Lanterne Rooms is another refined pan–Asian eatery by the Chairman Group, which is also behind Canberra institution, Chairman & Yip.

Originially opening in 2009, the restaurant moved from its home in the Campbell shops to a new space in 2019 – just a few blocks away at the base of the Iskia building on Constitution Avenue. It still retains the warmth of the original venue, though now the dining area is separated into multiple intimate spaces replete with salvaged wooden floor, timber ceiling slats, wicker chairs and lush indoor plants. White walls keep the interior fresh and contemporary, with arched doorways that speak to the colonial architecture of Penang.

The restaurant also continues its focus on Nonya or Peranankan cuisine – a style that’s specific to parts of Malaysia and Indonesia resulting from centuries of Chinese migration throughout Southeast Asia. Nonya cuisine often incorporates a wide range of influences from the region, though menu highlights such as slow-cooked Penang-style short ribs and rendang curry will be familiar to most. But the restaurant’s most enduring dish might be its least familiar: delicately battered prawns doused in a creamy tom yum sauce, served with freshly sliced apple and cucumber.

The compact wine list complements the menu’s punchy and aromatic flavours, comprising bottles sourced mainly from boutique Australian producers. You’ll also find pours hailing from classic wine-growing regions around the world. A list of seasonal highballs is primed for the restaurant’s glasshouse-inspired outdoor terrace.