
For all its frail credibility, something must be said for feng shui when done right. Fabricated to promote good chi, the water features surrounding Gooddam lull us with their swirling eddies and gel well with the restaurant’s au naturel vibe. Not bad for Miki Lie and Daniel Yap’s first ‘real’ home.

Self-congratulations are, nevertheless, escorted by sentimental feelings. The duo had to bring Pop-Up Dining KL, their project for the past two years, to a screeching halt in order to open Gooddam in November 2018. Something flickers beneath Daniel’s face when I ask how they’re adapting.
“With the pop-up, we learned to literally ‘pop up’ or transport our kitchen to different venues. Though challenging, it was fun figuring out how to cook with limited utensils,” he reminisces, betraying a sense of nostalgia for the road. Is what he’s feeling akin to trading one’s Airstream for an apartment?