Ding Dong, a three-storey gastropub along Ann Siang Road, exudes Asian heritage charm as you step into it. An open kitchen on the first floor, a bar with Asian influence and a small dining section on the second floor and a dining room on the third floor.

The two-year old gastropub serves traditional Asian dishes with modern Western influence as well as Asian-inspired cocktails.

Started our meal with some dishes from the cold plates menu.

Vegetable ‘Kon Lao Mee’ with sliced Mangalitsa Pork ($18) – Chef Jet’s take on a traditional Malaysian noodle dish,  using shredded vegetables instead of noodles and topped with thin slices of Mangalitsa pork.

Crunchy shredded vegetables tossed in sweet-sour sauce with melt-in-your-mouth Mangalitsa pork slices. A very refreshing starter that is bound to whet one’s appetite.

Burnt Nasu with Crab and Crispy Shrimps ($20) – Nasu (Japanese word for eggplant) cooked sous vide for 45 minutes then baked in oven till the eggplant skins “burnt”. The burnt eggplant skins are then topped with crab meat, crispy shallots and dried shrimps.

Not a fan of eggplant but the texture and taste of this eggplant dish is really amazing. Love it!

Spicy Beef Salad with Bittermelon, Asparagus and Tamarind ($19) – Australian Wagyu beef salad with Tamarind dressing and topped with ebi sakura and chopped peanuts.

Asian Wagyu Beef Tartare with Homemade Chilli Sauce and Pickled Vegetables ($24) – Australian Wagyu striploin mixed with a blend of homemade chilli sauce, pickled baby shallots, pickled baby onions, pickled cucumber and Japanese mayonnaise. Served with papadum.

After some refreshing and tantalizing cold plates, we moved on to try two dishes from the small plates menu.

Spicy Pumpkin, Prawn and Coconut Velouté ($15) – Butternut squash cooked with onion, in-house vegetable stock, tom yum paste and coconut velouté.

A smooth and creamy soup with a fiery kick. So flavourful I finished till the last drop.

‘Nan Ru’ Pork Ribs with Ginger and Apricot ($17) – Pork ribs marinated with a blend of red and white fermented beancurd, cooked sous vide for 12 hours and then fried. Served with apricot and ginger dipping sauce.

Slightly crisp on the outside, tender on the inside; the pork ribs are flavoursome on its own but taste even better with the dipping sauce.

Impressed with the food served so far, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us from the big plates menu. And boy, Ding Dong certainly did not disappoint.

Wagyu Beef Char Siew with Pickled Papaya and Cherry Tomato ($29) – Beef short ribs marinated in a special in-house char siew sauce and slow cooked for 48 hours. Served with pickled papaya, freeze-dried cherry tomato and shallot oil powder.

Assam Pedas Saltwater Barramundi with Okra and Baby Eggplant ($22) – Pan-fried Barramundi with crispy skin served with okra and baby eggplant in assam sauce. The spicy-sour sauce goes very well with rice.

Crispy Duck Curry with Cauliflower and Passionfruit ($27) – Whole duck leg marinated with herbs and spices, cooked sous vide then fried till skin is crispy. Served with cauliflower and passionfruit in curry sauce. The passionfruit add a refreshing tang to the curry.

As the adage goes, there is always room for desserts. Indeed.

Frozen ‘Pulut Panggang’ with Pandan and Coconut ($13) – A twist to the Peranakan grilled glutinous rice kuih. Ding Dong’s version features a coconut ‘ice cream’ within a layer of pandan jelly, topped with a dollop of gula melaka and puffed rice crisp. The frozen ‘Pulut Panggang’ is nestled on a bed of toasted desiccated coconut and served with charcoal kuih rose (honeycomb biscuit).

Every component of this dessert works well together and I really enjoyed this dessert.

Ding Dong Mango ($17) -Mango served in three ways; in the form of mango ice cream, freeze-dried mango chips and mango jelly. So good that I can finish it myself without sharing.

Mah Lai Goh ‘Malay Steamed Cake’ ($15) – A jazzed-up version of the traditional Malay steamed cake. Light and airy steamed cake topped with a quenelle of vanilla ice cream. Served with slices of caramelised banana, banana cream and jelly.

The three desserts that we have tried are so good, I can’t decide which one I like best. I say go for all three if you still have space for more food. Then again, there is a separate stomach for desserts.

Ding Dong also serves up Asian-inspired tipples with fun and quirky names like Roti Kaya ($19), Stylo Milo ($22) and Singapore Fling ($19). With its head bartender from Tippling Club, one is guaranteed some amazing booze right here!

Wanna have a taste of Ding Dong’s delectable cuisine without breaking the bank? You can do so with Ding Dong’s 3-course set lunch at $25++ per pax. Choose your starter, main and dessert from the set lunch menu that changes every month. The 3-course set lunch is available from Monday to Friday, 12-3pm.

If you are looking for a place with good food, desserts and booze, Ding Dong is definitely the top pick in my opinion!

Ding Dong

Address: 23 Ann Siang Road, Singapore 069703

Telephone: +65 6557 0189

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 12pm-3pm (Lunch), Monday to Saturday, 6pm-12am (Dinner), Closed on Sunday.

Website: http://www.dingdong.com.sg/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dingdongsingapore

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dingdongsg/