Tyga didn’t come from a single lightbulb moment. For owner and director Tommy Tong, it was the slow burn of an idea that finally found its timing.
“The idea of bringing something special to Carnegie actually started years ago,” Tong says. “After opening Saigon Mamma on Koornang Road, I always felt there was so much untapped potential and longevity in the street.”
That belief sat quietly while Tong spent close to nine years overseas. When he returned to Melbourne and saw the For Lease sign at 91 Koornang Road in October 2024, the decision felt immediate. “It just clicked,” he says. “It felt like the right moment to finally do it.”
From the beginning, Tyga was conceived as a bar-led venue, anchored by cocktails, vinyl, and atmosphere, with food designed to match the mood rather than compete with it. “Vinyl was essential to the ’70s retro feel,” Tong says. “It’s really the heart and soul of Tyga – that cool guy’s living room from the ’70s, where music was everything.”
That energy plays out across the long bar, where funk and soul records spin through vintage Yamaha speakers and cocktail tins shake in rhythm. Tong is quick to credit head bartender James Ho for translating that vibe into the drinks list. “The cocktail list is really a credit to our head bartender, James Ho,” he says. “I made a few tweaks for balance, but the list is very much his. I said, ‘Southeast Asian’ and he absolutely understood the assignment.”
Ho’s influence is clear in a list that prioritises flavour and sense of place over theatrics. Standouts range from the tropical, whisky-led Mekong Fizz with pandan and chrysanthemum, to the floral Pink Jasmine, balancing vodka, lychee and jasmine vermouth. Classics are reworked with intent in the Kampung Kopi Negroni, built on coffee-bean gin and papaya Aperol, while Wild Tyga brings smoke and spice via tom-yum mezcal and citrus. Tong’s favourite, Lost in Thailand, keeps it clean and herbal with Thai gin, basil and lime, while the creamy Ceylon Alexander and a rotating House Spritz round out the list.
While Tyga’s cocktail program is ambitious, Tong’s own tastes remain deliberately simple. “I’m pretty simple when it comes to drinks,” he says. “My go-to is a Hendrick’s gin and tonic with lime.” That said, one cocktail has become a personal benchmark. “Lost in Thailand is my favourite,” he admits. “I normally don’t like basil at all, but this drink completely won me over – it’s fresh, bold and surprisingly addictive.”
The bar experience is heightened by what’s happening around it. The open kitchen and wood-fired grill were non-negotiable inclusions. “An open kitchen with a woodfire grill has always been a dream of mine,” Tong says. “I love the idea of diners being able to hear it, smell it, and really feel that smoke and char as the food’s being cooked. It adds a whole other layer to the experience.”
That sensory layering extends to the design. Tong describes the entrance as his favourite moment. “That cherry wood facade with the glass bricks really sets the tone before you even step inside,” he says. “It instantly transports you somewhere else.” Inside, he points to the balance between raw and warm. “The polished concrete floors bring a rustic, industrial vibe, while the timber beams and acoustic panels soften everything and add warmth.”
The venue’s nostalgic edge was shaped closely with Brandworks Studio. “I must give huge credit to Michael Tan from Brandworks Studio for the ‘stylo milo’ concept and the whole ’70s retro direction,” Tong says. “Somehow, he and the team managed to pull a vision out of my head that I couldn’t quite put into words.”
Cocktails may take centre stage, but the food is far from an afterthought. “I wanted diners to walk away thinking, this is modern Asian done right,” Tong says. “So many people try to reinterpret Asian food without really mastering the foundations first.” He credits head chef Esca’s grounding in Southeast Asian flavours for keeping the menu honest. “From there, he adds his own creativity, and that’s what makes the food feel special and considered.”
Tyga also marks a turning point in Tong’s own journey. “Saigon Mamma was deeply personal – it was about family and paying tribute to my mum,” he says. “Fat Pho was about growth and pushing myself further in business. Tyga is different again. It’s me stepping out of the fast-paced, casual dining space and letting my creativity really lead.”
Four weeks after opening, Tong says the response from the neighbourhood has confirmed his instincts. “Carnegie needed something fun, cool and elevated,” he says. “Koornang Road is known for fast-paced, authentic Asian spots – affordable, quick, perfect any night of the week. But where do you go for date night? Birthdays? Celebrations?”
For Tong, the answer is now obvious. “That’s the gap Tyga fills.”