THE Laksa Johor at Adu Sugar in Bangsar is a real stunner.

Chef Adu Amran is generous with his use of ikan parang, known for its natural sweetness, resulting in a thick, spicy and aromatic gravy that coats each forkful of spaghetti.

This is the best bowl of Laksa Johor (RM27.99) I’ve had in a long time.

But surely, the first thing to wow diners has to be the establishment’s decor, which showcases Adu’s artistic flair.

The interior exudes Nusantara vibes, with beautiful murals on the walls and artworks everywhere you turn.

There’s a painting of Adu’s father, Hassan, nicknamed “Ah Tan Sugar” following an accident as a child, when he had hot syrup poured on his chest, leaving a scar. Hence, the eatery’s name is a combination of the chef’s and his father’s.

Another painting shows Adu’s mother looking like a Balinese princess. In a corner stands a cabinet hand-painted in vibrant hues.

Finesse is apparent in Adu Sugar’s Johor dishes, with the chef ensuring that ingredients like kerisik and chilli paste are made in-house, and sourcing others, such as gula Melaka and belacan, from only the best places in Malacca.

Hailing from Kluang, Adu pays homage to time-honoured family recipes and keeps to traditional cooking methods. Nevertheless, the menu also features his own Western-influenced creations, such as the Roti Canai Tortilla with curried mango mayo, cheese and Asian coleslaw (served at his first restaurant in Langkawi, and then another eatery in London), Chicken Mousse Tortellini, and Salted Duck Egg Pasta ala Carbonara.

Craving Malay cuisine, we ordered the Puyuh Penyet with sambal terasi, Rendang Daging Mak Moon, Young Jackfruit Rendang, and Ayam Madu Badam with nasi minyak.

The fried quail in the Puyuh Penyet (RM14.99) is deeply flavourful, having been marinated overnight in a blend of lemongrass, galangal, ginger, turmeric, chilli paste, gula Melaka and sea salt.

It’s sublime dipped in the sambal terasi, made of belacan, red chillies, cili padi, onions and garlic, which are fried, blended and fried again.

Even the accompanying fried tofu and tempeh are tasty. The quail is also served with ulam, comprising cabbage, long beans and Thai basil, as well as a clear soup.

The Rendang Daging Mak Moon (RM11.99) is not the usual rich and punchy dish of slow-cooked beef. Rather, the dark and tender meat, well-infused with aromatics and spices, delivers their flavours gently to the palate.

“Mum doesn’t cook spicy food,” said Adu, explaining his light hand with chilli.

A rare encounter is the Young Jackfruit Rendang (RM19.99). We were thrilled by the smooth and luscious feel of the fruit, cooked in coconut milk, kerisik and rendang herbs. Shredded fried turmeric leaves on top add a pleasing aroma.

The Ayam Madu Badam (RM24.99), traditionally served at Malay weddings, has marinated chicken deep-fried with pandan, and finished off with a sauce of honey, gula Melaka and tomato puree, scented with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise and chillies.

It’s not overly sweet, and the sauce sits well with the chicken and crunchy almonds.

The Lempeng Dadar (RM9.99), Adu’s exquisite version of kuih dadar or kuih ketayap, sent me to dessert heaven.

A soft, thin pandan crepe, prepared a la minute, is filled with grated young coconut and jackfruit caramelised in gula Melaka, and sits on a base of cream, also dotted with gula Melaka. This is nothing short of amazing.

I was lunching with a friend from Segamat, and she was all agog over the Pisang Salai, which has a pisang salai chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream. However, she wanted only the smoked bananas with the ice cream.

The chef delighted us with a complimentary serving of pisang salai, also known as pisang abu, which he sources from Muar.

Adu is a man of many talents – besides being a culinary extraordinaire who appeared as a judge on Masterchef Malaysia and an artist, he is also a dancer and fashion designer.

Asked what I should try on my next visit, he suggested the Mee Bandung, whose recipe he has fine-tuned after sampling the dish at various stalls in his home state.

Adu Sugar is located at 10A, Lorong Ara Kiri 2 in Lucky Garden, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Call Syahir at 011-3981-0881 or 03-2201-1441 to make a reservation. – June 20, 2020.

* 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.