THE Rose Apple Salad with Dried Shrimps was as I remembered it, still a matchless combination of crunchy, juicy and sweet fruit with sticky, nutty shrimp paste redolent with Thai herbs and roots.

The Cockles Curry is something we will never get tired of. It has plump cockles sitting in a red curry with a flavourful lift from cha-om (Acacia pennata), ferny leaf shoots that have an irresistible aroma. Mention this curry, and Thai chef Korn Yodsuk’s name comes up. He has served this and the Rose Apple Salad in his Erawan restaurants in Kota Damansara and DC Mall. Now this award-winning Thai chef has moved to his new restaurant – La Moon in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

We are hung up on his Hang Lay Beef Curry, with spices permeating every fibre of the tender beef, in this Northern Thai style curry. Recently we discovered his Dry Fish Curry which has deep-fried pieces of ocean catfish in a dry red curry sauce, topped with knobs of salted egg yolk. The fish tasted like garoupa because of its firm texture and aroma when deep-fried. The crispy pieces of fish burst with flavours of the curry, and was made doubly delicious because of the salted egg yolk crowning it.

Salted egg makes everything taste good in my book. I like the wok-fried Tofu with Salted Egg, the rich sauce covering egg beancurd, prawns, chicken, some chopped French beans and young corn. It’s mildly spiced and yummy.

An omelette is always comfort food at home but at La Moon, the Classic Thai Omelette is on a different plane. It’s layered and fluffy and just so good when you break off crispy eggy bits to eat on their own. It’s just eggs and fish sauce according to a recipe I checked out online, but it could be the chef has added more to it.

We are also crazy about his Spicy Petai Prawns, striking with large lustrous petai tossed in a scrumptious shrimp paste sauce with large prawns. If French sauces are what define a French chef, Chef Korn has it down pat with his Thai sauces which are constantly evolving to suit the fresh ingredients he cooks them with.

The Duck with Tamarind Sauce here makes you think of a perfectly done duck confit, embraced with a sweet sour tamarind sauce and topped with fried shallots. The spiced sauce complements the rich meat that falls off the bone and its crispy skin.

Banana Spring Rolls were one of our desserts there recently, together with Tab Thim Krob. The skin of the spring roll crackles and gives way to lovely banana and creamy chocolate Inside.

It’s only been two months since La Moon opened and the chef has made several changes to his menu. We have been lucky enough to have tasted his superb Foie Gras Custard, a baked Dessert.

We have been there several times, but we will be back for more – for his Crabmeat Curry, Foie Gras Fried Rice, Glass Noodles with Salted Egg, Watermelon with Salmon Floss, Pineapple Peanut Filling and other dishes.

La Moon is located at G-02, The Green Terrace, Jalan Wan Kadir 3, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 6000o Kuala Lumpur. Call +6012 289 5575 to book. It’s open from 12pm through to 9.30pm and is closed on Mondays. – February 23, 2019.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.