Malaysia’s first-ever Michelin Stars have been announced as the authoritative restaurant guide debuts in the country, acting as somewhat of a guiding light for travellers who frequent South-East Asia looking for the best dining experiences.
Aside from culinary hotspots like Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore, the Michelin Guide has been rather picky when it comes to the rest of Asia.
Michelin Guide arriving in Malaysia for the first time seems a bit overdue, but at least it’s finally ready to start showcasing distinctive restaurants in cities like Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
For 2023, no less than 97 dining establishments across KL and Penang made their way into the Michelin Guide. 32 of those have been awarded Bib Gourmand, which is Michelin’s sign of good value restaurants, while just four have been given a coveted Michelin Star.
Kuala Lumpur’s exceptional Village Park Restaurant did not make the guide, however, there are quite a few other popular spots that did make the cut. These include Anak Baba, Dancing Fish, Hai Kah Lang and Wong Mei Kee – all places that have already built loyal followings amongst locals and overseas visitors.
As for the coveted Michelin Stars, these are the four restaurants across Kuala Lumpur and Penang that qualified. Make sure you mark them down the next time you’ve got to pop over to Malaysia for work.
Michelin Stars In Kuala Lumpur
Dewakan – One Michelin Star
Contemporary Malaysian restaurant Dewakan was the first KL restaurant to receive a Michelin Star, regarded in the guide for its dedication to being “truly Malaysian in every sense.”
The kitchen is run by Chef Darren Teoh, framed by an elegant and understated dining room that offers wide views across the city. Local and indigenous produce take precedence here, reflecting Malaysian growers and highlighting modern takes on classic dishes.
Dewakan just scrapped into the top 50 at the annual ranking of Asia’s 50 best restaurants, so it’s no surprise to see Michelin give it a nod as well.
Address: Platinum Park, Level 48, Skyviews, Naza Tower @, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Contact: +60 12-789 6720
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday (6 PM – 11:30 PM)
D.C. By Darren Chin – One Michelin Star
A three-floor behemoth, D.C. by Darren Chin has fast become a favourite amongst business travellers popping into Kuala Lumpur for a few days. Each floor offers a different dining concept, with the lowest dedicated to pre-dinner cocktails and snacks, while the main dining area – the first floor – has Darren flexing his penchant for blending French and Japanese flavours.
The third floor, an opulent Louis XIII-themed room, has an immersive Moon Bar that offers conceptual fine dining to just a few diners at a time.
Address: 26, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 1, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Contact: +60 3-7731 5032
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Thursday (6 PM – 12 AM); Friday – Sunday (12 PM – 2 PM, 6 PM – 12 AM)
Michelin Stars In Penang
Au Jardin – One Michelin Star
This 18-seater restaurant in Georgetown focuses on high-end European cuisine – as you can probably tell from the name – and is regarded as one of the country’s finest examples of fine dining and Malaysia’s most valuable new player for gourmands.
Carving out a warehouse in George Town’s Hin Bus district, Chef Su Kim Hock works with local producers and growers to put together constantly-revolving set menus that are some of the priciest in the area. Evidently, it’s worth the investment.
Address: 125, Jalan Timah, 10150 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Contact: +60 12-428 9594
Opening Hours: Thursday – Sunday (11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 5 PM – 10 PM)
Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery – One Michelin Star
For locals, this was probably the most exciting announcement for the Malaysian’ Michelin Guide, seeing as the stalwart Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery has served as the culinary heart of George Town for many years now.
Founded by Adrian Tan and his mother Beh Gaik Lean, Old School Eatery serves up incredibly homely dishes based on secret family recipes that refuse to compromise on every element of every dish. Notable dishes for fans include a pie tee and gulai tumis that uses over eight different ingredients just to make the curry paste.
According to local Malaysian news, since the Michelin Star was awarded, Old School Eatery has been receiving 1,000 of phone calls with reservation inquiries, which just goes to show how much pull these stars still have.
Address: 1, Bishop St, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Contact: +60 17-434 4398
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday (12 PM – 2:30 PM, 6 PM – 9:30 PM)
