AT the Lanterne Rooms, head chef Jeffrey Shim is cooking up an Asian-style bistro storm – an innovative take on traditional South-East Asian food.

It’s an approach that works, which is one reason Lanterne Rooms, even though it’s quietly tucked away at the Campbell shops, has been serving very happy customers since the late summer of 2008. Another reason, no doubt, is that Lanterne Rooms is part of the professional and knowledgeable Chairman and Yip Group.

I promise you. The food is excellent and true to the word “innovative”. The service is impeccable and the décor designed to “immediately invoke in the imagination a Malaysian Penang farmhouse”.

The place is divided into smaller rooms, some of which can be transformed into larger dining spaces. The coloured glass tiles are delightful and the dark wood beams and bamboo shutters intriguing. The seats are comfortable. It’s all really, really lovely.

At the Lanterne Rooms you focus on the oriental-style experience of food sharing, whether it’s for two or a large group. We selected the dinner banquet, excellent value at $66.50 per person (minimum four) for no fewer than seven dishes, each generous in portion and loaded with flavour.

Where do I begin?

Perhaps at the top of the menu with the tom yum-infused crispy prawns. The prawns are plump, beautifully cooked and served with a fresh and inviting rock melon and apple slaw.

The slow-cooked pork belly was equally sensational, but my favorite entrée was the slow-cooked lamb cutlets with cucumber, capsicum and bean sprouts. Honestly, this is amazing food and shows how you don’t have to put up with mediocre food when dining out.

The fish of the day was barramundi, cooked with full respect to this premium fish. Shanghai noodles anyone? These are served with caramelised pork and scallions. For a bit of veg it was crunchy, bright-green snow peas, lightly sautéed, with a housemade XO sauce, the recipe for which is no doubt tucked away in a vault under lock and key.

Then it was time for the sensational slow-cooked, multiple-award-winning Blackmore Wagyu beef. If you haven’t read David Blackmore’s story do so on his website. And to top off the meat we enjoyed every bite of the warm, roasted veggie salad.

What you get at Lanterne Rooms is a wonderful food experience. To quote the establishment, this is: “Malay Indian spices, coastal Fukien and local Nyonya cooking, blended, skillfully refined and redefined to become the distinctive flavours of Lanterne Rooms.” It’s soooo worth trying.

Lanterne Rooms, fully licensed with an excellent list, byo accepted ($10 bottle). Open Tuesday-Friday lunch; Tuesday-Saturday dinner. Call 6249 6889 or book online. Bookings recommended.