On a summer afternoon in Ho Chi Minh City, the enticing aroma of Malaysia’s national dish fills the air as chef Eden Daus prepares the special serving of nasi lemak for your correspondent at his restaurant Lesung.

The dish elegantly arrives on a metal plate lined with banana leaves, featuring white rice, dried anchovies, roasted peanuts, fried chicken, cucumber slices, and a bowl of spicy sambal chili sauce.

Chef Daus explains the dish's history saying, "The toppings for authentic nasi lemak are eggs, cucumber, nuts, anchovies, and sambal, but here I put in some fried chicken as well. Traditionally, it's served without the chicken, but nowadays in Malaysia, if you go anywhere, there's always the option of chicken or even prawn. Some even add beef rendang [spicy beef stew].

“I have cooked the rice with coconut milk."

The 27-year-old chef then sat down to share his story, including the opening of the Lesung ‘Authentic Malaysian Cuisine Restaurant,’ which he launched with friends in March this year. 

Daus first arrived in Vietnam in 2016, returning three years later to visit his friend Tommy Tran, a Vietnamese chef, and most recently came back in 2022 for work. 

Previously, he was running a private dining business in Malaysia before Tran invited him to work in Vietnam. 

After a year and a half in Ho Chi Minh City, he felt at a crossroads whether to return to Malaysia or continue his stay.

“At that time, I had already fallen in love with this country because of its people, culture, and cuisine,” Daus said.

He added while in Vietnam, he saw many opportunities and rapid development, and people were pushing each other forward.

He liked to be in such a competitive environment, Daus recalled.

"In just a few years, I’ve witnessed immense changes. I saw the drastic change of the buildings and everything, even the road structure,” Daus said, recognizing it is a “huge difference over a short time.”

Driven to stay in such vibrant vibes, Daus got the idea for Lesung from another friend who suggested he open a Malaysian restaurant in the city. 

It took the chef around six months to work on the idea, bringing Lesung to life earlier this year.

The restaurateur is deeply committed to bringing authentic Malaysian flavors to his customers. 

Lesung is located at 72/1 Tran Quoc Toan Street in District 3, and diners can enjoy famous Malaysian dishes such as roti jala with chicken curry, prawn otak-otak, beef ribs rendang, sambal eggplant, to name a few. 

Ingredients like petai, asam keping, and belacan are sourced from Malaysia to ensure the original taste shines through.

Daus emphasizes that he does not alter the dishes to suit local tastes but strives to maintain traditional flavors, preparing the food the way his grandmother or mother taught him to.

In the kitchen of Lesung, chef Daus uses a 150-year-old traditional stone mortar and pestle handed down from his grandmother, perfectly reflecting the restaurant's name, which is derived from the Malay word for 'mortar and pestle.'

"The act of using a mortar and pestle by our ancestors shows how much love and care they put into preparing meals, through the time and effort it takes," Daus explained.

"And then you gather as a family to eat. For me, it symbolizes what Lesung is all about.

“I also really take time to cook my dishes. When people come here, I want them to feel like they are at home or visiting their grandparents.”

Daus views his restaurant as a way to thank Vietnam for its warm welcome and hospitality by sharing something of his own with the local community. 

Currently, his clientele includes Singaporeans, Malaysians, and other expatriates living in Vietnam. 

Vietnamese customers make up about 20 percent and the chef aims to increase this number to 50 percent.

“The reason why I opened this restaurant is to share my cuisine with the local Vietnamese people, which is why I'm trying to focus more on pulling the local Vietnamese crowd and letting them know what the authentic Malaysian cuisine is,” he said. 

Chef Daus believes “if you cook good food, anybody can relate. If you cook with your heart, anybody can relate no matter what the cuisine is.”

The Malaysian is also confident that his diverse culinary offerings can cater to a variety of tastes and preferences.

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