October is gin month at Locker & Loft

Gin Month is back at The Locker & Loft, happening all of October 2023. 

 

Penang Cocktail Week 2023: 20-29 October

Mark your calendars folks - Penang's first ever cocktail festival is coming!

This 10-day long festival, initiated by Koh Yung Shen, (owner of Backdoor Bodega - Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2022 at #97), will be participated by 10 local cocktail bars: Backdoor Bodega, BaoBae, Biso, Chez Chez, Cocktails and Shots, Foxhole 24, The Mandarin, The Nest, No Bar Here, and Nomad. 

Marcy Sakuma at Three X CO and the KI NO BI Edition G

We had the pleasure of catching Marcy Sakuma, Manager of the House of Ki No Bi of Kyoto, who took over Three X Co to showcase the range of Ki No Bi gins in cocktails recently.

The guest shift also introduced the limited-edition Ki No Bi Edition G, the brand’s first cask-aged Kyoto dry gin, which was officially released in 2019 in selected markets. 

Celebrating Spring Harvest with Roku Gin

From 6 April to 26 May 2023, Roku Gin is collaborating with some of the trendiest cocktail bars in Klang Valley to create cocktails that celebrate the "Shun" spring harvest - the Sakura, Grapefruit, Apricot, Kumquat, Plum and Honeydew.

"Shun", (旬 , pronounced shoon) in Japanese means seasonal ingredients that are harvested at its peak - when it is at its very best, most succulent, and flavourful.

Penrose will feature grapefruit cocktails that pairs with the fruit's citrus, tart and bitter flavours.

Rising Sun, The Sakura’s Calling, Momoiro (RM 55)

For more and reservations:149, Jalan Petaling, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan
M : +6016 230 0905
www.instagram.com/penrose.kl/

Triptyk Bar, Kampung Attap

Say hello to a new bar in town, the latest project by Angel Ng (of PS150 Bar and The Rex Bar).

Triptyk Bar specialises in cocktails with low to no alcohol to reach a wider audience who likes the idea of heading out for a good time but without the guilt of getting drunk, a concept which Angel has been actively pursuing these few years.

Director's Cut at TTDI

Whisky folks in the Klang Valley rejoice, for we are now blessed with the opening of a brand new whisky bar in Taman Tun.

Director's Cut is related to the Whisky Bar at Changkat Bukit Bintang - so you can expect for this bar to still have loads and loads of whiskies (bottles and by flights) for whisky lovers to explore.

Bar Mizukami, Bangunan Ming Annexe

Welcome back Shawn Chong! We have been waiting over 3 years for him to (re)open his bar and he finally has! Well, it's not as if he hasn't been busy - Shawn has been working with F&B outlets and hotels to create drinks menus under the Mizukami brand these few years.

Bar Terumi, Taman Paramount

Bar Terumi is a casual cocktail bar located at Taman Paramount, Petaling Jaya.

Hosted by award-winning bartender Shirmy Chan (Omakase + Appreciate, 61 Monarchy) and accompanied by Caden Chua (Coley), expect nothing less than thoughtful and creative signatures with Japanesque concepts as well as classics.

Bar Flips @ Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

If you drop by KK, Bar Flips is a MUST visit for well-curated signature and classic cocktails.

 

Founded in 2021 by our very own Junior (Marini's on 57, W Hotel), aka the godfather of the Malaysian bartending scene, who felt that it was time to leave KL and build the F&B industry in his own hometown by providing a platform to educate young talents and to build a thriving bar community here.

The Chow Kit Hotel x Mizukami: New Drinks Menu

The hotel's bar, Chow Kit x Mizukami, refreshed their drinks menu recently, with flavours that might remind you of your younger years.

Here's a few we tried:

The Ice Cream Bar's Bartender Series

The Ice Cream Bar worked with some of the biggest KL cocktail bars - Coley, JungleBird and Mizukami -  to create this series of limited run of cocktail-inspired ice creams.

Jann, Four Points Sheraton Chinatown KL

The Petaling Street / Chinatown area is booming with foreign and local tourists, drawn by the mushrooming of new, quaint F&B outlets, super Instagram-able graffiti and design, and most of all - bars of all shapes and sizes.

Enter newest kid on the block, Jann. A cocktail bar that's located on the 7th floor of the newly opened Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown.

Image: https://www.facebook.com/pg/FourPointsKualaLumpurChinatown

MARIMBAR - Marini's latest concrete tropical retreat in PJ

The Marini's Group has finally ventured out of KL and now holds a high position in Petaling Jaya (PJ) with its latest venture in Marimba. Marimbar (Marini + Rimba - get it?),is located on the 35th floor of Pinnacle PJ Tower A, right next to Sheraton Hotel, PJ.

This latest venture by The Marini’s Group is a nature-themed watering hole that boasts a panoramic bird’s-eye view of PJ city and part of Kuala Lumpur. Similar to Marini’s on 57, guests can expect good music, fun cocktails and the delicious Italian food, all staple signatures of The Marini’s Group.

Signature cocktails:
The Red Rimba, RM40 - Lemongrass infused Gin, raspberry puree, lemon juice, pandan syrup, ginger & egg white
Blue Moon, RM45 - Gin, sweet & sour, pineapple juice & blue curaçao
Pisco Disco, RM38 - Chrysanthemum infused Pisco, lychee liqueur, lime juice, lychee juice & pandan syrup

For more:
https://marimbar.com
https://www.facebook.com/pg/MarimbarPJ

 - Jon

Images from Marimbar.

GinRikSha: A spicy indulgence of indian fusion

The last time we visited Gin Rik Sha was March last year. We’re not food bloggers as you know but what GinRikSha had was also a bar and cocktail menu, which is where we come in.

GinRikSha has gone through a metamorphosis of improvement since its inception last year. Closed for a month recently, the interior, menu and bar has now been revamped.

Their cocktail menu has also been tweaked - while it still features cocktails with Indian spices, there are a few additions (by the way, Fireangel was a little sad that their really awesome resam bloody mary is no longer available...) and there's a new tap for Tiger beer.  I believe a wider range of bottles and wine are now available.

We tried handful of cocktails from the new menu that was curated by their new bar manager - Chan.

Lavender Sour (RM39) - gin, lemon juice, pineapple juice, blue curacao, smoked.
Easy drinking floral sour number to get your mouth watering for food.

Stress Buster Tea (RM33) - Gin, masala herb mix, tamanrind, lime.
A hot soothing cocktail, it has a familiar scent of resam.

Sharabi Lassi (RM45) - gin, mango lassi, baileys.
Your classic lassi with an alcoholic twist.

Bengal Tiger (RM48) - White rum, brandy, pineapple & lemon juice.
Strong and fruity, right up our alley

Start night  - a Christmas special cocktail with warm notes of a myriad of spices.

Of course, we couldn't drink on an empty stomach and got to sample some of their snacks.

There's another secret - the GinRikSha revamp is only half complete. We understand that a cocktail lounge is soon to be opening upstairs, giving the other cocktail joints around the area a run for their money. Can GinRikSha make it on the list for ‘Best new bar’ for Bar Awards 2019? We're keeping our eyes peeled.

For more: https://www.facebook.com/Ginriksha/

- Jon

Mrs Jones' Parlour @ section 17

A little foodie enclave in Section 17 has popped up on radar. There are a few grub-worthy makan places in those tinyrows of old 2-storey shoplots with a variety of choices. Parking availability is notoriously scarce but that has not been a deterrence.

The only thing missing here, was a drinking joint.

Enter Mrs Jones’ Parlour. Opened this October and is at this time, the only cocktail bar in the area. There are no clear signboards to this bar, so look out for Tujoh cafe.

The second you step into the parlour, deja vu. It brings us back to the late 70’s with its furnishing and deco. Ah FA said that it reminded her of her late granddad's home. Very nostalgic and cosy.

This is related to the speakeasy bar in TTDI, the Pawn Room and sister wine bar, The Private Room.

With gins from Australia, the UK,  Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands. Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand and USA, you'll be quite spoilt with choices.

Mrs Jones’ parlour meanwhile, is a gin bar with a small selection of wine. There's also a selection of gin-based cocktails and homemade infused gins too.

4 types of gin infusions.

Drinks and bottles are generally well-priced. Their happy hours are from 5-8pm where you get 2 glasses of gin (and tonics) for RM40 nett.

All the happy hour gin choices you can choose from - not bad.

Schweppes is used for happy hour but there are 2 premium tonic brands you can choose from with various flavours. 

G&T FTW.

There are bites to go with the drinks as well by Tujoh cafe downstairs.

Food is available until Tujoh closes. Creamy (tom yum? spicy?) soft shell crab was DA BOMB. 

I can see people just coming out here to chill with friends, while waiting for queues for the eateries downstairs to clear.

Amoi Melon (RM 35) - Tanqueray, Midori, lemon, agave, watermelon juice, beaten egg white.
There are 4 cocktails to choose from now - easy-drinking sweet gin-based concoctions from RM35-RM45.

As for me, I plan to catch their happy hour G&Ts as frequently as possible.

- Jon

The Bar Awards 2018 Events: 21 - 28 November 2018

The Bar Awards is back to Malaysia for its second year. This time, they're covering KL AND Penang yeay!

The Bar Awards acknowledges the best bars and F&B teams who are nominated by the public and then judged by a panel of professionals from the local F&B industry for the following categories:

• Bartender of the Year
• Bar Of The Year
• Best New Bar
• The Rising Star
• Best Restaurant Bar
• Best Beer Bar
• Best Wine Bar
• Best Hotel Bar
• Best Specialist Concept
• Best Hospitality Ambassador
• Best Hospitality Team
• Most Creative Cocktail Program
• The Bar Awards Luminaries

The top 10 for each category can be found here.

Here's the icing on the cake - there's going to be a whole slew of activities, parties, guest shifts from international bars (Singapore, Manila, Hong Kong, and Bangkok) and brand ambassadors well as masterclasses leading up to the announcement of the winners on the 25th, and then a little bit more after:

Get updated at: www.facebook.com/thebarawards

Don't say I bojio!

New: PJ’s Bar & Grill at New World Petaling Jaya

Name me a place in PJ you can go enjoy view the city sights?

Mont Kiara jogging hill doesnt count - that's technically in KL. Gasing Hill? Perhaps, but the view ain’t that spectacular. Also, it's not the safest to be in the day time, let alone at night.

I'll let you in on a soon-to-be-not-a-secret-place: PJ’s Bar & Grill located at the 30th floor of the newly minted New World Hotel that's just behind Paradigm Mall.

With a viewing deck and the hotel’s infinity pool, PJ’s Bar & Grill is the largest and highest rooftop bar in Petaling Jaya that offers a 360° view of the city.

The bar has Guinness and Tiger on tap, a choice of wines and spirits as well as a few signature cocktails. The food menu covers an extensive array of  tapas-style bites, mains, and the open grill serving up the city’s freshest ‘Catch of the Day, alongside its Western and Eastern grilled selections. The kitchen is led by Executive Chef - Alexander Chong, with over 20 years of culinary experience, specialising in Western and Chinese cuisine.

There's even a private Cigar Lounge in the restaurant to puff upon their choice of cigars sourced from Cuba and the Dominican Republic or savour a night cap from PJ’s Bar & Grill’s wine and liquor list.

PJ’s Bar & Grill is opened daily from 11.30am to 12.00 am. For dining enquiries or reservations at PJ’s Bar & Grill, call (603) 7682 0000, e-mail marketing.petalingjaya@newworldhotels.com
or visit petalingjaya.newworldhotels.com.

Make sure FA jio you when she steals away for a pint after work.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Jul 26, 2018 at 6:33am PDT

- Jon

Mosto Wine Bar & Restaurant @ ONE KL

Porcinated joy and salutations! I found another porcine-friendly restaurant and bar in KL - or rather, they found me!

Located in Jalan Pinang and just a stone’s throw from KLCC, this nice cozy little hideaway is another brainchild of Cavaliere Modesto Marini’s himself. Now if that name sounds familiar, it's because he is the founder of Marini's and the Marini Group of restaurants.

While Mosto’s Wine and Restaurant Bar is not part of the Marini’s Group but the atmosphere and decor certainly has the same feel. Classy.

Cocktails and tap beers (Heineken Malaysia's triple threat - Guinness, Tiger, Heineken) are on the menu too but Mosto boasts about their extensive wine list. Their wine menu lists wines from all over the globe.

On the menu, Mosto’s signature - Italian themed cuisine and PORK. Pork is served in many ways, from the appetisers to the pastas and main dishes. However, there are also seafood options for those looking for something a little lighter.

Mosto’s is opened for lunch with happy hour wine prices till 9pm and friday happy hours that start from 12pm onwards!

You might like to know that parking is available and free (for now, perhaps as the building as new.).

For more: https://www.facebook.com/mostowinebarkl/ or https://mostowinebarkl.com/

Don’t say I bojio!

- Jon

Images: Mosto Wine Bar & Restaurant

Locker & Loft: 2 years and going strong

Happy 2nd anniversary, Locker & Loft!  Has it already been 2 years? These guys have been so busy!

There's a bunch of new cocktails on its list, such as the special for CNY 2018, Babi Lu Mary, a
twist on the Bloody Mary, with Don Julio agave tequila that's been infused bakwa, among others.

For the fearless, we would recommend checking the KING - their natural durian cocktail with vodka, Baileys, hazelnut liqueur, vanilla ice-cream, almond syrup and cinnamon powder. Absolutely YUM.

There's the low-calorie cocktails for those who wish to get wasted with less guilt, with drinks like LC1, Joozy and Kelapa Rock. Also new: bottled cocktails with fizz, like the K Rock.

For the party animals - there's the new shot 'glasses'  made entirely of ice which you can smash like a proper Asgardian.

They also have a cocktail-catering service where you can request for pop-up bar (can I take it home please) to be set up wherever your party is, complete with L&L bartenders shaking cocktails that you want.

They've also got a new food menu. So you'll see stuff like Tenggiri Quesadilla, Alfredo Catfish Balls, Peanut Sauce Pork Ribs, Sliders, Sardine-Bacon Pasta as well as burgers.

They'll be maintaining their regular crowd-favourite events like Shake N Take (make your own cocktails every Thursday), BBQ Sunday, Sake Sundays and Dames Night so fret not!

Deepak mentioned that they are thinking about opening another outlet... we're keeping an eye out for that.

Get updated with their activities and shenangians here: https://www.facebook.com/lockerandloft/

The Hidden Tropicana Bandar Utama trifecta: Maze, Lavo and Chaze

There is really not much to shout about for fun in Bandar Utama with the exception of the 2 malls, One Utama and Centrepoint. So where would you go if you’re knackering for an adult beverage? If you’d ask me that last year same time, I’d tell you to head to Taman Tun.

But much to my delight, there are now 3 legit watering holes at Menara Lien Ho, Tropicana Bandar Utama under the M Group of companies. They are:

Maze

In the afternoons, Maze is a chic afternoon hi- tea / Coffee saloon that resembles the decadent 70s and when the sun goes down and the lights go up it transforms into a gin parlour. Maze boasts 200 Gin focused labels and gin cocktails. The ambience befits the arrival of certain super spy in a dapper suit that would casually sit down on one if the plush couches and say, ‘Martini, shaken, not stirred”.

Maze got in Adam Westbrook, Esq, previously the head bartender of the Skullduggery group, to revamped beverage menu. So there's a new set of gin-based cocktails ranging from the fruity and easy-drinking to the spirit forward, featuring local ingredients and localised flavours.

There will over 200 available labels to try, and 70 labels to order by shot like whisky. If you order a bottle of gin, a push cart of cocktail condiments and garnishes comes with it for you to customise your own G&T.

Maze also has a not-so-secret door that leads you into...

Chaze

With Maze being chic, Chaze is the the masculine counterpart with its dim lighting, leather lounge and a back bar filled with whiskies. Bar bites, beers and signature cocktails are also served here but opening bottles is very common here too.

Different themes and DJs are the feature daily within a week. What's extra - a ping pong table placed smack right in the middle of the dance floor in the early hours of the night.

Lavo

Strategically located on the ground floor of Menara Lien Ho, Lavo is a resto bar that serves a delightful menu of western, local delights and bar bites while boasting an extensive wine list of more than 1000 labels. They also have brands from the Heineken Malaysia on tap, cocktails and spirits to boot.

While Maze seems posh, Lavo is the chilled sibling and is kid-friendly. Smoking is only allowed outdoors and a kids eat for free weekend promo is available.

Lavo also caters to events and special requests.

Stay tuned on this spot. As you read this, another outlet is in the pipeline to open soon. .....oriental style tapas anyone?

- Jon