Featured Stories
Raising the (Snack) Bar
04 Aug 2022
Raising the (Snack) Bar: Elevate Cocktail Hour with these Bites and Tipples from Some of Malaysia’s Best Bars
From new-wave Chinese snacking to New York classics, there’s a snack – and cocktail – for every occasion.
Basket of chips? A packet of crisps? Complimentary peanuts? For drinkers of a certain era, these ho-hum options were the epitome of “eating at the bar”. For drinkers of the current era, however, bar snacking is a much different (and much more delicious) prospect.
Just as craft beer, small-batch wines and creative cocktails are now par for course, bars everywhere have lifted their food game dramatically: so much so that guests nowadays are as likely to head to a bar for a meal as they are for a night cap. It’s a trend that’s firmly taken hold in food-obsessed Malaysia with intrepid drinkers able to sip and snack on everything from the cutting-edge to the classic.
Here are some of the nation’s best bars that focus on the eating as much as they do the drinking.
Rooftop at Le Méridien, Kota Kinabalu
Yes, this is a bar with a view, but vistas of the South China Sea are just one of the ways Rooftop celebrates Malaysia. The east-plus-west drinks list smartly melds cocktail culture and local ingredients via a refreshing bourbon, pineapple and tamarind juice concoction, while local coffee plus evaporated milk plus whisky equals a very vernacular local coffee cocktail. There’s a local accent to the snacks too: squid fritters are paired with salted egg yolk and black pepper, and satay comes with all the traditional condiments.
Gin Library, Courtyard by Marriott Penang, Georgetown
No prizes for guessing what the focus is at Courtyard by Marriott Penang’s in-house bar. While Gin Library’s name speaks to a deep focus on all-things juniper – the bar stocks around 40 gins from around the world – what it doesn’t tell you is that guests also get treated to captivating 23rd floor views of the city as well as polished western comfort cooking. The fettucine and ravioli are both freshly made, the fish fingers contain local cod and club sandwiches are always on standby.
Jann, Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown
“The history of Kuala Lumpur would not be the same without the emergence of Chinatown.” So proclaims the menu of the in-house bar at Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown. Red brick and brass fittings conjure a contemporary sense of Chinese opulence, as does a creative snack menu with grilled otak-otak (fish cake) with tomato escabeche and kung pao black angus beef burgers. The cocktails are also big on Chinese flair, whether you’re talking the preserved orange peel in the house signature, Dear Jann, or Hua, a floral gin cocktail inspired by Jalan Hang Lekir’s flower street.
Pavilion Bar at Kayuputi, The St. Regis, Langkawi
Is there a better address in Langkawi to enjoy the sunset than The St. Regis’s signature restaurant? Start your visit at Kayuputi’s Pavilion Bar and soak up views of the mountain and the Andaman Sea before turning your attention to Asian-accented cocktails – Negroni made with Japanese Roku gin and fresh ginger, perhaps – paired with truffle-dusted fries, lobster gyoza and other luxed up bar snacks. It’s the perfect preface to the proper Pan-Asian accented dining in the restaurant.
Astor Bar, The St. Regis, Kuala Lumpur
We had to finish with a classic, and they don’t get more classic than the Astor Bar at The. St Regis, Kuala Lumpur. Gold and leather accents speak clearly to the brand’s New York heritage, as does a bar menu proudly built on the classics including Caesar salads, club sandwiches and – of course – a burger. It seems fitting to keep your drinking just as traditional: a Martini, Rob Roy or Rusty Nail are all perfect nods to the Rat Pack era.
Marriott Bonvoy Restaurants & Bars Benefits – Dine and Earn
Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott International’s award-winning loyalty program and app that allows members to earn and redeem points for hotel stays and dining, credit card spending, exclusive experiences, access to major events, and more. Available at over 2,700 participating restaurants and bars in Asia Pacific, Marriott Bonvoy members can savor year-round dining privileges, providing another way for members to dine more and earn points – even without a stay.
Earn Marriott Bonvoy points next time you dine?
Discover all participating Restaurants & Bars in Asia-Pacific
