The Carpe Diem taster tray, a liquid roulette wheel of Tap Tap’s creativity.
THERE are days when the only sane response to the world is to retreat.
To find a cool, dark space, a drink in hand and let the noise fade into a distant hum.
For those in Kuala Lumpur seeking just such a sanctuary, a futuristic grotto in Desa Sri Hartamas offers a compelling proposition.
Tap Tap is a cocktail bar that has been quietly refining its vision since October 2021.
Its concept, imported from the thriving on-tap cocktail culture of Taiwan by co-founder Warren Kwa, is a bold gambit in a city more accustomed to the theatre of the shaker and strainer.
The bar’s philosophy is one of stark simplicity: good quality, no fuss, no garnish.
The name is a clue, but the interior commits fully to the premise.
Taiwan’s Winter Melon Tea (left) and Sakura High.
It’s a masculine, troglodytic space of grey and black, where minimalist seating is tucked into little caverns.
A projector bathes a wall in shifting light, lending the subterranean den a distinctly sci-fi ambience.
This isn’t a cosy pub; it’s a hideout for a different kind of future, built for conversations and connections under the mantra “Live in the Moment”.
Forget the classics. You won’t find a Bloody Mary or a Whiskey Sour here.
The team prides itself on its 80-plus original recipes, all mixed in-house, chilled in kegs without preservatives, and poured in under a minute.
The result is speed and consistency, a drink that tastes the same on a Tuesday as it does on a packed Saturday night.
For the uninitiated, the Day & Night (6% ABV) is a gentle introduction, a bright blend of sake, peach, yuzu and lemon.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Sakura High packs a deceptive punch at 18% ABV, a floral concoction of gin and peach blossom that is potent but perfumed.
The current seasonal menu, a soon-to-conclude collaboration with a specialist tea bar, is a masterstroke.
We tried Taiwan’s Winter Melon Tea, a sophisticated mix of gin and Red Robe tea, grounded by the mellow sweetness of the melon.
“Teas are provided by the bar, but our mixologists will enhance it with alcohol,” says business development head Asher Lerburn, of the infusions that hover between a gentle 8% and 14% ABV.
Tap Tap prides itself on its 80-plus original recipes, all mixed in-house, chilled in kegs without preservatives and poured in under a minute.
The next collaboration, we are told, is with a liquor brand.
For the indecisive or the adventurous, the Carpe Diem taster tray offers a dozen shots spanning the menu – a liquid roulette wheel of the house’s creativity.
Food is piped in from The Beer Factory next door.
The Tomyum Tauhu Tempe is a dangerously addictive bar snack, a crunchy, salty-spicy umami hit that perfectly complements the cocktails.
More substantial mixed grill platters are also available for those settling in for the long haul.
Tap Tap is not for the traditionalist. It is, however, a sleek, efficient machine for the modern drinker.
It’s a place for a sharp, well-made drink without the ceremony; for a first date where the conversation is the main event, or for a corporate party of 150 where speed of service is paramount.
Tap Tap Hartamas, No.76, Jalan 27/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur
(Tel: 012-998 6865, website: www.drinktaptap.com)
Business hours: 6pm-2am (Sunday to Thursday), 6pm-3am (Friday and Saturday).
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
