Dining/Drinking

Bar Trigona cocktail menu review: this Kuala Lumpur top class bar continues its discoveries and experiments to come up with new creations on a pretty much ongoing basis (resulting in a continued ranking for seven consecutive years among Asia’s 50 Best Bars). It was therefore relevant – for some cocktail benchmarking and as a great pleasure – to revisit the discerning bar hidden within the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Upon this encounter, the opulent hotel drinking destination was serving its latest theme menu, called ‘Colour Me Curious 2.0‘. (following on the previous 1.0 edition).

Without repeating all the observations from the previous Happy Hour Asia review one cannot help but again also be impressed by Bar Trigona’s interiors, and with floor-to-ceiling windows giving glimpses of the downtown night vibe in the KLCC area.

And high up close to the stained-glass ceiling hangs lamp bulbs that resemble garlands, paired with black-tinted floor-to-ceiling, soaring wall mirrors, rose gold frames, and silk wallpaper. The golden and green décor pillows and the very comfortable and bespoke seating options (including bright purple armchairs and golden-beige curved velvet sofas) placed on veined marble flooring and vivid blue-grey carpets – are also impressive. Add to this the mirror mosaic wall with shelves for bottles behind the bar counter! Its entrance is also ‘speakeasy’ discreet – hidden behind a door at the back of the hotel’s Lobby Lounge.

And – it is noted – the bar music is amazing, delivering a great soundtrack for guests with discerning tastes.

“Since its opening, Bar Trigona has offered a space for constant discovery,” Beverage Manager Rohan Matmary has said. And this curiosity undoubtedly continues, while this bar also offers cocktails centred around Trigona honey, made by stingless bees native to the Malaysian tropics.

The curated ‘Colour Me Curious 2.0’ cocktails – aperitifs and digestifs – part of pushing the boundaries, this time entails ‘Zen’, included as part of five ‘Treasure In A Bottle’ bottled cocktails (also available with signature packaging), and made with Ford’s gin, lychee, Blur Fino Sherry and house-pickled ginger. Fino Sherry is the lightest, driest, and palest traditional kind of sherry from southern Spain. With this sherry the cocktail is very clean and light on the palette, and with some gentle ginger aroma and slight mint, while the brings forward a unique flavour composition as result. Liquid-nitrogen used at the guest’s table also makes the cocktail a bit of a show – and well chilled.

Next to try is a ‘Rare & Remarkable’ cocktail, describe as Bar Trigona’s most sumptuous libations, designed around rare and prized ingredients from around the world. “They’re liquid luxury at its finest.” That’s a bold statement drawing us in to the specifics of these drinks. ‘Lumos’ is one of them, made from The Botanist Gin, passion fruit pulp, vanilla, saffron, Trigona Mead, and edible gold. All these ingredients make it seem appealing and intriguing. It turns out that the bar has its very own, bottled Trigona mead – perhaps not surprising given that this ancient alcoholic beverage is made by fermenting honey…and is known as ‘honey wine’ (mead is also potentially the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage)! This cocktail “fits the bill” as rare and remarkable. Lumos is slightly sour and less sweet – easy to drink, and with the lovely passionfruit citrus distinctly as part of the flavours; simply irresistible, actually!

Talking of the golden elixir, Colour Me Curious 2.0 also entails the ‘All About Honey’ section, with cocktails (six different ones plus a Signature Honey Flight) that are the bar’s honey tribute, responsibly produced in Malaysia.

The choice falls on ‘Afterglow’, fizzy rosé-hued drink and with what looks like soap bubbles on top! It’s made from – again – The Botanist Gin and longan, roselle, Borneo raw honey, grapefruit soda, and prosecco. This drink can function as a “cleanser”, with its slightly vague taste composition. The soda takes over from gin with a slightly sour flavour profile. The taste of honey and prosecco are toned down.

Meanwhile, some sumptuous bar food arrives to the table, in the form of the Asian dish Wagyu beef sate (Sarawak pepper crust, Steamed Lontong (compressed rice cake), Serunding (Javanese spiced grated coconut), truffled fried shallots and Cashew Sauce).

A few other picks to mention from the curated, locally inspired snack (‘From field and forest to river and coast, Malaysia’s abundance finds its way to your plate’) are: Twin prawn rolls (Garlic butter–poached, Bird’s eye chilli remoulade, Bib lettuce, Toasted brioche bun, Prawn crackers, Caviar, Chive Beurre monte dip) or Grilled mushroom quesadilla (Smoked foraged mushrooms, Caramelized onions, Bird’s eye chilli double Gloucester, Charred ranchero sauce).

Next is to try a cocktail from the ‘Simple Origin’ selection with five drinks, which embodies Bar Trigona’s sustainability approach. Each of these cocktails is derived from a single ingredient grown in Malaysia, making them low on waste and high on innovation. And for every drink ordered, a fruit tree is planted in partnership with local farmers!

‘Pomelo’ – a personal favourite fruit – is served as a frosted drink, with an oblong ice cube to fit into the long drink glass, made from Hapusa Gin, Pomelo marmalade, Pomelo pith and Pomelo peel soda) and served with a sweet candy! This turns out as an easy-to-drink soda cocktail, and also without much sweetness, so those with a sweet tooth can “remedy” that from the candy.

The last selection part of Colour Me Curious 2.0 is the ‘Easy Breezy’ – to drink less and drink better. Crafted for a lighter sipping experience, these crafted cocktails are available with or without alcohol, such as ‘Fern Valley’ (Malfy Con Limone Gin, Mint, Asam Boi, Aloe vera soda), ‘Blossom & Bubbles’ (Patron Silver Tequila, Salted Sakura, Lychee kombucha, Perrier sparkling water) and ‘Evergreen’ (Grey Goose vodka, matcha, pistachio, citrus).

We will let you do your own further choices and discoveries based on personal preferences. This menu has certainly made us yearning for more, and curious on what will come next from Bar Trigona!