The Briny Martini at Frank's Bar. It doesn’t matter whether it’s dirty or dry, a twist or a classic, a good Martini is a good martini. —
Happy World Martini Day! In case you didn’t know already, I do love a good martini. It doesn’t matter whether it’s dirty or dry, a twist or a classic, a good Martini is a good martini. And happily, many bars in Klang Valley tend to make some really good ones.
Held on every third Saturday of June, World Martini Day started out as “National Martini Day” in the United States, and used to be held annually on June 19. In 2021, it was changed to World Martini Day, and switched to the third Saturday of June.
Now, what makes a martini a martini? Well, the “official” recipe designated by the International Bartender’s Association (UBA) calls for a 6:1 gin to dry vermouth ratio.
Personally, I tend to be a bit more ‘cin cai’ (carefree) when it comes to my Martinis, so I’m going to go with the one on the official World Martini Day website, which reckons that the IBA recipe is too restrictive, and instead classifies a “Real Martini” martini as “a predominantly white spirit-forward cocktail mixed with aromatised wine”.
Under this definition, “51% or more of a cocktail must be made of white spirit and vermouth”, with the only allowed aged spirit being aged gin. Other ingredients like liqueurs and small amounts of other spirits can also be added to a ‘Real Martini’.
Apparently, this definition is “loose enough to give bartenders enough creative freedom”, but “tight enough that it precludes any cocktail that’s often just called a ‘Martini’ because it was served in a V-Shaped glass”, such as espresso martinis, breakfast martinis, and pornstar martinis.
With that in mind, I’ve chosen 10 Martinis around Kuala Lumpur that are worth checking out.
Cacao Gibson
Jao Tim in Chinatown is best known for its live music shows, but the new “20th Century Limited” menu is another good reason to visit the outlet, with the Cacao Gibson is a classy addition to KL’s increasingly varied and unique selections of locally inspired Martini riffs.
Genever is the star, giving extra oomph to this drink, with Fords Gin, Cocchi Extra Dry Vermouth, Cocchi Americano, Cacao Husk Tea and garnished with a Fermented Pickled Cacao.
This is a bit of a sentimental choice for me. Years ago, the best dirty martini I ever had was made by bartender Sam Kinugawa, or Sam-san, at The Bar Kinugawa in Empire Damansara.
Dirty Martini
Sam is now part owner of Ba by Kinugawa at The Five, and although the bar has some great cocktails (the Mangosteen Saketini especially), Sam-san still makes the best Dirty Martini in town.
Head bartender Amanda Wan makes a mean classic martini, but this one on the bar’s Indi V Duality menu is quite the stunner.
Quiet Quinn
A stunning twist on a dirty martini with Tanqueray No.10 gin, Chrysanthemum Infusion, Yzaguirre Dry Reserva, Orange Bitters, and Grapefruit Zest, the balance between sweet, dry, fruity, floral and the general ‘martini-ness’ of it all is just perfect, with gentle chrysanthemum undertones giving it a subtle, queenly background.
Sip it quietly, sip it quaintly. Sip it like the queen, rock it like Queen.
There’s a reason why this is the only drink on Penrose’s menu that bears the name ‘Penrose’. Made with gin, sake vinegar, leek, shio kombu, this is a simple yet mind-blowing twist on a Gibson with leek taking the place of onions.
Penrose Gibson
A fascinating blend of umami, vegetal savouriness, and acidity that could easily go wrong if the balance was just slightly off, but somehow it’s been on point every time I’ve had it at the bar, no matter who makes it.
If you’re looking for more Martinis by the Penrose team, do check out their new bar Lavantha, which is set to have an entire section of Martini variations on their upcoming full menu.
RM288 for a Vodka Martini? Well, The Elysian is not just ANY vodka martini - it’s made with a base of Belvedere 10, the 'world's first luxury vodka', as well as Chablis Premier Cru, Wormwood, Lemon Bitters.
The Elysian
The drink is served in a carafe like a sake, to keep the drink cold and tasty and so you can take your time with it. For an extra RM300, you can even up the opulence by pairing it with Trigona Oscietra Caviar.
The Elysian is part of the Rare & Remarkable luxury section of Trigona’s Colour Me Curious 2.0 menu, with drinks designed around rare and prized ingredients around the world (with prices to match).
“Be careful, this is a proper Martini,” said Humboldt co-founder Joshua Ivanovic as he served this to me.
Melon Con Vino
The Humboldt may be better known for its South American influenced flavours and food, as well as its classic Pisco Sour, but the vodka-based Melon Con Vino is one of the best drinks on its signature menu.
Made with Belvedere vodka, Midori, China China, Lillet Blanc, melon, it is a delicious vodka martini with melon undertones with perfectly balanced sweet, bitter and fruity notes.
Bar Mizukami’s Shawn Chong is best known for his ‘omakase’ style of making drinks, but his small 10-seater bar does have a regular menu of signature drinks and the Magic Martini is one of them.
Magic Martini
This reimagination of the Vesper, is made with Gin, sake, bianco vermouth, asam boi, blue Curaçao liqueur, and rose cordial. The rose cordial sits at the base of the martini glass, and the rest of the drink is poured over it, resulting in a striking change in colour.
Instagrammability aside, this is a delicious drink that has layers and layers of distinct flavours, from the sweetness of the rose cordial to the slight sourness of the asam boi, which just dance together in perfect synchronicity.
Frank’s Bar is launching a new menu soon, and one of the drinks on it is the Briny Martini, an innovative dirty twist that uses Ichiiko Saiten Shochu as its base, infuses it with Olive Oil, Tomato Basil, Vanilla and Sea Salt, and complements it with a blend of Vermouth.
The Briny Martini at Frank's Bar. It doesn’t matter whether it’s dirty or dry, a twist or a classic, a good Martini is a good martini. —
It is a supremely briny yet balanced Dirty Martini with savoury and salty flavours, enhanced and elevated further by the quail eggs ‘garnish’ that gives it a further burst of savoury umami goodness that goes brilliantly with the drink.
Cabinet 8’s Signature drinks are a great showcase of Malaysian produce and flavours, but its Tea To Classics section is arguably the most unique aspect of its menu, allowing guests to customise their drink according to their tea and cocktail style.
Pu Er Martini
My personal favourite was the Pu Er Martini. The earthy notes of the tea distillate go really well with the juniper in the gin, and it’s a drink that somehow seems to get better with each sip, as the tea notes come up more as the martini warms up.
Mezcal is known for its smoky flavours, and Reka:Bar uses it to great effect with its signature Martini... Still Not Stirred, which is part of its long-running Domino Effect V2 menu.
Martini... Still Not Shaken
Made with Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin, Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej mezcal, figs, and dill, the mezcal adds a wonderful smoky background to the herbal sweetness of the figs and dill, and complements the juniper notes of the gin perfectly.
