Bar Trigona is KL's Bar Of The Year, and the big winner at The Bar Awards 2019

Bar Trigona was named Bar Of The Year at The Bar Awards KL and Penang 2019.

It was a sweet, sweet night for Bar Trigona at The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang almost as sweet as the honey the bar is named after.

The Four Seasons Hotel KL bar won three awards on Sunday, including the coveted Bar Of The Year title, as well as Creative Cocktail Bar Of The Year and Hotel Bar Of The Year.

Bar Trigona beat three other bars to the Bar Of the Year KL award, including two-time winner Coley Cocktail Bar, rum specialists JungleBird, and the Japanese-styled Bar Shake. The Penang Bar Of The Year went to Mish Mash for the second year running.

Coley and JungleBird, whom together with Bar Trigona were the only three Malaysian bars listed in the recent Asia's 50 Best Bars 2019, also won 2 awards each. Coley won Hospitality Team Of The Year while its young bartender Kah Chun Pang was named the year's Rising Star. JungleBird's co-founder Joshua Ivanovic was named Hospitality Ambassador Of The Year, and the bar also won Specialist Concept Of The Year for its dedication to rum.

Bartender Of The Year KL was won by Shirmy Chan of 61 Monarchy, capping a stellar year for the 31-year-old, who also won the Giffard West Cup Malaysia and the East Imperial Gin Jubilee KL's Best Gin And Tonic titles earlier this year. Penang's Bartender Of The Year went to Koh Yung Shen of Backdoor Bodega.

61 Monarchy's Shirmy Chan was named Bartender Of The Year KL. Photo: NZ Phang/Wholly Spirits

In the other categories, New Bar Of The Year went to TTDI cocktail bar Soma, Taps Beer Bar won Beer Bar Of The Year for the third year running, and JOLOKO won Restaurant Bar Of The Year.

Single Malt Sdn Bhd co-founder Shareen Yew and veteran bartender Arsenio Mariano Jr (currently with Sakura Den) were inducted into the Bar Awards KL Luminaries, which recognises individuals or organisations that have greatly contributed to the growth and development of the Malaysian bar community over the years.

Covering 14 categories and voted upon by a panel of industry professionals, this year's awards were held at Black Box, Publika, KL. The top four finalists featured a mix of recognised favourites and new names.

Here is the full list of top four finalists, with winners in bold:

Bar of the Year, KL

• Bar Shake
• Bar Trigona
• Coley
• JungleBird

Bartender of the Year, KL

• Ashish Sharma (Bar Trigona)
• Chee Kheong Kho (Coley)
• Shawn Chong (Omakase + Appreciate)
• Shirmy Chan (61 Monarchy)

Bar of the Year, Penang

• Backdoor Bodega
• Beso Rosado by Chin Chin
• Copper Bar & Restaurant
• Mish Mash

Bartender of the Year, Penang

• Koh Yung Shen (Backdoor Bodega)
• Ooi Foo Giap (Backdoor Bodega)
• Quay Kar Ve (Copper Bar & Restaurant)
• Spencer Ezra (Mish Mash)

New Bar of the Year

• Soma
• WET Deck, W Kuala Lumpur
• Iki_Ya
• Puro KL

The Rising Star

• Chris Choon Suen Chung (Beta KL)
• Joe Wee Kwong Ngui (Bar Trigona)
• Kah Chun Pang (Coley)
• Tracia Chan (Dissolved Solids)

Restaurant Bar of the Year

• Beta KL
• Fuego, Troika Sky Dining
• JOLOKO
• Mr Chew’s Chino Latino Bar & Restaurant

Beer Bar of the Year

• Ales & Lagers
• Modern Madness @ REXKL
• TAPS Beer Bar
• The Great Beer Bar

Hotel Bar of the Year

• Astor Bar, St. Regis Kuala Lumpur
• Bar Trigona
• Pacific Standard Bar, Alila Bangsar
• WET Deck

Hospitality Ambassador of the Year

• Angeline Tan (Three X Co)
• Arsenio Mariano Jr (Sakura Den)
• Chee Kheong Kho (Coley)
• Joshua Ivanovic (JungleBird)

Hospitality Team of the Year

• Bar Trigona
• Coley
• PS150
• Three X Co

Specialist Concept of the Year

• Bar Trigona (Honey)
• JungleBird (Rum)
• Pahit (Gin)
• Tickets Bar KL (Agave)

Creative Cocktail Bar of the Year

• Bar Trigona
• Coley
• JungleBird
• Soma