Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Set-menu Nyonya cooking worth booking ahead
Bōl is a Michelin Plate-recognized (2024, 2025) set-menu restaurant in Bukit Bintang offering Nyonya-style cuisine with Singaporean and Malaysian influences at a $$ price point — one of KL's strongest value propositions for a special occasion dinner. The kitchen runs a seasonal menu and a full vegan menu. Booking is straightforward, and the 4.8 Google rating across 345 reviews confirms consistent delivery.
At the $$ price point, Bōl is one of the stronger arguments for Kuala Lumpur's mid-range dining scene. You are not paying $$$$ for a tasting menu that may or may not justify the spend — you are paying a fraction of what Dewakan or DC. by Darren Chin cost, for a kitchen that Michelin has recognized in both 2024 and 2025. That credential matters here: a Michelin Plate signals technical competence and consistency, not just a good opening year. Two in a row at this price tier is a signal worth acting on.
Bōl sits on Jalan Sin Chew Kee in Bukit Bintang, opened in 2022, and operates on a set-menu-only format. There is no à la carte option, which is a deliberate choice , the kitchen runs a seasonal set menu and a dedicated vegan set menu, both rooted in Nyonya-style cooking with Singaporean and Malaysian inflections. Nyonya cuisine is itself a layered tradition, built from the interplay of Chinese and Malay cooking , heavy on aromatic herbs and spices, with dishes that carry warmth and complexity. At Bōl, those aromatics are the first thing you notice when the kitchen is running. The scent of lemongrass, galangal, and toasted spices reaches the dining room before the food does, which is a reasonable proxy for how the cooking will land.
The vegan menu is not an afterthought. Having it as a full parallel offering , structured and seasonal , is practical for mixed groups and serious for plant-based diners who want more than a modified version of someone else's menu. If you are planning a special occasion dinner for a group with varied dietary needs, this matters.
If you are coming for the first time, the seasonal set menu is the correct choice. It is the kitchen's primary statement, and it is what the Michelin recognition reflects. Come with two or three people for a table that allows conversation , this is not a loud, high-energy room, and the format rewards attention to what is on the plate. For a date or a celebration dinner, the combination of the price point, the Michelin credibility, and the set-menu format works well: it removes decision fatigue and lets the meal build as intended.
On a return visit, the vegan set menu is worth trying even if you are not plant-based. The Nyonya pantry , coconut milk, tamarind, turmeric, candlenut , translates well to vegetable-forward cooking, and seeing how the kitchen handles that constraint gives you a clearer picture of what the team can do. It also functions well for groups where one or more diners do not eat meat, since everyone at the table can order the same menu rather than negotiating substitutions.
By a third visit, you have enough context to think about timing. Bōl's seasonal menu changes, so returning at a different point in the year gives you a genuinely different experience rather than the same dishes in a different order. The 4.8 Google rating across 345 reviews suggests the kitchen is consistent , high ratings with a meaningful review count are a more reliable signal than scores based on 30 or 40 responses. The regulars the venue has built since 2022 reinforce that: a two-year-old restaurant with a loyal repeat customer base at a $$ price point is holding something worth returning to.
For a broader picture of where Bōl sits in KL's dining scene, see our full Kuala Lumpur restaurants guide. If you are planning a wider trip, our Kuala Lumpur hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the surrounding decisions. For comparable Asian contemporary cooking in the region, Willow in Singapore and Blackitch in Chiang Mai are worth knowing. Within Malaysia, Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery in George Town is the benchmark for traditional Nyonya cooking if you want a reference point for how the tradition reads without the contemporary filter.
Reservations: Booking difficulty is rated Easy , but given the set-menu format and the venue's growing reputation, booking ahead is still advisable, particularly for weekends or special occasion dinners. Budget: $$ price range, making this one of the more accessible Michelin-recognized options in Kuala Lumpur. Format: Set menus only , seasonal and vegan options available. No à la carte. Address: 15, Jalan Sin Chew Kee, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Dress: Not specified, but the set-menu format and occasion-friendly positioning suggest smart casual is appropriate. Awards: Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bōl | Having cooked together since they were young, Singaporean chef-owner and hotel designer, Kian Liew, and partner, Patrick, opened their brainchild in 2022 and have already earned the support of many regulars. Only set menus are available, including one that is entirely seasonal and one for vegans. The focus is on Nyonya style cuisine with Singaporean and Malaysian twists, using a healthy mix of herbs and spices to create a succulent range of flavours.; Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | $$ | — |
| Dewakan | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Beta | Michelin 1 Star | $$$ | — |
| Molina | Michelin 1 Star | $$$$ | — |
| DC. by Darren Chin | Michelin 1 Star | $$$$ | — |
| Aliyaa | $$ | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
For a step up in ambition and price, Dewakan and DC. by Darren Chin are the obvious comparisons — both carry stronger awards pedigree but will cost considerably more. Beta sits closer to Bōl's format and price tier if you want another chef-driven set-menu experience. Molina is worth considering if you want something less rooted in local cuisine, and Aliyaa is a solid alternative if you want à la carte Nyonya-adjacent flavours without committing to a set format.
Book at least one to two weeks ahead. Booking difficulty is rated Easy, but Bōl operates on a set-menu-only format with a small room, and its two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) have built a steady base of regulars. Leaving it to the same week is a risk, particularly on weekends.
At the $$ price point, yes. The seasonal set menu is the kitchen's primary statement and the reason Bōl has earned back-to-back Michelin Plates. You are getting Nyonya-style cooking with Singaporean and Malaysian influences at a price that makes it one of the more defensible mid-range set-menu options in Kuala Lumpur. If you dislike the commitment of a fixed format, this is not the venue for you.
Bar seating is not confirmed in the available venue data. Bōl is a set-menu-only restaurant, so regardless of where you sit, you will be committing to the full menu. check the venue's official channels to ask about seating configurations before booking.
Yes, for an occasion where the setting is secondary to the food. The set-menu format gives the meal a clear structure that suits a celebratory dinner, and the Michelin Plate recognition adds credibility if you are trying to impress a guest. At $$, it will not feel as grand as a $$$$ venue, but the cooking justifies the occasion.
The set-menu-only format actually works well for solo diners — there are no decisions to agonise over and no awkward half-portions. Whether the room supports single covers comfortably is not confirmed in the venue data, so it is worth mentioning you are dining solo when you book.
At $$, Bōl is one of the stronger value cases for a set-menu restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. Two consecutive Michelin Plates from 2024 and 2025 signal that the cooking is consistent, and the Nyonya-focused, herb-and-spice-driven menu is distinct enough to make the format feel purposeful rather than formulaic. If you are comparing it to casual dining, the format requires commitment; if you are comparing it to $$$ tasting menus, it is a straightforward win on value.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
