Terra Dining – TTDI
Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Rich Callahan
Newly opened, Terra Dining, helmed by non-chef chef-owner Chong Yu Cheng, explores local flavours and celebrates Malaysian produce. YC’s mission is to break away from conventional expectations and bring boldness and invention to Malaysian cuisine. Terra Dining offers a unique dining experience, blending tradition with innovation.
The restaurant focuses on the excellence of Malaysian produce, with a spotlight on lesser-known ingredients. The name “Terra,” Latin for Earth, is a testament to the restaurant’s dedication to nature’s abundance. Terra Dining goes beyond traditional fine dining; it’s a mission to infuse joy and engagement into the gastronomic experience. The restaurant’s emblem symbolises the thoughtfulness in balancing tradition with invention. Terra Dining invites guests to enjoy good food without fuss, ensuring a memorable experience for every visitor.
Terra Dining 11-Course Tasting Menu
Terra Dining’s 11-course tasting menu (RM398++) paired with five glasses of wine (RM238++) is an excellent way to get a complete taste of the concept.
Apéritif in the Louge
The journey begins in the lounge with canapés and kombucha. Here, we see the raw ingredients showcased in the menu. A dry-aging fridge holds fish, duck and sausage, and a trolley wheels about duck, veg, fruit and spices from Malaysian soil.
Pineapple juice with kombucha infused with roasted spices such as cardamon and cloves opens our palates alongside a trio of canapés. The first sees diced plump tiger prawns mingling with the sweet-tart tang of bambangan, a wild mango indigenous to Borneo. Beras rumie, an heirloom black rice cultivated by the Langit Collective, lends a nutty crunch, having been cooked in yoghurt, dehydrated, and then deep-fried.
The second features plump Penang oysters enveloped in a crispy sukun (breadfruit) batter, a departure from the traditional ‘orh jian’ omelette. The sambal mayo adds a spicy kick, complementing the briny oysters and the subtly sweet breadfruit.
Lastly, a delicate poppadom-based tartlet is a crisp canvas for the rich, salty-sweet onion jam made with palm sugar and tamarind. A mound of velvety salted egg mung bean curry sits atop, its creamy texture and savoury-sweet notes sitting pretty in the paper-thin tart shell. Dainty cauliflower florets add a touch of earthy sweetness and crunch to the culinary experience.
Main Dining Room
We move to the main dining room for the remainder of the menu. It looks like a very fancy barn with the dominance of wood and natural materials. We also see directly into the pristinely clean open kitchen, a nod to YC’s recent stint in Sweden.
T’lur Sturgeon, Roselle, Bilimbi
The T’lur Sturgeon, a testament to Chef YC’s fascination with aging and fermentation techniques, features locally-raised freshwater sturgeon aged in-house for two weeks accompanied by roselle kombucha. The dish is presented as delicate slices of sturgeon topped with vibrant deep pink kombucha, adorned with a generous scoop of T’lur caviar. The interplay between the acidity of the kombucha, the saltiness of the caviar, and the umami of the sturgeon creates a delicate and complex profile.
A glass of 2020 Chateau Jean Faux Les Pins Francs, a white Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, offers a nose filled with ripe white fruits like peach, apple, and tropical hints. It leads to a rich, full-bodied palate with a lasting structure and refreshing finish.
Slipper Lobster, Asam Laksa Bisque, Smoked Fish Bone Oil, Onion
Succulent prawns and slipper lobster reside gracefully in a bowl, enveloped in a rich asam laksa bisque. The bisque, meticulously crafted from lobster shells and whole prawns, gently coats the seafood, revealing a chorus of tangy and piquant flavours. A touch of smokiness graces the dish, courtesy of smoked fish bone oil, an aromatic essence extracted from mackerel bones. Raw onion, delicately dressed in ginger flower oil and lime juice, adorns the plate, refreshingly contrasting the bisque’s richness. Under the high heat of the charcoal grill, the seafood’s exterior acquires a light char, while its interior remains tender and silky.
A glass of 2018 Domaine Andre Lorentz Grand Cru Clos Zisse Kirchberg de Barr Pinot Gris from Alsace partners the seafood. With a golden yellow hue and copper reflections, it subtly masks 14% ABV behind a sweet facade. The nose offers fresh fruits, from wild peach to raspberry. On the palate, light viscosity carries the rich bisque flavours, ending in a delicately acidic conclusion.
T’lur Tilapia
T’lur Tilapia is sourced from the same pristine farm as the earlier caviar and sturgeon selection. Unlike common tilapia, this fish is raised in pure freshwater with no contaminants and plenty of space to swim freely. The sukibiki method imparts a thin, crisp skin, achieved through the precise Japanese technique of slicing off the scales in a sawing motion. After a four-day dry-aging process, the tilapia is expertly grilled over hot charcoal, producing a pop and crispness to the skin. It’s accompanied by organic chayote leaves, edible flowers, and a distinctive masak lemak beurre blanc with coconut—blending Malaysian and French influences. A few drops of pandan oil create an artistically swirled presentation.
Recently ranking in the top 50 out of 97,500 entries in the World Decanter Awards, the Fraser Gallop Parterrre Chardonnay from Margaret River partners the tilapia. With high acidity, it complements the tamarind. Aromas of grapefruit, white peach, and spring blooms lead to a delicately creamy texture and flinty minerality. The long, juicy finish is accentuated by high acidity.
Flatbread with Asam Pedas Butter
Just as I’m about to beg the chef for some bread or rice to soak up the delicious sauce from the tilapia, the Flatbread with Asam Pedas Butter arrives. It’s two delicious, light and fluffy rounds of flatbread, a cross between roti canai and a Turkish Bazlama. A touch of acidity from the asam pedas butter adds a subtle complexity to the bread without overpowering the palate.
Duck Breast, Teochew Duck Braise Jus, Duck Liver Ngo Hiang, Spring Onion
The Duck Breast dish is a fusion of Cantonese and Teochew influences. It features Cherry Valley Duck from Penang, soy-brined before being hung dry in the dry ager for seven days, resulting in a distinctive texture. The dry ageing process ensures an incredibly crisp skin – one of the best I’ve had. Teochew duck braise jus with cekur (aromatic ginger) and black cardamom is poured on just before serving. It’s completed with a slice of duck liver ngo hiang (looks like a sausage) wrapped in fucuk skin, aged for five days with purple rice from the Langit Collective.
Domaine Usseglio Raymond & Fils Le Peche Original from the Rhone Valley is an excellent wine match. This 100% Cinsault boasts a unique blend of intense floral, apricot, mandarin zest, and liquorice notes, complemented by ripe tannins. Planted in 1961-1962, old vines add depth to its earthy, mushroom-infused profile. The wine’s lively and vibrant character pairs perfectly with the light, gamey flavours of the duck.
Wagyu Pichanha, Rendang Beef Cheek, Thai Basil Palak (+RM150)
For an additional RM150, you can indulge in the Wagyu Picanha, Rendang Beef Cheek & Thai Basil Palak. The dish features a succulent rump cap (picanha) seasoned with salt and grilled over hot charcoal. Alongside two pink steak slices, there’s a croquette of beef cheek pressure-cooked in rendang spices and coconut cream, then deep-fried for a satisfying texture. A luscious beefy rendang sauce complements the dish, offering an innovative departure from the traditional mustard pairing. The green puree, inspired by Indian palak paneer, takes a Thai twist with basil and green chillies. The dish is completed with butter-cooked carrots from the Cameron Highlands, finished with palm sugar and a touch of grill.
Thistledown Wines She’s Electric Grenache from McLaren Vale, South Australia, is a satisfying complement to the fatty beef cheeks and rendang sauce. Crafted from 65-year-old bush vines, the name stems from a unique event—half the vines erased by a bird caught in an electric line. The intensity of this 100% Grenache is evidenced in its strong aromatics of strawberry and spice, with a fruit-forward palate and layered, textured mouthfeel.
Palate Cleanser
A nostalgic palate cleanser, this guava and kedondong sorbet evokes childhood memories with its tangy sour plum powder. The smooth sorbet, reminiscent of the kopitiam staple – calamansi with sour plum – is a refreshing segue to dessert.
Sweets
For dessert, an intriguing interplay of textures and flavours unfolds. A rectangular prism of masala chai mung bean cake, reminiscent of the culinary crossroads between North Malaysia and Thailand, is delicately spiced with cardamom, cinnamon, and Cameron Valley black tea. Alongside, a scoop of caramelized coconut ice cream, born from two hours of patient stirring, offers a rich, palm sugar-infused counterpoint to the cake’s subtle spice. Mango lends a burst of tropical sweetness, bringing this dessert to a satisfying close.
To complement the dessert’s subtle flavours, Terra Dining pairs it with Disznókö Tokaji Kesoi Szuret Late Harvest, a balanced and aromatic Tokaji wine. Its pale golden hue hints at its freshness and vivaciousness, while its crystalline sweetness and zesty acidity harmonise perfectly with the dessert’s delicate spices and tropical fruit notes. The wine’s gentle grip ensures it doesn’t overpower the dessert, allowing both elements to shine together.
Petit Four
The Petit Four is a fitting conclusion to the 11-course menu at Terra Dining. The first presents a blend of koji-fermented white rice from the Langit Collective and caramelized banana, offering both sweet and earthy notes. Next is a creamy corn custard nestled within a buttery sablé Breton crust, complemented by the richness of century egg yolk. The third is snowskin ang ku with cashew’ cha siu’ praline. The skin has a soft mochi-like texture, concealing fermented bean curd, fermented bean paste, and soy sauce, with dehydrated beetroot giving the texture of pieces of cha siu meat. Finally, the Kelantan chocolate truffle brings the Petit Four to a luxurious close with its rich, intense dark chocolate enhanced by the crunch of cacao nibs.
This brings the 11-course tasting menu at Terra Dining to a close, encapsulating Terra’s culinary philosophy of celebrating local ingredients while showcasing innovative twists on traditional flavours and textures.
Reasons to visit Terra Dining, TTDI: innovative menu making Malaysian produce shine; exceptional service; attractive intimate setting; a complete dining and wining experience; fave courses were the tilapia, flatbread and duck breast.
Terra Dining, TTDI
91G Jalan Aminuddin Baki, TTDI
60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
@terradining.kl
Terra Dining Opening Hours
Wednesday to Sunday: 6 pm onwards
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Setting’s like home dining. Interesting fare.