KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 -- The first spoonful still stays with me: a dashi-softened risotto carrying a savoury warmth that unfolds gently, each grain holding a quiet hum before giving way to the sea-sweetness of Hokkaido scallops.

Their caramelised edges provide the lightest contrast, snow peas snapping green through the richness, trout roe scattering bright bursts of brine that sharpen everything for a heartbeat.

This is the Hokkaido Scallop Risotto at CHUMS, a cafe-restaurant blending Australian flavours with a Malaysian touch, and it's divine.

Located in a row of shophouses in the always-busy Taman Cheras (also known as Yulek), CHUMS isn't the sort of place you stumble upon; its sign at street level is easy to miss, and the four of us...