COMMENTARY, July 29 -- It is a truth universally acknowledged that cafe culture in Kuala Lumpur rarely stands still.

There's always something new to sip or savour, whether it's artisanal matcha or the umpteenth variation on croissants (cronuts, cruffins, cragels, crookies... and who knows what's next?).

Yet amid the steady churn of trends, a quieter dish has begun to surface - ochazuke, the Japanese comfort classic of steamed rice topped with savouries and finished with a pour of hot tea or broth.

I began noticing it as a kind of culinary murmur.

At Shan Mu in Taman Connaught, the salmon ochazuke arrived in a minimalist bowl: the cooked rice is topped with poached salmon, bonito flakes, seaweed, a halved soft-boiled egg and ikura (cur...