As summer begins to fade into autumn, Asia’s dining scene is electrified with a host of new openings, inspired new menus, and intriguing new cocktails that beg for the warmer months to linger just a little longer.
From fine-dining forays on the Island of the Gods, leisurely lunch menus that help break up the day, soulful favourites that sate appetites while whisking us around the world, and innovative libations that capture a sense of place, this month’s top dining encounters celebrate friends and family coming together, breaking bread, and rejoicing in the bounty of the season.
The Soul of Jeju
O’rm, a new and intimate dining destination dedicated to the flavours of South Korea’s idyllic Jeju Island, has opened in the heart of Soho. Intimate and welcoming, O’rm delivers a refined and trendy vibe that showcases a unique blend of modern Korean dishes, artisanal Korean drinks and beverages, and a vibrant atmosphere set to the smooth beats of Korean city pop.
The creation of owner chef Junwoo Choi, beverage director Ted Ko, and marketing and curatorial Director Stella Yim, this vibrant new arrival on the Hong Kong dining scene taps into the trio’s extensive hospitality experience with a dining encounter inspired by the volcanic mountain peaks of Jeju (while “O’rm” symbolises the island’s heritage, it’s second meaning—”come up”—reflects the spirit of discovery in Hong Kong’s Soho district).
I’d suggest booking (well) ahead for the coveted chef’s table, which sits 6-8 and where you can sip your complimentary rice wine taster before feasting on dishes like Yuk Hoe, beautifully balanced wagyu beef and seaweed crisps accented with soy glaze and caviar; Mini Crab Kimbap, delicate bites of Alaskan crab with daikon and perilla leaves; Bibim Buckwheat Noodles (O’rm’s take on the traditional Korean perilla oil noodles), which combines caramelised kimchi with a savory soy dressing; and the LA Cut Short Rib, grilled to perfection.
You’ll also have your choice of 60 traditionally crafted Korean wines and spirits, from the innovative Won Soju by Jay Park to Koyberpunk Field Blend Cabernet Sauvignon.
A Reimagined Bali Hotspot
Syrco BASÈ, the groundbreaking culinary hub in Ubud led by Michelin-recognised chef Syrco Bakker, has renamed its coveted chef’s table experience. Formerly simply “KU”, the new KU Culinary Atelier has been positioned as an independent fine-dining restaurant located within the grounds of award-winning Syrco BASÈ and promises one of the island’s best avant-garde dining experiences.
Now with a deeper commitment to intuitive cooking, conscious dining, and intimate, sensory-driven experiences, KU Culinary Atelier, which caters to just 12 diners each evening, is a space of creativity and refinement, where technique meets emotion, and every dish is a narrative of land, people, and purpose underpinned by traceability, nature, and transparency.
The design-forward restaurant’s 11-serving farm-to-table menu – with multiple preparations per course – captures the essence of Bali’s dining evolution, with dishes drawing from the island’s extraordinary biodiversity and cultural traditions. In addition, each dish is crafted and plated just steps away from the guest, dissolving the boundaries between kitchen and table, chef and diner.
Syrco BASÈ now spans several concepts, including KU, its creative soul; Syrco BASÈ Restaurant, Syrco BASÈ Bar, and Syrco BASÈ Shop.
Your Long Lunch Excuse
Causeway Bay’s intimate and refined Restaurant Donovan by Scott Pickett and Donovan Cooke has created sumptuous new weekday lunch and weekend-long lunch menus featuring elevated European classics with a French twist. Each dish is infused with a fresh injection of culinary flair, showcasing seasonal Australian, European and Japanese ingredients.
Highlighting the purity and freshness of seasonal ingredients, the new menus crafted by chefs Scott Pickett and Donovan Cooke celebrate seasonality and the senses. Both menus begin with refreshing appetisers, including Japanese Hamachi paired with Chardonnay, hazelnut and apple; and the 62-degree Slow Cooked Egg served with Potato, salsify and chorizo.
Guests can then select a main from an exquisite selection that includes signature King Salmon served alongside Bouchot mussels, saffron, and basil; Ibérico Pluma with butternut pumpkin and Parisian gnocchi; and delicately Slow-Cooked Chicken, wrapped in Italian lardo to seal in the juices while adding a hint of smokiness, and served with baby gem and maitake mushrooms for a medley of textures and aromas.
For weekday diners, guests can also choose Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek with Vichy carrot and Roscoff onion is available (we suggest you splurge by adding premium Australian winter truffles) or pay a little extra for exquisite Maine Lobster Agnolotti, which features tender diced lobster and fennel, complemented by a smooth scallop mousse, zesty lime and a hint of cayenne pepper, and which is served with a trio of sauces.
Favourite desserts include Valrhona Chocolate Coulant with mandarin sorbet, candied citrus and fresh zest, and Strawberry and Cream with oat crumble and strawberry sorbet (you can also spoil yourself with a champagne flight featuring Perrier Jouet.
Flavours of the North
Popular Singapore restaurant SanSara, a North Indian gem nestled along Robertson Quay, has reopened, welcoming guests with an elegant new design and revitalised menu that honours culture and craftsmanship.
Inspired by the ancient culinary traditions of Awadh and modern references to India’s majestic palatial design, SanSara delivers an immersive, sensory-led journey through North Indian cuisine, one that is refined, soulful, and deeply authentic.
The updated menu by master chef Pannalal Nath pays homage to iconic dishes from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Kashmir – each a chapter from India’s storied culinary past – with new signatures ranging from Tali Scallops, Hokkaido scallops lightly marinated in turmeric and ginger, and pan-seared with masala for a burst of coastal vibrance; and Keri Wali Machli Curry, Chilean sea bass simmered in a tangy mango curry, balancing sweet, sour, and spice in perfect harmony; and Sailana Shevand, a luxurious interpretation of a royal prawn dish using lobster, steeped in fenugreek, coconut cream, and tomato-onion gravy.
Be sure to pair your meal with tipples from the inventive cocktail programme, which includes the Hyderabad Jira Mojito, with Amrut rum, cumin, curry leaf and five-spice syrup; and the Old Mumbai, a spirit-forward twist on the Old Fashioned using Indian whisky.
The Art of Shibumi
Acclaimed contemporary izakaya The Aubrey, located at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, has launched its newest cocktail menu, The Art of Shibumi.
The creation of award-winning bar manager Stefano Bussi, the new menu invites guests to explore elegance, complexity, and quiet experimentation through the lens of the Japanese philosophy of shibumi, a concept that represents effortless beauty and depth beneath simplicity.
The Art of Shibumi menu invites guests to explore four stylistic sections: Elegant, Refined, Imperfect, and Balanced, with each section reflecting a different lens through which to experience shibumi.
Elegant drinks focus on clarity and precision and are light, clean, and quietly expressive, while Refined drinks introduce more layers and unexpected ingredients like nori, miso, brown butter, and pistachio. The Imperfect section, inspired by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, embraces contrast, texture, and asymmetry with surprising combinations and unconventional forms, while the Balanced section offers alcohol-free interpretations of one cocktail from each of the other sections.
Libations to look out for include Hanakotoba, a delicate low ABV martini with Daiyame Imo shochu, Nikka Coffee Gin, sakura and jasmine; the Yohaku Negroni, a reinterpretation of the classic Negroni with bourbon, shochu and cocoa-seasoned glassware; the low ABV Seijaku Spritz with Mancino Bianco Ambrato Vermouth, Blanc de Blancs, Mango and brown butter; and the Kage No, which reinvents the espresso martini using dandelion, burdock root and coffee husk instead of coffee.
From Queenstown to Karuizawa
Coming off the heels of his acclaimed restaurant Amisfield in Queenstown being named New Zealand’s only entry to the World’s 50 Best Restaurants extended 51–100 list, chef Vaughan Mabee returns to Karuizawa, Japan, this December to stage an eight-day residency at Shishi-Iwa House.
Vaughan participated in Shishi-Iwa House’s annual Chefs’ Retreat last year, during which five chefs explored creativity and collaboration in the midst of the property’s awe-inspiring natural environment and architectural masterpieces.
Known for pushing culinary boundaries, Mabee immerses himself in the wilderness, often travelling to remote locations where he hunts and forages directly from nature. His special interpretation of Nagano’s terroir – regarded for its artisanal farms, sake breweries and wineries – will be celebrated in a 10-course dinner limited to only 20 guests per night.
The Maestro Arrives in Bangkok
One Michelin-starred restaurant Signature Bangkok, located at VIE Hotel Bangkok – MGallery Collection, will host The Maestro 3.0, one of Bangkok’s premier culinary events, this September.
Taking place 24-27 September, this four-day celebration brings together France’s oldest cheesemaker as well as four Michelin-recognised chefs from France and the United States for an extraordinary fusion of innovative flavours, artistic expression, and intimate culinary storytelling.
The event will include an opening cheese and wine night featuring live performances, small plates created by each Michelin chef, artisanal cheeses by Les Frères Marchand, and exquisite wines; and a series of three Artistic Michelin Nights, hosted by chefs Thierry Drapeau, Stéphane Buron, Noah Sandoval and Stéphane Cerrada, each featuring an eight-course dinner with wine pairings.
Guests can expect Drapeau’s lemon blancmange and foie gras macaron; Sandoval’s lamb with Thai pumpkin and vadouvan curry; Buron’s cucumber confit with shiso leaf sudachi granita; and Cerrada’s shellfish with sweetcorn and lemon zest, among other standout dishes.
A New Look for Chatterbox
Macau’s popular Chatterbox Café has been transformed into a dazzling space of colour and nature-based fantasy by EDG Hospitality Design. Set within the MGM Grand, the new design invites guests into a jewel-toned world where graceful architectural forms, polished brass accents, and lush tropical scenes create a sense of energised glamour while still honouring the Singapore original.
The restaurant’s exterior wall and entrance, set along a pedestrian corridor, have been designed as a series of graceful archways sculpted in bent metal and acrylic with patterned glass insets.
The arcade, a nod to traditional colonial architecture, lures passers-by with its soft glow and sets the scene for the enchanting dining experience inside, one accentuated by vertically panelled mirrors, jewel-toned upholstered seating and original artwork created by Singapore-based artist Messymsxi.
The Essence of Hong Kong
Inspired by the city’s culinary culture, Avoca at Mondrian Hong Kong has launched a range of exciting new additions to its cocktail list.
The new drinks, which include a few previous popular appearances that are now on the permanent list, capture the essence of the Fragrant Harbour’s eclectic gastronomic landscape, blending cherished memories with inventive twists. For instance, Ginger Pudding transforms the classic dessert into a silky blend of ginger vodka, spiced syrup, Super Lemon and cream foam, while Mum’s Tea is a floral blend of fino sherry, chrysanthemum vermouth, Chinese wine reduction cordial and Wolfberry, and is reminiscent of the homemade tea so often prepared by cherished mothers.
Also look out for the Yum Cha Fizz, which captures the tradition of morning dim sum, uniting jasmine tea and jasmine gin, plum bitters, lychee, and a foamy flourish for an aromatic, social pour; as well as the V.L.T. Sour, which takes on the city’s favourite lemon tea, now all grown up with tea-distilled vodka, Rémy Martin VSOP, peach, pineapple, and a zing of lemon oleo.
Pair your drinks with new additions to the à la carte menu, which range from Northern Thai Spiced Roasted Yellow Chicken, marinated, boneless, and served with pickled vegetables, mushroom orzo and a rich jus; to the Spiced Gambas Al Ajilo, Thai-spiced prawns and chorizo in prawn oil, lifted by lemongrass and lime leaf, and served with sourdough for dipping.
SIP Happens
Vesu Pizza Bar, fresh from its listing 44th on the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific 2025 list, is shaking up Hong Kong’s cocktail scene with eight new cocktails – four with Italian soul and four with Hong Kong roots – that are every bit as bold and playful as its pizzas.
Dubbed “SIP happens”, the new list sees Vesu continue to break rules and seduce diners, who can choose their drink’s alcohol level zero, low, or all in, in a reflection of the city’s growing interest in mindful consumption. Vesu’s menu lists drinks from the lowest ABV to the strongest, and includes cheeky descriptions, clear ingredients, and glassware silhouettes, making it easier than ever to pick the drink that fits their vibe.
Our top recommendations would be the thirst-quenching Ham Ling Po, a zero-alcohol iced Pu’er cold brew that comes with a salted lime on the side; the low-ABV Yeung Ji Gum Lo, which reimagines iconic mango pomelo sago with fresh mango, pomelo syrup and grapefruit juice, all clarified with fresh coconut milk; and the zesty Tomato Gimlet, which is bursting with flavour from basil-infused gin and the punchy freshness and umami of tomato cordial.