Meta brings a touch of Seoul’s Gangnam spirit to Keong Saik Road with its sleek, dark dining room that is lined with mirrored walls. The best seats in the house are at the bar that fronts the open kitchen, which gives an upclose glimpse of the action as head chef Sun Kim and his team cook up a storm.

Chef Sun’s modern Asian-inflected European menu changes with the seasons and reflects both his Korean heritage and training under Japanese-Australian chef Tetsuya Wakuda. In his Fall menu, for instance, he serves slivers of Hokkaido scallop sashimi spiked with yuzu and basil oil, paired with paper-thin slices of grapes and pears, all of which come together in a mesmerizing mélange of bright flavours and textures.

His sea urchin bimbimbap is anything but the traditional Korean dish of rice and ingredients served in a hot stone bowl. Rather, it is a scrim of chewy white rice layered with kimchi and seaweed, and topped with creamy tongues of sea urchin to deliver comforting, spicy flavour in two exquisite bites. Standouts from the main courses include jasmine-smoked quail with tea and slow-cooked beef cheeks that are both splendidly executed. Dessert is just as spectacular—pear chutney and white chocolate are hidden in a shiny white-chocolate orb that resembles an oversized white pearl.

In a city saturated with restaurants, Meta is a breath of fresh air with its distinctly Asian-anchored modern cuisine that is refined, elegant and intelligently unique. Its name, derived from the word ‘metamorphosis’, is certainly apt, signalling the growth and evolution that a restaurant needs to thrive in Singapore’s competitive dining scene.