Tyga

91 Koornang Rd
Carnegie, VIC 3163
https://www.tyga.melbourne/

Now that I have finally finished my exams (yes I passed! Now I am exam-free for at least another 2 years!), I can finally catch up with all of my nearest and dearest, whom I have sorely neglected over the last 12 months. And so, OG blogging bestie K and I headed to Tyga, a newly minted Modern-Vietnamese-ish restaurant in Carnegie that’s been making waves. Despite being a hub of excellent eats, there is nothing quite like Tyga in the neighbourhood, but it’s about time that the Koornang Road strip got something a little fancier (no offence, Nuvoletta my darling).  And Tyga is actually really good. Surprisingly good. Like, would do well in the CBD good. The dishes are bold, inventive, and packed with intriguing flavour combinations. My only complaint is the 1.5-hour seating time for a party of 2 – it’s not quite enough to savour the excellent food, and to enjoy the joyously laid-back atmosphere.

Rating: 14/20 – consider extending the seating time out to 2 hours?
Suggest: go harder on the small plates; they’re actually pretty generous and you can make a meal of them.

The coconut roti alone is worth ordering the Woodfire Bone Marrow ($27), for its blistered, golden, puffy glory. But seriously, the marrow is also awesome, the jiggly, fatty centre topped with a funky, robust crab sambal.

On the lighter end is the Borneo Hinava ($29). Though described as a ceviche, it’s more of a sashimi dish – but I digress. The mild white fish was an ideal vehicle for the wonderfully tropical flavours of coconut and fragrant kalamansi. I especially enjoyed the use of fresh green mango and sea grapes, adding an unexpected snap and pop to the firm fish.

The Crying Kangaroo ($32) was the highlight of the night, the communal platter piled high with kangaroo grilled to a succulent medium-rare, salads, herbs, pickles, and a pungent horseradish jeow, ready to be wrapped into flawless mouthfuls. I was extra impressed at how juicy and tender they were able to make the notoriously lean meat, and I loved the cheeky addition of the vegemite bush rub, which imparted the roo with a distinctly earthy umami.

Compared to the excellent small plates, the Island Beef Brisket ($46) was relatively underwhelming. Though the 12-hour cooking process made it so tender that it disintegrated on the fork, it was unfortunately also rather dry, oddly enough. The unique addition of jackfruit however warrants merit, adding a sweet, tropical musk to the fatty meat.

The Wok Hei Seasonal Vegetables ($18) were, on the other hand, outstanding. The greens smoky-crisp from the wok, the freshness amplified by the savoury umami of oyster sauce. It also came with a dollop of soy ricotta but seriously? It didn’t need it.