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If you needed another reason to stay out late on Koornang Road, this is it. Tyga, a brand-new neo-Southeast Asian restaurant and bar, has officially opened in Carnegie, bringing smoky street food flavours, vinyl-spun funk and a heavy dose of '70s Bangkok energy with it.
The latest project from restaurateur Tommy Tong (Saigon Mamma, Fat Pho), Tyga feels less like a traditional restaurant and more like a retro Bangkok lounge room. The lights are kept low, records are always spinning and the air hums with smoke, spice and sambal. It’s nostalgic, but not stuck in the past.
In the kitchen, culinary director Esca Khoo anchors the offering with a bold, playful approach to flavour. Khoo’s resume includes time at some of the country’s most acclaimed venues, including Noma Sydney, Dinner by Heston and Miss Mi. This experience is evident in Tyga’s menu, with dishes that are built around open woodfired cooking, punchy Southeast Asian flavours, a bit of heat and food made for sharing.
Standout dishes include tom yum burrata paired with king prawns and yaowarat donuts; Borneo hinava, a bright swordfish ceviche with sea grapes, coconut and calamansi; and charcoal-grilled snapper finished with turmeric cider butter.
The interior leans into an effortlessly cool 'stylo milo' vibe (Singlish slang for stylish and on-point). Designed to feel like a space with its own personality, the room features cherry-wood panelling, olive leather banquettes and colourful illustrated canvases lining the walls. Vinyl DJ decks sit proudly above the open kitchen, spinning funk and soul through vintage 1974 speakers.
Drinks keep pace with the food. The cocktail list plays with Southeast Asian flavours, from the Kampung Kopi Negroni with coffee bean gin and papaya Aperol to the Wild Tyga, a tom yum-spiked mezcal number. There are also zero-proof options, beers on tap and a generous selection of wines by the glass.
Tyga is now open, with bookings live and walk-ins very much encouraged. Find out more at the website.
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