04 December 2025
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Akar sits in a modest shop lot in the rubber-estate-turned-residential neighborhood of Taman Tun Dr Ismail, sandwiched between a burger restaurant and an air-conditioning contractor. It is far from the typical luxurious city-center setting of fine-dining restaurants, but behind the steel door of this newly minted MICHELIN-Starred restaurant awaits a journey through the bounties of Malaysian produce, lightly guided by Japanese and French influences.
Named after the Malay word for “root,” chef-owner Aidan Low draws on his time in Osaka and Lyon while remaining anchored in the possibilities of native Malaysian ingredients. Akar joined the ranks of Kuala Lumpur’s starred restaurants this year, receiving its first MICHELIN Star in the 2026 edition of the MICHELIN Guide Kuala Lumpur & Penang. Here, our Inspector reflects on what they encountered during their visits to the restaurant.
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Arrival
"The restaurant is located away from the city center, surrounded mostly by casual, daily-life-style small shops, including other restaurants and bars. It is by no means situated in a luxurious neighborhood or hotel—areas where typical fine-dining restaurants are usually found. The sign is not eye-catching; its logo is printed on a rusted metal door. I only managed to find it by our red MICHELIN medals hanging on the door.
The interior feels like an entirely different space. Walking down the corridor, you can see a row of refrigerators and aging cabinets, which display ingredients inside. Next in sight is an open kitchen, decorated with artistic floral arrangements and green plants, while also showcasing the ingredients featured in the seasonal menu. All ingredients are neatly and beautifully arranged. The head chef greets guests here and personally explains the names and uses of these ingredients. All the ingredients are locally sourced from Malaysia, allowing you to observe, touch, and smell them up close—in line with the restaurant’s philosophy."
Ambience & Service
"The dining area is not large, with wood as the main decorative element. Fermentation jars are placed on wooden shelves. The dark wooden tables and chairs look elegant and comfortable. There is no excessive ornamentation; everything revolves around nature and the food itself.
The entire team consists of young people. The cooks, including the head chef, also take on part of the service work. They personally serve the dishes and explain them to the customers. Every team member is well-trained—they give you ample personal space while providing warm and friendly service."
Wine
“The restaurant's wine list is unique, featuring not only international wines but also local Malaysian rice wines. It's not a luxury selection, but it aligns with the restaurant’s food and concept, offering a refined, niche aesthetic and unique local character. The sommelier also offers two pairings based on the menu, featuring grapes and rice, respectively.”
Highlights
“What impressed me the most was the Ketupat. This dish not only features bold design but also perfectly embodies the restaurant’s philosophy—it takes local culinary traditions, ingredients, and flavors, then refines and reinterprets them with greater sophistication.
Ketupat is a classic Malaysian snack. Traditionally, it's made by weaving small bags of tender palm leaves, filling them with rice, and then boiling. The presentation is unique with very meticulous handwork. The outer pastry sheet is neatly laid out and offers a crispy texture. On the inside, the betel leaf is intact and rich in herbal flavor. Local silver catfish is used as the filling, which is not only tender but also juicy with a fresh and sweet fish flavor. The temperature is also perfectly controlled. The accompanying sauce is a rendang fish emulsion. The umami flavor of the fish, along with spices such as galangal, turmeric, and chili, and the sweetness of coconut milk, are perfectly balanced."
"Both desserts are truly outstanding, each with its own distinct style. The first one, "Apam Balik", draws inspiration from the local snack apam balik (a traditional Malaysian peanut pancake). The restaurant even sourced the classic street vendor version to serve as a comparison with their innovative take. I find this a highly engaging interactive touch, and for international visitors, it also functions as a vivid "educational lesson" on local cuisine.
The restaurant's innovative version features a perfectly fluffy outer layer and a soft, chewy mochi-wrapped filling of crushed peanuts and coconut, which provides a crunchy texture and aroma. The dipping sauce is made with coconut, lemon, and corn, creating a sweet and sour flavor that's appetizing."
"The second dessert, "Pasir Puteh Cacao" (pictured on the right, © The MICHELIN Guide), won over all our inspectors. It similarly embodies the restaurant’s philosophy of exploring and showcasing local ingredients, as the cocoa was sourced from the Pasir Puteh plantation in Sabah."
"It includes a cacao fruit sorbet made from the flesh of cacao fruits, Pasir Puteh chocolate chips and chocolate mousse, while the pink apple sorbet and kombucha combined to create a refreshing, sweet-tart flavor. The sweet and sour notes were perfectly balanced with the nutty flavor of the chocolate.
The fact that the chef not only sought out a local Malaysian cocoa plantation, but also created such a diverse range of interpretations using cocoa, is a clear sign of his profound understanding of this ingredient."
Takeaways
“Our inspectors visited Akar as early as 2022. Back then, it had already shown some potential for a MICHELIN star, though it was not yet obvious. After its renovation in 2024, Akar unleashed more exquisite and creative elements. Following repeated visits over the years, it finally achieved transformation into a one-MICHELIN-starred restaurant this year.
For instance, the local ingredients showcased before the meal are further explained during the dining experience—specifically, how these ingredients are utilized in the dishes. Malaysia is a country with diverse ethnic groups and cultures, so the flavors of the dishes here are also rich and varied. Elements of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, and many other flavors can all be found on the menu. At the same time, the personal experiences of Chef Low and his team members are also reflected in the menu. For example, the chef spent many years working and studying in Japan, and thus, Japanese ingredients and flavor elements can be detected in the dishes. These flavors are more or less integrated with European cooking methods, resulting in a more refined culinary experience.
After the meal, I felt extremely satisfied and gratified—moved both by the dining experience itself and the restaurant’s team. The team is composed entirely of young people; many of them honed their culinary skills abroad before choosing to return to their homeland, bringing an international perspective and professional culinary knowledge to Malaysia’s local F&B market. These emerging talents—including chefs, sommeliers, and other F&B professionals—are precisely the youthful driving force behind the vigorous development of Kuala Lumpur’s culinary scene.”
Hero image: © Akar
