Lagoon Dining brings mod-Asian flavours to Carlton's Little Italy

• Why Melburnians should love Lygon street again

In further signs of big changes in Little Italy, mod-Asian diner Lagoon has thrown open its doors on the site of the former Lygon Street Food Store.

Three Ezard alum – chefs Ned Trumble and Keat Lee, and front-of-house Chris Lerch – plus long-time Ezard customer Susan Wyles are behind the project, which opened last Friday.

"It's dictated by what we like to eat and drink, not its location," says Trumble. "We love the fact that it's on Lygon Street; it has so much history, and I think having a point of difference is going to hold us in good stead."

The food leans towards Chinese culinary tradition with dishes like steamed fish with Hunan-style salted chilli and spring onion and char siu pork cooked over charcoal, but there are Taiwanese and even Italian influences in dishes such as wok-tossed garlic chives with 'nduja, and popcorn chicken with curry leaf and white pepper togarashi.

Garlic and other produce will be sourced from Wyles' Mornington Peninsula farm.

The drinks list is short and sharp, with beers from local brewers including Moon Dog, Stomping Ground and Cavalier, a Japanese-inspired cocktail list, and a minimal-intervention wine list.

Design and architecture firms Olaver Architecture, Never Now and Canopy Fitouts have collaborated on the former deli's transformation into an 80-seat restaurant.

The interior was ripped out, exposing the original brick walls, and white tiling, an open kitchen and bar, and banquette seating have been added. In true Lygon Street style, there's extra seating outside, and a private dining room upstairs.

Lagoon Dining is open Mon & Wed-Thu 5pm-late; Fri-Sun noon-late at 263 Lygon Street, Carlton, 03 9349 1939, lagoondining.com.