Australian lamb rack with pomegranate pistachio salad (B330)? Deep-fried coconut shrimp with mango Malibu yogurt (B130)? Ha! One look at Kincucino’s menu and we’d already declared that there’s just no way that this hipster joint on the second floor of a shopping arcade in Siam Square could successfully pull off this kind of fancy fusion. We were wrong. Kincucino is whipping up food that’s daring to mix flavors up, without muddling them. A few things before you tuck in. The smallish dining room’s industrial edge is admittedly trendy (bare bricks and black steel feature prominently) but with enough bold statements to give it warmth and personality: a giant welded iron face, a life-sized rhino made of brass, a low bar acting as a communal table. On weekends, you’ll get a guitarist and singer doing acoustic pop covers, but even when the owner’s iPod is playing the latest Madonna, the playlist generally shows character, too. Our only real gripe would be that the lone waiter can become completely overwhelmed if there are more than two tables (be patient, wave frantically). Kincucino’s culinary talent lies in its ability to layer flavors and textures. Whether it’s a chunk of wagyu striploin (B390) or a slice of barramundi (B220), you can expect a nice peppery crust encasing tender, moist flesh. The sides tend to be very fresh, too—some rocket, slices of green apple—with light, homemade sauces that stimulate the senses, whether it’s spicy yogurt for a kick, or some crushed peanuts for texture. Finally, prices are very cheap, including for booze (red by the glass is B160, white B180) and there’s a B359 free-flow wine deal on Mon-Thu, 7-10pm. Yet, although we’re gaga for that nice sear Kincocinu gets on its protein, we do wish they’d get more staff and a bigger kitchen to throw a few stewed or baked dishes into the mix. (On our last visit, only one dessert was available, probably for similar reasons.) Kincucino is a restaurant whose menu and service need to grow up and beyond its obvious references to Eat Me. But the foundations are so remarkable that we’ve got high hopes they’ll be able to do so when their talent gets more widely recognized.Corkage B300-B400.