Until recently, going out for a drink in Penang meant making do with the backpacker-oriented bars lining George Town’s tourist enclaves of Chulia Street and Love Lane. However, since mid-2017, several new “secret” cocktail bars have mushroomed around George Town’s historical lanes, creating one of Malaysia’s most eclectic nightlife scenes.
12 Senses
Pull a lever on the Wing Chun dummy in the anteroom, and the sliding door opens to reveal an impressive display of muted lighting, furniture and paintings that are a nod to ancient China. The classy bar, with its towering backdrop of bottles manned by a tuxedo-clad mixologist, takes centrestage. Try the Black Diamond, which cleverly mixes rum, chocolate and bamboo charcoal.
Golden Shower
Chefs Jack Yeap and Weng Chia’s latest creation makes quite an entrance. Push open a golden door to enter a retro lavatory replete with bathtub, tiles and gold touches. Beyond is a dark room that resembles a graffiti-covered alley, which leads to a second door. Open that door and walk into a bright pink room with an oval bar flanked by golden high stools. Signature drinks include the zesty Picante Margarita (with Cabeza tequila, lime, agave and Tabasco); they also serve a range of prettily plated, gourmet bar bites like crostini with smoked salmon.
Good Friends Club
The neon-lit, bright purple signboard of this little café dominates a simple open bar. Wander through the back door, and you’re likely to discover artistic types gathered in a dimly lit room strewn with driftwood tables and low couches. “Our menu infuses a smattering of Penang tastes into international spirits,” explains Meeuki Tan, the jovial boss. Signature cocktail 9394 – a blend of rum, sour plum and calamansi – is a must-try.
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One of the first bars to launch the speakeasy trend here is cleverly hidden in a rugged shophouse. Get past its rusty metallic gate, push a hidden panel on the left side of the wooden partition and enter a romantic lounge with brick walls, red lanterns and waiters dressed in traditional Chinese outfits. Following the old-world theme, drinks are served in ceramic jars sporting Chinese calligraphy – the DJs and live bands are the only modern additions.
Backdoor Bodega
Born out of a clothing shop’s staff pantry and hidden behind the orange door at the back of adjacent Good Friends Club, tiny Backdoor Bodega draws in a small crowd of local insiders. They come to enjoy the laid-back ambience (cream walls, a mahogany bar and a foosball table). “Remember that, like a real speakeasy, we don’t sell drinks: only drink-inspired, limited edition lapel pins. Buy one, and get free booze,” owner Koh Yung Shen cheekily explains. For an innovative cocktail with a local twist, try the signature “Kelapa Hotak” – sweet homemade coconut rum washed in pandan leaves.
This article was originally published in the August 2018 issue of Silkwinds magazine
