In Singapore’s vibrant fine dining landscape, the term “modern Asian” is often applied liberally, frequently functioning as shorthand for French technical foundations adorned with regional condiments. Yet, at ASIN (pronounced Ace-in), nestled quietly at 38 Carpenter Street, Chef Ace Tan and his partner Desmond Heng of Suguru are pursuing a philosophy that cuts much deeper. Here, Asian culinary heritage is neither an exotic accent nor a novelty; it is the conceptual grammar, the structural framework, and the soul of the experience.
Launched in May 2026, ASIN represents the culmination of Chef Ace’s 18-year career across high-calibre kitchens, from the rigorous classical disciplines of Les Amis in Singapore to the hyper-seasonal foraging culture of Flowerchild in Seoul, followed by his acclaimed exploratory work at ASU. Rooted in the ancient concept of shí liáo (食疗)—the profound Chinese tradition of food as nourishment, balance, and care, inherited from his family’s traditional Chinese medicine business—ASIN’s cooking aligns the human palate with natural macrocosms. The restaurant’s name plays deliberately on the word “Asian” while embracing its Tagalog and Bahasa Indonesian translations: salt, the elemental foundation upon which all culinary structure is anchored.
Stepping into ASIN’s 22-seat intimate atelier—anchored by an elegant 10-seat curved wooden counter overlooking the culinary team—diners are greeted by an atmosphere of understated serenity. With the arrival of their Autumn Menu 2026, Chef Ace and his multicultural kitchen brigade have channelled the transitional energy of the season, marrying peak East Asian harvests with the intoxicating, spice-laden depths of Southeast Asia. The result is an expansive, multi-course degustation that offers both intellectual rigour and deep, emotional comfort.
Act I: Welcoming the Chill – Precision, Broths, and Nostalgia
The autumnal progression begins with Ise-Ebi Crystal, a breathtaking introductory tribute to the pristine waters of Mie Prefecture. Celebrated for its delicate sweetness, the Japanese spiny lobster (Ise-Ebi) is treated with absolute minimalism. Bound in a gossamer, crystalline casing that melts on contact with the tongue, the crustacean’s tender sweetness is complemented by a clear broth distilled to absolute purity. There is an immediate sense of restraint here, setting a tone of calm clarity rather than overwhelming the senses.
This quiet elegance is swiftly juxtaposed by the rustic comfort of the Fuzhou Pepper Bao. Drawing inspiration from traditional Fujianese clay-oven baked buns and Taiwanese night-market pepper cakes, Chef Ace reinterprets this beloved street snack within a fine-dining framework. The bao features a blistered, crisp crust that yields to a steaming, aromatic core of finely textured pork and unctuous fat, infused with a bold blend of cracked white and black peppercorns. The pungent peppery heat triggers the body’s warming defenses—a deliberate nod to shí liáo principles for combating the onset of autumn chill.
Next arrives Sanma Mi Guo, an exquisite pairing that celebrates the definitive harbinger of Japanese autumn: sanma (Pacific saury). At this time of year, saury gorged on cold ocean currents boasts an unctuous, rich fat layer. Chef Ace balances the oily richness of the charcoal-kissed fish with mi guo—a traditional rice-cake preparation rooted in southern Chinese dietary culture. The chew of the rice base provides textural grounding, absorbing the rendered fish oils while subtle fermented acidity cuts through the finish, creating dynamic equilibrium on the palate.
The visual splendor of the season comes to life in the Autumn Roll. Delicate seasonal vegetables and herbs are encased in a translucent wrapper, adorned with hues reminiscent of fallen maple and ginkgo foliage. Crisp, refreshing, and subtly earthy, it acts as an invigorating bridge, cleansing the palate while reinforcing the kitchen’s focus on natural seasonality.
Act II: The Climax of Land, Sea, and Spice
As the dining experience deepens, Chef Ace begins to flex his mastery over complex regional cross-pollination, weaving the fiery aromatics of Sichuan and the fermentations of Jiangnan into unexpected pairings.
The Kaki Mapo Tofu arrives at the counter with an intoxicating fragrance of toasted Sichuan peppercorns, fermented broad bean paste (doubanjiang), and scallions. Rather than relying on minced beef or pork, the dish incorporates plump, sweet autumnal oysters (kaki). The silky, custom-made tofu matches the custardy interior of the gently poached oysters, while the briny liquor of the mollusk cuts through the spicy, numbing (mala) sauce. It is a daring juxtaposition: sea meets earth, with the fiery energy of the chilies harmonized by the cooling, mineral essence of the oyster.
Following this intensity, the kitchen transitions into refined coastal luxury with Nodoguro Moringa. Nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch), often hailed as the king of white-fleshed fish, is expertly seared over binchotan coals to blister its skin while maintaining a translucent, buttery flake within. It is paired with moringa, a nutrient-dense tropical leaf native to South and Southeast Asia, celebrated in Ayurvedic and regional wellness traditions. Infused into an aromatic green reduction, the herbal bitterness of the moringa tempers the luscious, rich fat of the seaperch, illustrating Chef Ace’s ability to turn wild-gathered medicinal greens into culinary elegance.
No autumn Asian menu would be complete without homage to the season’s most anticipated delicacy: hairy crab. ASIN’s Drunken Hairy Crab avoids tired tropes by delivering an ethereal, deconstructed masterpiece. Both the delicate, sweet white meat and the unctuous, golden roe of Lake Taihu crab are meticulously hand-picked and cured in a nuanced marinade of aged Chinese Shaoxing wine and aromatic herbs. The wine’s boozy, oxidative sweetness elevates the creamy richness of the crab roe without overpowering the meat’s pristine maritime sweetness.
Next comes a playful, highly technical palate recalibration: Suan Cai Yu Sphere. Reinterpreting the traditional Sichuan sour and spicy fish soup into a modern molecular gem, the dish arrives as a delicate, gelatinous sphere. It bursts on the tongue, releasing an intense, electric elixir of fermented mustard greens (suan cai), pickled green chilies, and clear fish bone broth. The sudden rush of lactic sourness and tingling spice cleanses the palate of crab fat, awakening the salivary glands for the meat courses ahead.
Act III: The Heart of the Hearth
The savory crescendo begins with Koji Serundeng Quail. Small-game birds have long signaled the hunting harvests of late autumn. Chef Ace marinates French quail in Japanese rice koji, tenderizing the lean muscle fibers through enzymatic action while imparting a subtle malted sweetness. The bird is roasted over charcoal until the skin reaches lacquer-crisp perfection. It is crowned with a vibrant serundeng—a traditional Southeast Asian condiment of toasted desiccated coconut, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. The aromatic crunch of the toasted coconut against the savory, koji-cured game meat is revelatory, effortlessly bridging Javanese complexity with Japanese fermentation.
The savory centerpiece follows with the Yunnan Spiced Hanwoo. Procuring highly prized Korean Hanwoo beef, known for its balanced ratio of buttery oleic marbling to deep beefy chew, Chef Ace sears the cut over glowing embers to a gentle medium-rare. It is glazed and served alongside a reduction infused with the mystical spice profiles of Yunnan—star anise, wild mountain peppers, black cardamom, and fragrant mushrooms. The complex, woodsy aromatics of the Yunnan spices cut right through the Hanwoo’s decadence, while an accompanying medicinal broth warms the chest, providing an elemental conclusion that leaves the diner feeling revitalized rather than weighed down.
Act IV: Botanical Conclusions and Refreshment
To close an expansive multi-course journey without sensory fatigue, ASIN’s dessert sequence eschews heavy dairy and cloying sugars in favor of bright botanical notes, crisp orchard fruits, and digestive refreshment.
The first dessert, Babu Soursop, is a cleansing revelation. Drawing upon the refreshing, tropical tartness of ripe soursop (annona muricata), the dish balances zesty floral acidity with subtle herbaceous undertones. It gently resets the palate after the rich spices of the Hanwoo, easing digestion through natural fruit enzymes.
The finale, Wasabi Muscat, is an audacious and brilliant pairing of Japanese autumn produce. Crisp, jade-green Shine Muscat grapes, celebrated for their explosive floral sweetness, are matched with freshly grated Shizuoka wasabi. The gentle, nasal warmth and vegetal sweetness of real wasabi cut cleanly across the grape’s rich sugars, culminating in an icy, mint-accented herbal granita. It is crisp, unexpected, and completely restorative—leaving the mouth feeling cool, cleansed, and grounded.
The Philosophy on the Plate: An Atelier with Purpose
What makes dining at ASIN memorable is not merely the technical virtuosity displayed behind the counter, but the quiet intentionality that permeates every facet of the atelier.
In a world where fine dining can often feel detached from well-being, Chef Ace Tan’s grounding in shí liáo provides a refreshing, human-centered direction. The Five Elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—are not treated as mystical dogma or prescriptive medicine, but as a practical aesthetic compass. Acidity cuts fat; bitterness provides elegance; pungency dispels autumn dampness; sweetness soothes; and salt structures the entire landscape.
The Autumn Menu 2026 at ASIN stands as a compelling proof of concept. It demonstrates that progressive cuisine can respect ancestral traditions while pushing fearless culinary boundaries. For diners seeking a meal that balances the intellect, the senses, and the body, 38 Carpenter Street is one of the most exciting culinary tables in Singapore.
Restaurant Details: ASIN Singapore
- Address: 38 Carpenter Street, Singapore 059917
- Operating Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, Dinner Only (6:00 PM – 11:00 PM, Last Order 8:30 PM); Closed Mondays & Tuesdays
- Seating Capacity: 22 Guests (10 Counter Seats, 4 Main Dining Hall, 8 Private Dining Room)
- Reservations: hello@asin.sg | +65 9722 9638
