KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — Five years ago, when Eat and Cook first opened — not in its most recent spot among the shoplots leading to Pavilion Bukit Jalil, but in its original guise, a 300-square-foot hole in an empty mall — it quickly became one of the Klang Valley’s “hidden gems”. 

Behind the six-seat counter stood an unassuming duo: Lee Zhe Xi and Soh Yong Zhi, both alumni of Berjaya University College’s culinary programme, then still in their early twenties, united by their love of showcasing Malaysian ingredients and flavours, omakase style. 

Success and recognition followed with the move to a larger space, underscored by Eat and Cook being named Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ American Express One to Watch in 2022. 

Hot on the heels of that success came Barkar, a bigger, trendier, and more casual open-fire restaurant, which was a hit with diners increasingly drawn to informal, yet aesthetically pleasing dining experiences.

When Eat and Cook announced its temporary closure and relocation in May, whispers of a new project began to circulate. 

This week, that project debuted on Jalan Delima in Imbi as Sun and Moon, its name a nod to the all-day dining experience it promises. 

Housed in a bungalow, the sweeping dining room seats up to a hundred, making this the team’s biggest and most ambitious opening to date. 

By day, a skylight beams down natural light that bathes the central sunken area, evocative of a retro conversation pit; by night, warm ambient lighting and red–backlit walls transform the space into something closer to a buzzy hotel lounge.

Sun and Moon doubles down on casual dining, serving crowd-pleasing fare day and night in the form of soups, salads, mains, and a range of pasta and risotto. 

For breakfast and lunch, there are savoury galettes, sweet crepes, a line-up of tartines (open-faced sandwiches), and yoghurt bowls, in case you had any doubt about the clientele expected.

The kitchen here, helmed by longtime Eat and Cook sous chef Farid Johanne, feels less interested in getting “cheffy” than in nailing the tried and tested with technical precision, with small but telling flourishes along the way. 

The minestrone (RM28) is spruced up from a simple vegetable soup with a crab-enriched broth. 

And then there’s the beef rossini (RM260), which sticks out on the menu — a bit of old-world luxury amid dishes more attuned to the Malaysian palate. 

It’s a simplified take on classic tournedos rossini, with a sizable knob of pan-seared foie gras sitting atop a filet medallion, all liberally lavished in sticky, savoury reduced beef jus.

The same unctuous, luscious jus laces the steak frites (RM130), though to call it the French brasserie staple would be a stretch. 

What arrives is closer to an approximation of Aussie steak and eggs: steak on a bed of fries, sitting in a pool of rich jus and topped with a runny sunny side-up, and it is rightfully available in the day for a glorious brunch. 

Rays of sunshine hit the rich, bright-orange yolk as it oozes over meat and potatoes, before you mop it all up with the lush brown gravy below. The stuff of dreams.

From the array of savoury buckwheat crepes, the tiger prawn galette (RM35) seemed to land on nearly every table around us: a thin, airy pancake topped with velvety scrambled eggs, sweet cherry tomatoes, and firm, fleshy prawns. 

Another crowd-pleaser, the honey-glazed duck bacon and egg (RM30), is one of several creative workarounds on the pork-free menu, swapping the thick-cut maple-glazed bacon of that viral Bangkok café brunch dish for a generous slice of its honey-glazed duck equivalent. 

Not beef, not turkey. Duck makes the best faux bacon, its naturally gamey flavour shining through when smoked.

Then, heads turn. Conversations pause. Phones are whipped out in watchful anticipation of the pastry trolley as it makes its way across the room. 

Choose from madeleines (RM9 for 2), with warm, lemony centres wrapped in a slight crust; canelés (RM5 for 2), their dark caramelised shells breaking open to reveal a spongy vanilla core; and donuts, plain (RM8) or pistachio (RM12), the latter filled to the brim with pistachio cream like a classic bombolone.

On another visit, I went for dinner. 

You might start with a few small plates: chilli garlic tiger prawn (RM48), studded with black olives for a salty punch; or Sun and Moon fried chicken (RM28), two pieces of brined and battered chicken with a zingy honey mustard dip. 

But it’s in the main plates that the kitchen’s credentials really show. 

Confit chicken leg with tarragon (RM39) arrives supremely crisp, sitting in a buttery sauce of tarragon and orange, a lovely balance of citrus and richness that almost makes you wonder how it might taste with duck instead. 

Herb-roasted lamb shoulder (RM75) comes served over tender courgettes in a rich, tomato-ish sauce. 

The meat is firm with a little snap, distinctly gamey and meant for those who love lamb’s bold flavour.

As at Barkar, the kitchen finds inventive ways to keep the menu pork-free, none more evident than the cecina embuchada (RM65) pasta, which features spaghetti with thin slices of a smoked and cured (embuchada) variety of cecina (Spanish salted, air-dried beef) and peas. 

Pancetta and peas are a classic pairing; here, the cecina takes the place of the cured pork. 

Though pancetta is typically unsmoked, the dish benefits from the added oomph in this smoked variety of cecina, which would normally be too mild for a preparation like this. 

The most stunning pair of “simple” dishes, however, were two risottos, which anyone will tell you are much harder to pull off than they look. 

Tiger prawn risotto (RM48) features sweet morsels of shellfish laced with finely minced pickled chilli, while beef short rib risotto (RM55) has melty, fatty hunks of short rib sprawled over a soft bed of creamy yet perfectly al dente rice. 

Both were executed to perfection, creamy and rich yet still with distinct grains of rice for the teeth to sink into, a feat far from the sloppy, gloppy texture of porridge or oatmeal.

Alas, the pastry trolley does not make an appearance at dinner, but there are a few desserts to end on. 

French toast with vanilla ice cream (RM20) is always a good idea unless your doctor is involved. 

Here, a log of soft, milky bread is fried in a sugar-and-egg coating to glassy, crisp perfection, while a small daub of salted caramel goes a long way in keeping the sweetness in check. 

Simple but satisfying, the creme caramel (RM12) may well be a sly nod to Ipoh and Perak, a reminder of where Lee and Soh come from. 

Sitting in this swanky new restaurant, it’s hard to picture the very different space the duo inhabited just five years ago. They’re a long, long way from that six-seat counter now, and it shows.

Sun and Moon

10, Jalan Delima, 

Imbi, Kuala Lumpur.

Open daily, 8am–10pm.

Tel: 012-311 9953

Instagram: @sunandmoon_my

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.

* Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and self-deprecating attempts at humour.