Akar Dining

About Akar Dining

Akar opened in 2020 in a modest TTDI shoplot, wedged between a burger joint and an air-conditioning contractor, and in November 2025 it earned a Michelin star in the first Kuala Lumpur and Penang guide. Chef-owner Aidan Low cooks a progressive-Malaysian degustation that runs his time in Osaka and Lyon through native Malaysian produce, and his reinterpretation of ketupat, the woven-rice dish, is the plate the inspectors singled out. The room is small, the menu is set, and the cooking is the most forward-looking in the city.

The Kitchen

The kitchen belongs to chef-owner Aidan Low, who draws on stints in Osaka and Lyon while anchoring the menu in Malaysian ingredients. Akar runs a set degustation rather than à la carte: a lunch menu at RM288++ and the longer Mekar dinner menu at RM588++ per person, both built around seasonal local produce. The signature is Low's reinterpretation of ketupat, the traditional woven-rice parcel, rebuilt with the kind of layered texture and technique that earned a Michelin nod. Low pivoted from a purely progressive-Malaysian direction toward folding his Japanese training into Malaysian flavor, and the result is the dated proof point that matters here: a One MICHELIN Star in the MICHELIN Guide Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2026, awarded in November 2025. It is the most exciting table in Kuala Lumpur for anyone tracking where Malaysian cooking is going.

For the wider city, read the full Kuala Lumpur dining guide or the best restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. It belongs among the best tasting menus worldwide.

The Room

The room is intentionally modest: a small TTDI shoplot dining room with a short counter and a handful of tables, warm and low-key rather than designed to impress on sight. The sound level is intimate, the lighting soft, and the spacing tight, which keeps the focus on the plates and on Low, who is an affable presence on the floor. Dress is smart-casual; this is a serious kitchen in an unpretentious shell, so come for the food rather than the scene.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Akar Dining worth it?

Yes, if you want the most forward-looking Malaysian cooking in Kuala Lumpur. Akar earned a One MICHELIN Star in the 2026 Kuala Lumpur and Penang guide, and chef-owner Aidan Low's progressive-Malaysian degustation, built on native produce and his Osaka and Lyon training, justifies the price. Expect RM288++ at lunch and RM588++ for the Mekar dinner. The shoplot setting is humble, but the food is genuinely ambitious and the ketupat course alone is worth the booking.

How hard is it to book Akar Dining?

Harder since the Michelin star. Akar is a small room running a set menu, so weekend dinner seats now go well ahead, often a few weeks out. Book through the Akar site or TableApp, pick lunch for an easier and cheaper way in, and reserve the counter if you want to watch the kitchen. Confirm any dietary needs when you book, because the degustation is fixed and the kitchen plans around the night's covers.

What is the dress code at Akar Dining?

Smart-casual. Akar is a serious kitchen in a modest TTDI shoplot, not a formal hotel room, so there is no jacket requirement and a neat collared shirt or a simple dress is plenty. The focus is squarely on the food and on chef Aidan Low's cooking rather than on the scene, so dress comfortably for a multi-course meal and let the menu, not the setting, be the event.

What should I order at Akar Dining?

There is little to decide: Akar serves a set degustation, so you choose between the RM288++ lunch menu and the longer RM588++ Mekar dinner menu. For the fullest expression of Aidan Low's cooking, take the Mekar menu. The dish to watch for is his reinterpretation of ketupat, the course the Michelin inspectors praised. Add the wine or non-alcoholic pairing, and tell the kitchen about any restrictions ahead of time.