Illustration by Fig & Ginger, drawn from the review. The venue's own photo is on its way.
Contemporary set menu in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), Kuala Lumpur
Akar
One Chef, Three Countries
Akar is new to the one-star club, promoted in the 2026 Michelin Guide, and it earned the upgrade doing something stubborn. The chef trained in Japan and France, and he reimagines European dishes through Japanese, French and Malaysian influences. That sounds like a conference panel, but on the plate it reads as one person's memory, cooked precisely.
Expect a set menu rather than a menu to browse. The techniques are the draw: cooking in melted beeswax, dry aging, searing in a claypot. There is a wine and sake pairing for people who like to be surprised, and solo diners are welcome, which I always take as a sign of a confident kitchen. TTDI is a quiet residential neighborhood, so you are not buying a skyline, you are buying a chef.
The Michelin page lists lunch on Fridays and Saturdays, from noon to three, so check before you plan around it. Book early. Small rooms with big reputations fill quickly, and this one has just been handed a star.
- Order this
- The set menu, Beeswax-cooked or claypot-seared courses, Wine or sake pairing
- The damage
- $$$
- Go
- Friday or Saturday lunch, per the Michelin listing, booked ahead
- Find it
- 109 Jalan Aminuddin Baki, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur 60000
- Website
- akarkl.com