Dining/Drinking

Since mid March 2021, cocktail connoisseurs can rediscover homegrown herbs in a creative new format at Bar Trigona, the award-winning destination bar at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The bar’s latest menu features an array of herb-infused cocktails and mocktails, bringing a fragrant garden breeze into the glamorous urban heart of Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysians share a vibrant relationship with indigenous herbs, grown in gardens and farms across the country. Pandan and lemongrass, pegaga and bunga kantan – for centuries, these staples have filled local kitchens with their pleasing aromas and added a distinct flavour to classic recipes. Brimming with health benefits, they are also used as vital ingredients in grandma’s healing concoctions. Now, these long-loved herbs take centrestage in Bar Trigona’s newly-minted selection of crafted drinks.

Bar Trigona: nostalgia gives rise to new possibilities

“This concept started with a trip down memory lane. We wanted to go back to the herbs we grew up with and look beyond the obvious. We asked ourselves, how can we reimagine these commonly used ingredients using the latest methods in mixology?” explains Ashish Sharma, Head Bartender.

Indeed, the bar team has done an exceptional job of re-casting the familiar into new incarnations. From fruit and flower to leaf and stem, native herbs are used in myriad ways to extract their full range of flavours and textures. Not only does this root-to-shoot approach help to maximise creativity but it also helps minimise food wastage.

Guests can explore each featured herb in the form of four signature drinks – three cocktails and a mocktail. The ingredients and presentation come together to evoke the feeling of a herb garden in the glass. Discover flavourful multi-layered concoctions, brightened by playful elements like pandan foam and garnish of bunga kantan (torch ginger blossom).

From farm to glass: redefining luxury beverages

“People tend to think that if something grows in their own backyard, it can’t be at the forefront of inventive mixology,” says Ashish. “That is a perception we want to change. For us, true luxury means using fresh produce that is grown close to home and in a sustainable manner.”

Drinks are crafted with farm-fresh herbs cultivated on Malaysian soil, including pandan and lemongrass from the team’s very own kitchen garden at Four Seasons. Herbs are also sourced from small local farms that have teamed up with Bar Trigona for an ambitious reforestation project, aimed at restoring biodiversity and replenishing the soil with nutrients.

“We have a dedicated herb garden in the works with our long-time partner Ong Ning-Geng, whose farm in Pahang grows cacao for his bean-to-bar company, Chocolate Concierge,” notes Ashish. Along with tending to newly-planted fruit tree forests over the next few years, Ning will be setting up a herb farm in collaboration with the Four Seasons team.

Celebrated by patrons and industry alike for its creative, locally-rooted approach, Bar Trigona recently claimed a coveted spot among The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020, making it the first-ever bar in the country to receive this recognition. It was also named #14 Best Bar in Asia and Best Bar in Malaysia by Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020.