Akar Akar is the most magnificent restaurant in St. Louis that too few have had the pleasure to visit. Chef and owner Bernie Lee roots his food in memories of the Malaysian cuisine he grew up eating — and then amps up the flavors by a...
To garner some understanding of Akar, located at the end of a residential street flanked by large trees and impressive homes in the central suburb of Clayton, you need to garner some understanding of Bernie Lee. The winsome, cosmopolitan, always finely dressed chef and owner...
Only a month after closing his downtown west restaurant Hiro Asian Kitchen, Bernie Lee debuted Akar in Clayton. Lee's new venture is a much more intimate affair, with a dining room that seats 14 and a compact menu that reflects both his native Malaysia and...
When Bernie Lee is cooking what he loves, you’ll love it too. We learned that by eating the Malaysian dishes at his now-shuttered Hiro Asian Kitchen – and we’re reminded again at Akar. This restaurant is a love letter to Lee’s past. The name means “roots”...
