private dining area. 

You will also notice paintings hung on the walls, which reflect the ingredients used in each season.  

The Food The cuisine draws from the four seasons of Asia and the bold, expressive flavours of Southeast Asia, creating an elemental balance. Techniques learned by Chef Ace Tan in French, Japanese and Italian kitchens across the world merge naturally with shi liao (食疗), shaping dishes that honour the culinary traditions and seasonal rhythms of Asia through a modern lens.  

Expect an 8-course dinner menu at S$188++, along with supplement dishes if you want to add on any. For beverages, wine pairings are available with 3-glasses (S$88++) onwards, or you can also go for their non-alcoholic pairings.

Here’s what I had from the 8-course dinner menu: 

Oyster Omelette 
Seasonal oyster omelette sphere, topped with chilli holy basil sauce, egg floss, and garlic chive flower. Almost too delicate to pop in one bite, it is an iconic crystal ball form which is semi-translucent, a nod to the beloved Southeast Asian hawker classic of oyster omelette.  

Tori Luffa Bao 
This bun is filled with braised chicken and luffa and served with a green pepper sauce. 

Assam Tomato Hamo 
Pike conger, a classic of Japanese cuisine, meets Southeast Asian tamarind in this course. The poached pike conger is served with Amela tomato jelly, coix seeds, and tamarind assam which is very moreish.   

Summer Roll 2.0 
You get a crispy spring roll here coated in tomato and corn powder, filled with smoked aji, coconut opor dressing, and cucumber. The contrasting hues of the corn and tomato powder create a strong visual impact. 

Ngor Hiang 6.0 (Supplement +S$18) 
Inspired by Chef Ace’s upbringing and a dish often prepared by his grandmother, this is the sixth iteration of a recipe that continues to evolve over time. You get tiger prawn and five-spiced Jeju pork wrapped in yuba, served with tuhau sauce and crispy prawn head. 

Yum Pu Ma Noodles 
This Chilled fern and rice noodles is inspired by the Teochew tradition of raw-marinated crab reimagined through a Thai lens. The nuoc cham and fern noodles are a nod to Southeast Asian cuisine, while pomelo and Ceylon spinach bring freshness and texture.  

FTQ Dumpling (Supplement +S$35) 
FTQ literally stands for ‘Fo Tiao Qiang’, also known as buddha jumps over the wall. Spiny sea cucumber here is stuffed with scallops, served with korean abalone, fish maw and pickled goji berries. All the goodness in one bite.  

Black Beauty 
Black emperor fish served with jungle garlic sauce, moroheiya, and hokkigai. 

Jiang Mu Ya 
Roasted Irish duck served with watercress consommé, mountain yam rice, celtuce and pickled finger ginger. 

Pepper Hanwoo (Supplement +S$55) 
If you are still not full, this tender and flavourful Korean Hanwoo beef goes with Sarawak pepper sauce, kumquat kosho, black garlic, grilled leek and lilybulb.  

Biwa Honey Sago 
On to desserts, this is quite the palate cleanser for me – Chrysanthemum-poached loquat, tapioca, bird nest, and fermented sea salt glutinous rice. Light and easy to stomach after all the savoury courses.  

Gula Apong Caramel (Supplement +S$18) 
The last dessert is the Mangrove palm caramel sherbet, attap seeds, decaf coffee jelly, and cherries.  

Rants The portions of the standard menu might not be sufficient for someone with a bigger appetite, before the addition of any supplement dishes.  
 
Will I Return Again? Not your typical fine-dining flavours as there is alot more Asian elements to it, ASIN is a nice addition to the fine-dining scene where I get to appreciate some of the familiar South-east Asian flavours in a different lens. Overall, the dishes do not carry a strong and heavy profile, but more nuanced, something to note depending on your preferred flavour profiles as well.   

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5 

ASIN 
38 Carpenter Street 
Singapore 059917   
Tel: +65 9722 9638 

Opening Hours 
Wednesday to Sunday: 6pm to 11pm (last order at 8.30pm) 
Closed on Monday & Tuesday 

Ranted by The Ranter