A sweet take on time-honoured recipes

The long dining table easily accommodates big groups of diners at Adu Sugar, Kuala Lumpur. - FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

When I first met Chef Adu Amran Hassan four years ago at his restaurant Adu Sugar in Kuala Lumpur, I was blown away by his paintings, wall murals, his collection of objets d’art and a cabinet he had painted. Clothes that he had designed were displayed at the front. And of course, the main attraction was his Malay home-style dishes with his inimitable touch.

Given that Bali is one of Adu’s favourite holiday destinations, no wonder his restaurant exudes a Nusantara vibe in its decor. A portrait of his father Hassan with a cockatoo perched on his shoulder hangs at the entrance. Hassan, who is half Chinese, is also known as Ah Tan Sugar, because as a child, hot sugar syrup was accidentally spilt on his chest, leaving an indelible scar. That’s how the name Adu Sugar came about.