The Crib @ Bottle & Boar (by Jarrod & Rawlins), Subang Jaya

The Crib is located at the upstairs of the Bottle & Boar restaurant and is accessible only through the restaurant.

Downstairs - Bottle & Boar

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

Guinness Draught Food Pairing at Makhan Kitchen

Does Guinness pair with food? We find out when celebrity chef Sherson Lian at Makhan of Kitchen Mafia was tasked to prove it. Being an avid stout drinker myself, this was a media dinner promises to be a treat.

(L to R) HEINEKEN Star Academy draught master, Jonathan Chong, Marketing Manager of GUINNESS Malaysia, Archana Sridhara, GUINNESS Expert, Cian Hulm & Head Chef of Makhan by Kitchen Mafia, Sherson Lian

The menu started with a Tamarind Chilli Grilled Tiger Prawns with the prawn head separately served fried in salted egg and flavoured by curry leaves and Crispy Tandoori Spiced chicken on Brioche on the side

The main course was a delectable Pistachio and Herb crusted Leg of Lamb with jus infused with Coffee and Morel (Jus = juice drippings from the meats’ frying).

The grand sweet finale ended with a Belgian Dark Chocolate Ganache slice with sea salt and nitrogen charged smoked cream. Bonus: we had a cheese platter to end the night.

NOM NOM NOM.

The light bitter creamy texture of Guinness Draught paired well with everything, of course. I am at opinion that spicy food, meats, food which are heavy in oils and rich desserts go well with Guinness. Yes, and so did blue cheese!

The event also paved 2 other agendas for the Guinness branding, which was the education of the two part pour of the Guinness Draught. All guests were required to pour their own Draught under the supervision on Draught Master Jonathan Chong before we were allowed to go home (haha).

We were also introduced to Cian Hulm (pronounced KEEan), the latest Guinness Brand Ambassador in Malaysia. He apparently is also an ambassador of Ireland, quoting him, “the certificates you’ve just earned for the participation of the Guinness Draught two part pour will guarantee you an entry into Ireland”.

Selamat datang, Cian.

Mr. Hulm, I will your words to test very soon!

- Jon

(Images: Guinness/Heineken Malaysia)

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

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

Have a Mele Kalikimaka @ WIP

Since in we celebrate a tropical Christmas in Malaysia, WIP wants to bring you to a Hawaiian Paradise with its Hawaiian tropical-themed menu and festivities this coming Christmas (‘Mele Kalikimaka’ is a hawaiian phrase for ‘Merry Christmas’).

This Christmas Eve, WIP will be throwing the luau featuring Hula dancers, ukulele bands and fire breathers. For RM150 nett per adult and RM 100 nett per child, you'll be able to enjoy a buffet of unique Hawaiian-inspired delicacies and drinks.

In anticipation for the luau, the culinary team have whipped up some delectable specials from now till Christmas Day:

Image: Continuum PR

• Kuleke Platter @ RM88 (sliced roasted turkey, fresh water prawns, chicken Merguez & spicy beef sausages, roasted baby carrots, sautéed vegetables, red wine poached pear, grapes, and fresh strawberries with a chocolate dip).
• Aloha Beef Burger @ RM35 (homemade beef patty, beef bacon, Emmental cheese, grilled pineapple, tomato, and onion, topped with teriyaki sauce).
•  Huli Huli Chicken @ RM38  (a popular dish in Hawaiian cuisine that features grilled chicken that’s been barbecued over mesquite wood, and basted with a sweet huli huli sauce which is a combination of pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, sherry vinegar, brown sugar and ginger). 

Of course, there will be a selection of Tiki-style cocktails (RM35/glass) to accompany your solids, afterall what's a Christmas without some Christmas spirit, eh?

Image: Continuum PR

• Toucan -  a balanced sweet and sour cocktail with a rum base, Aperol, fresh pineapple, pink grapefruit and lime juice.
• Batida - Cachaca, coconut water, and banana. An ikat tepi super filling banana dessert drink.
• A-Maize-Ing -   a rum citrus cocktail with um, velvet falernum syrup, fresh lime juice, and bitters.
• Maui Fizz - a light refreshing mix of rum, fresh lemon juice, chai spice syrup, coconut water, egg white, and soda. 
• Orinoco Fog - a spirit forward number from a mix of rum, gin, cognac, dry curacao, orgeat syrup and fresh lime juice. 

For more information on the WIP Christmas Specials or the ‘Mele Kalikimaka’ Christmas Eve Luau, visit the WIP Facebook page: http://fb.com/wip.kl

Note: WIP will undergo a major cosmetic facelift to refresh the brand in anticipation of its 10th Anniversary. The facelift is taking place in two phases: the first phase involving the main entrance, mall entrance and restroom, which will be completed by the first week of December; and the second phase that will see a complete refurbishment of the interior, which will take place in January 2018

 - Jon

Goa by Hubba

There are 22 major languages in India with over 700 different dialects. Fact. That is an astounding mind boggling number of variants for Indian cuisine and ways curries you may never try in your lifetime.

Goa is quite a popular touristic destination, that we we know. Air Asia flies there. It is supposed to be a hippy coastal city where grass there is popular, not necessarily greener, if you get what I mean (I only heard about it from friends who have been there!).

Well, a little part of Goa(n) cuisine is now featured by a watering hole that used to be known as Hubba Hubba. Now rebranded as Goa by Hubba, it's located on the ground floor of Ramada Suites KLCC. Don’t be confused by the hotel name. This is actually off Changkat Bukit Bintang.

Goa by Hubba now features a brand new food menu and cocktails inspired by Goa cuisine and flavours. The menu was created in collaboration with Le Cordon Bleu Celebrity chef Sapna Anand. Sapna, a native of Goa herself, brings to the table delectable dishes like the Fire Roasted Bone Marrow, Cochin Seafood Stew, Goan Beef Cutlets, Allepey Grilled Fish and more. Many of these dishes were also inspired by her mother's own recipes.

To complement the new menu, they have created new cocktails inspired by spices from Goa-style flavours of rasam, raita and lassi. Exotic kooky cocktail names like Kinky Kokum, Masala Mantra, Ass Whuppin Chai Masala got me tickled. FA really loved their gleaming copperware.

For the after office happy hour crowd that just needs a little something something to kill some time while waiting for the rush hour traffic to subside, there's still their beers on tap to accompany some of their Goan-inspired nibbles to keep your mouth busy.

Congratulations Michele Kwok and the Soul Society team on this new baby, and thanks for having us!

- Jon

21 Years On and Still Souled Out

It's a Black Light 21st Birthday Bash at SOSH! (image: souled out)

I remember a time when Souled Out used to be the few places on the fringes of PJ area for great food, drinks and lepaking with friends...having a difficult time making my mind up from their colourful, thick food menu that offered a wide mix of western cuisine and local-favourites, before finally settling down with my go-to fried beef noodles, sake san pizza or the sinful gosht palak... Then washing it down with their happy hour priced cold pints of beer and their infamous mojitos.

I can't believe it's been 21 years and they have since branched out from Sri Hartamas to five other locations at Ampang, Bangsar South, Kota Kinabalu and Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

A post shared by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Oct 13, 2017 at 10:23pm PDT

To kick off their 21 years journey, SOULed OUT threw a big party and soon, they'll be rolling out a new menu and all-new outdoor kitchen in the months to come.

Happy Birthday again, Souled Out! You're finally old enough for a drink! :) A big congratulations to Michele Kwok, Freddy Choo and the entire service team.

Here are some pictures of the night:

Giant bowls of Glow G&Ts!

Awesome glow in the dark cupcakes!

Glow in the dark drummers! (image: souled out)

Glow in the dark dancers! (image: souled out)

Eat Drink Play @ Tujo

Tujo’s Brasserie and Grill may just be one of the most well kept secret in the heart of KL for diners and drinkers. Seldom mentioned but highly praised by its regular patrons, this place shares the same DNA with its sister outlets, SOULed OUT, WIP and Hubba Hubba (and now the recently launched Goa by Hubba, we'll get to that in other post) of pairing a well thought-out menu with great service.

A post shared by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Oct 1, 2017 at 1:02am PDT

They have just recently rebranded with a new tagline of Eat Drink Play and added some naughtiness into the BAR-sserie. Now when you venture inside you'll feel like you've entered into glasshouse surrounded by lush greeneries, right in the middle of the concrete jungle.

From the menu side of things, here are some highlights from their new food menu:

The Tomahawk, a 1.3kg Sanchoku Wagyu from Australia is now on the menu, along side the cheesy raclette and various grilled meats and seafood with an assortment of marinades.

There's the  lemon pepper halibut and black miso haddock plus a whole lot of other new stuff like the short rib nasi lemak, pastas, pizzas, salads, soups and other light bites.

On the liquid side of things, Tujo's introduced a  new range of cocktails. These 16 new cocktails feature local ingredients and are inspired by everyday Malaysian drinks with an alcoholic twist. There's the Hang Li Mau (a limau ais inspired rum concoction). The ABC (Alcoholic Batu Campur with tequila and Irish cream liqueur). There's also the Milotini (milo dinosaur) and Seniorita Mawar (Sirap bandung) among others.

But what got FA got all excited was this DIY Bloody Mary Bar. For RM60++ you get to make your own customised bloody mary (it's decently strong) with a mix of salts, garnishes and condiments for 2 hours. And you know what goes well with Bloody Marys? The fresh raw oysters from their new oyster bar!

A post shared by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Oct 1, 2017 at 2:09am PDT

Yes, the Bloody Mary Bar was FA-approved.

Thanks for having us Tujo, we had a blast!

- Jon

Funky Fireball Friday @ Souled Out

If you're an American, this drink of the devil needs no introduction. If you're not,  a quick read about Fireball whisky on its website describes itself like this:

“...just imagine what it feels like to stand face-to-face with a fire-breathing dragon who just ate a whisky barrel full of spicy cinnamon. Live it, love it, shoot it – what happens next is up to you”

“Taste like heaven, burns like hell…”

Yup, it's pretty much a party drink.

Fireball Cinnamon Whisky is a mixture of whisky, cinnamon flavoring and sweeteners.. The product originates from the cold depths of Canada in the mid-1980s, and for a long time was little known outside of Canada until recently. It is bottled at 33% abv and so sweet that American college frat boys chug this straight from the bottle. And now, it is available in this part of the world.


If you're wondering how to get yourself a taste of this, wonder no more as Souled Out Desa Hartamas recently launched its Funky Fireball Friday. What this means is that every Fridays, there will be Fireball whisky cocktails.  Of course, what's a Funky Fireball Friday without Fireball bottle and shots promotions? Go get it.

Get your happy on with the Fireball Mojito, Fireball Citrus and Fireball Espressotini.

The Funky Fireball Friday at Souled Out will run until 10th Nov 2017. So, the next time you have a party where shots and 5 second pours are in your agenda, try it with the Fireball. It's easy to chug because it's sweet and would probably hurt you less than tequila, gin or regular whisky. Win!

- Jon

#funkyfireballfriday

Babilicious Naughty Nuri’s (Malaysia)

You can't miss it. Babi is everywhere in Bali and so is bebek.. I really don’t know what our non porcine eating brethren eat in Bali because these are the must-do things to accomplish in this delectable tiny Island in the sun. .... Ah.. they probably eat a lot of ulam which makes sense as this fast growing touristic destination seem to be very big with vegan yogis.

On a trip to Bali some months ago we had to make Naughty Nuri’s Ubud a must do stop. Lo and behold that we were somewhat surprised that it was a warong situated smack in parts unknown off Ubud central.

Naughty Nuri’s opened its first outlet in Malaysia a few years ago and now has sprung to a 6-outlet strong crowd favorite go to place for pork ribs.

A post shared by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Jul 31, 2017 at 7:44am PDT

The signature rack ribs in Ubud did not disappoint and went superbly well with a bottle of cold beer.

So forward a few months later and we had an opportunity to check out the outlet in Lifecentre, KL. You’d like to know that the menu in Malaysia is more extensive and varied than in Bali. For one, we have here the balinese style bebek and a more extensive drinks menu to boot.

Here is what we had to sample at the Lifecentre:

Signature BBQ spare ribs (RM49) - on the sweeter side. You can see that the glaze from the Malaysian version is thicker than the Ubud version, which is drier.
BBQ Pork chop (RM25) - also on the sweet side. We were told that the sweetness is a Balinese thing.
Signature pork salad (RM28) - the opposite of healthy with a generous rack of siew yoke which is a good full meal for 2.
BBQ satay lilit (RM26) - grilled pork paste and herbs on a lemongrass stick.
Balinese Ayam Bertutu (RM35) - think chicken rice, but sweeter meat.
Indonesian style mee goreng (RM25) - This came with siew yoke toppings... and one can never go wrong with siew yoke toppings.

Pork was obviously the order of the day. Yum.

Of course, since they have an array of drinks on menu and this is a drink blog, we had to have drinks.

Asam Boi Mojito (RM29), Kiss My Bud (RM45), Nuri's Punch (a RM28.80 mocktail to share with 6), Lychee Martini (RM29)

Just 2 things to note if you do order any of its signature drinks.

1) Do specify if you prefer your beverages kurang manis (they are on the sweeter side).
2) If you do order a martini, the Naughty Nuri staff will shake (shaken, not stirred) it in front of you with a big song and dance. It is quite a sight and entertaining.

They do have a selection of beers and spirits too if cocktails aren't your thing. You really can't have your babi without and ice cold something something.

If you are up for an alternative buffet experience do give Naughty Nuris Sunday Snout to Tail buffet a try. It’s priced at 49.90++ and served between 11am-3pm and features most of the items mentioned and more. This deal is a steal.

Look at this FA stuffing her face.

Don’t say I bojio ah!

- Jon