This version will be the final menu before the restaurant undergoes renovations for Akâr 2.0, which is scheduled to start in mid-March. Akâr Dining is located at 109, Jln Aminuddin Baki, Taman Tun Dr Ismail. Open Thursdays to Sundays, dinner at 6pm onwards. Weekend lunches from 11am to 3pm. Reservations can be made here.
Kuala Lumpur – Akar, meaning ‘root’ in the Malay language, embodies the philosophy of chef-owner Aidan Low, who delves deep into the origins of local ingredients and grounds it in the richness of its history across the Malaysian states.
What’s in a name? Its significance is rooted in the stories behind its use of indigenous ingredients such as borneo olives, frangipani flowers, and wild ginger oil; it signals to Akâr’s commitment in placing nature’s bounty on a pedestal.
The intention of this menu is in bringing the diverse offerings of our local terroir to the forefront as each ingredient is derived and deduced to craft dishes that honour its quitessence when recreating flavours that are essentially and uniquely Malaysian.
Inspired by the classic fried sausage bun featuring lardo, served with a patin bone chip and a dollop of banana ketchup.
A base of Beras Salleh mochi blini, lacto fermented coconut adorned with ensabi flowers laid in folds resembling undulating waves, accompanied by kelulut honey.
An ambitious dish, where a whole watermelon is baked and presented in three different forms from rind to center:
First expression was a watermelon rind ceviche with umai gel. Next to it, flesh of watermelon dehydrated and crafted into a delicate leather cone, filled with green sambal aioli, noni (Cheese fruit), lantana flowers and ketumpa air leaves, offering spicy and savory notes.
Lastly, watermelon skin tea made with dry stir-fried watermelon skin, smoked tea leaves, and toasted glutinous rice.
A dish inspired by shark-fin soup, featuring meticulously selected 300g blue swimmer crabs. The bowl is intricately decorated with thinly sliced water chestnut, bamboo shoot, and parsley, held together by selom vinegar gel. Drops of intensely concentrated wild ginger (tuhau) oil enhances the flavors.
A glorious bounty from Balik Pulau, Penang, featuringa tender, succulent mussel stew, finger lime, lion’s mane crouton, and a dusting of green mango powder. A delicate and lightly battered tempura frangipani blossom adorns the bowl, adding an unexpected texture and fragrance.
Thinly sliced and presented shabu-shabu style, accompanied by egg yolk jam, sardine garum, and mulberry sauce topped with a purple rice cracker, and finished with a dusting of roselle powder.
Duck marinated with koji for 14 days, slow-grilled until the skin is crisp and the meat tender. Accompanied by farce of duck leg lobak, lauk with kailan sauce and kulim oil, kantan sambal, pickled radish, and watermelon rind.
Claypot rice is prepared by cooking it with a delightful combination of duck stock, temu kunci, sand ginger, mustard greens, and dapai (Borneo olive). The result is a dish that is not only flavourful but also boasts a fluffy texture with every bite. The infusion of these ingredients imparts a rich depth of flavours.
Staying true to its hallmark of breaking convention by using at least one vegetable in its desserts, this soy milk dessert features caramelized fried cauliflower florets, soy milk gelato, and roasted soybean powder.
and paired with Takacho Bodaimoto Junmai Sake, which has a wonderful full-bodied, juicy acidity to match with Soy Milk Dessert.
A refined sweet potato version, accompanied by velvety smoked coconut milk ice cream, chocolate ganache ( where its cacao is sourced from the jungles of Sarawak), and garnished with black pepper and black tea for a subtle savoury note.
A local tea-time favourite is presented with caramelized eggplant jam, figs, and caramelized coconut jam.
Low doesn’t particularly favour overly sweet desserts. The finishing here cater perfectly to those who appreciate subtlety over a sugar high. Each dish on this tasting menu tells a compelling story of the Malaysian terroir, with meticulous attention to small details. With such excellence in the current offerings, one can only anticipate even higher expectations for what awaits at Akar 2.0
Copy edited by Aileen Lim
