Terra Dining serves an immersive symphony of Malaysian flavours, led by chef-owner Chong Yu Cheng

With Above Gastrobar in the hands of a reliable team, Chong expanded his horizons and applied to the stage in Frantzén in Stockholm, which ranks sixth on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. “I felt what I learned would be applicable as the restaurant has a strong global identity—though it is rooted in Nordic cuisine, it also has a strong Asian influence,” Chong elaborates.

When asked about his stage, which began in January 2023, his answer is immediate: “Frantzén was the best decision I have ever made in my entire life.” He goes on to explain how the restaurant is unmatched regarding hospitality. “Whether you are a diner in a suit or if you are wearing what you typically sleep in, you are treated the same—not just with respect but also with friendship,” he says.

This reach of this communal environment also extends to the staff. “The head chef comes in each morning and greets everyone, regardless of whether one is the sous chef, the newest intern, or a cleaner,” Chong says. This is expected of all staff, which quickly creates an environment with little conflict or work politics. “Work hours are also much shorter, as the restaurant only opens four days a week, from Tuesday until Friday.”

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Even before his time at Frantzén, Chong knew he wanted to open a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. “Many people who stage there have the intention of opening their own place, so I often sat down with friends over the weekend when the restaurant was shut, drafting ideas for recipes,” he says.

One such idea that appears on Terra Dining’s menu is the masak lemak beurre blanc. “In Frantzén, there is a dish of Scottish blue lobster served with saffron beurre blanc and lemongrass oil,” Chong cites. “The aromatics are very peripheral, and at the heart of it, the sauce is still very French.”

He felt tamarind, an acid less sharp than vinegar, could offer the sauce more dimension. As such, Chong had the idea to infuse a coconut base with Malaysian aromatics, strain the mixture, and turn it into a beurre blanc with butter, stabilisers, and tamarind.

“It was one of the first things I tried when I returned home, and I fell in love with it immediately.” The fragrant sauce appears on Terra Dining’s menu alongside tilapia from T’lur Caviar.

While Chong was inspired in terms of menu development during his time in Stockholm, he also decided on a concept for the restaurant. “The idea was always to open a restaurant with Malaysian influence,” he explains. “We typically take local fare for granted, but our cuisine has so much to offer, especially in terms of translating and elevating its flavours into finer dishes.”

Before his stage, Chong initially wanted to open a restaurant that married European and Malaysian flavours. Still, upon his return, he decided that his learned techniques could be entirely translated into a local context without losing any refinement.

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Chong’s sister found the space in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail that Terra Dining currently occupies in March, two weeks before his return. “It was sudden, but I felt it was the right time, so we signed the lease and started planning.”

Wünderwall Design is the talent behind the restaurant’s beautifully framed space: “The word Terra has very strong connotations, and the warm lighting and natural design really reflect this,” smiles Chong.

Upon entry, guests are welcomed by Chong’s grandmother’s 50-year-old pestle and mortar, which sits on a pedestal. “This is immediately a sign that you are going to be presented with an experience close to home,” he says.

Canapés are served in the lounge outside the main dining room, each explaining the provenance behind the food. “This is a time where guests can relax as we strip away the fluff of traditional, white tablecloth fine dining,” he explains. “We want guests to be immersed in an environment where they feel at home and can focus on the food and stories.”

When I applaud a dish of slipper lobster with an asam laksa bisque, Chong tells me how it was developed: “Káldi Levente, a friend I made who was also a stagiaire at Frantzén, came to Kuala Lumpur to help me with the research and development process,” he says. “I gave him the task of building this lobster bisque, which began quite traditionally with lobster shells, roasted in the oven and cooked down until thick and intense.”

However, after adding cream and butter, the sauce lost its lobster flavour and tasted just like milk. In the hopes of not wasting it, Chong added 10 grams of asam laksa paste. “To all our shock, it tasted even more lobster-forward than the original stock itself,” he enthuses. “It was such a revelation that an essence could lose its character, and browned and concentrated aromatics could work to make the actual base even more prominent—it made us rethink whether such Asian techniques had applications to bring out inherent flavours in delicate ingredients.”

Chong is proud of the local producers he can support through Terra Dining. “We are working with so many incredible ingredients, from caviar, sturgeon, and tilapia from T’lur Caviar and 100 per cent organic vegetables from Hatiku Agrikultur to rice from Langit Collective and chocolate from Chocolate Concierge.

Touching on the future, Chong is optimistic: “With my international experience and relationships, I hope we can get the word out organically regarding the quality of Malaysian produce and bring a fresh perspective to the industry.”

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