Kuala Lampur, Aug. 23 -- KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 - Tucked neatly within a banana leaf parcel, the pale custard quivers at the slightest nudge. We taste sweet prawn and fish; coconut cream perfumed by lemongrass and galangal; the warmth of red curry paste.

This is Amok Trei, Cambodia's fish and prawn custard in a spiced coconut curry, served at Oolam in The Five, Damansara Heights.

Here, under the direction of Chef Rakesh Varma, South-east Asian flavours take centrestage: turmeric and tamarind, betel leaves and palm sugar, not to mention the beautifully unapologetic funk of fermented fish sauce.

Chef Rakesh shares, "We draw mainly from Thai, Vietnamese and Laotian cuisines. Some dishes are recognisable, others more offbeat, but all are des...