ASAM boi, or preserved salted plums, is a versatile ingredient used in concocting Malaysian-inspired cocktails.
While it can be a bit shocking at first bite, it balances three major taste profiles – sour, salty and a hint of sweetness – making it a very interesting ingredient for mixology.
The preserved fruit also complements spirits like gin, vodka and tequila.
Standalone and hotel bars in Kuala Lumpur widely use asam boi in cocktail making alongside other local ingredients.
Here are some of the top spots in the city serving inventive cocktails with a local touch.
BAR MIZUKAMI
Bangunan Ming Annexe, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 6pm to midnight (Tuesdays to Thursdays), 1pm to 7pm (Saturday).
WhatsApp: 016-301 6498
Do not expect a menu here as Bar Mizukami takes inspiration from the Japanese omakase dining concept by leaving everything in the chef’s hands.
Owner and mixologist Shawn Chong prepares drinks based on customers’ preference.
Tell him your preferred alcohol base and taste, and he will whip up classic cocktails with a unique twist.
One of his signatures, the Magic Martini cocktail, mixes asam boi, sake and gin to give a crisp and appetising twist to the classic cocktail.
Enjoy the cocktail’s pour as it gives guests a colour changing libation.
Guests can also expect classic cocktails like Cosmopolitan or stronger ones like Manhattan or Boulevardier with the mixologist’s personal touch.
The bar, with a nondescript entrance and seating for only 10 guests, is reminiscent of the setting of Midnight Diner – a popular Japanese television series with its cosy, homely ambience.
On Saturdays, the bar operates as a midday diner.
Reservations are preferred.
ASTOR BAR
Level 2, The St Regis Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 5pm to midnight daily
Tel: 03-2727 6696
St Regis Kuala Lumpur’s interpretation of the classic Bloody Mary, the Asam Boi Mary, capitalises on the sweet-salty tang of the preserved fruit.
It infuses vodka with the nostalgic asam boi, layered with calamansi, Sarawak black pepper, paprika, bird’s eye chilli and Tabasco that lingers pleasantly on the tongue.
Astor Bar is also celebrating the hotel’s 10th anniversary with “A Decade Distilled” menu, a refined retrospective of the establishment’s most memorable pours from the past 10 years.
Try out the cocktails such as Jade Dragon, The Astrid, The Violet Hour Martini, Negroni Remastered and Margarita Remastered.
The bar also features “Ten Expressions of the Bloody Mary,” showcasing variations from St Regis properties worldwide.
Standouts are Great Wall Mary from The St Regis Beijing and Shogun Mary from The St Regis Osaka.
Cocktails from both menus are available until Oct 31, priced at RM50 each.
LIVING ROOM
W Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Ampang, KL
Business hours: 9am to 9pm (daily)
Tel: 012-347 9088
The cocktail menu at Living Room at W Kuala Lumpur promotes the sustainable use of local ingredients.
Featuring six cocktails and three mocktails, the menu encourages guests to explore different textures and flavour combinations.
One of the cocktails, R&R, is inspired by Malaysia’s nostalgic street snack of guava paired with sour plum powder.
It is mixed with tequila-infused asam boi, clarified guava soda and orange liqueur.
Meanwhile, The First Drop, a refreshing cocktail made with whisky, watermelon cordial, saline solution, citric acid and effervescent water, is topped with watermelon jerky.
The No.19 Lorong Abang Haji Openg 6 cocktail uses starfruit as a main ingredient blended with gin, elderflower and Choya Jyuku Rich.
Also worth a try is the watering hole’s mix of mezcal, sous-vide strawberry oleo saccharum, herbal liqueur and vinaigrette, which makes up The Strawberry Highland Tour.
The Last Drop is the perfect way to wrap up the night.
A crystal-clear mix of vodka and dry vermouth, it is served with homemade spiced watermelon rind pickle that is bursting with flavour.
SKYBAR
Level 33, Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur City Centre
Business hours: Noon to 1am (Sunday to Thursday), noon to 2am (Friday, Saturday and eve of public holidays)
Tel: 03-2332 9888 or WhatsApp 011-7039 3409
Dominated by a majestic view of the iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur skyline, Skybar elevates the cocktail experience further with sophisticated drinks using local ingredients.
Its Spirits of Kuala Lumpur cocktail menu is a tribute to the city’s most iconic districts.
For example, Red Lantern Remedy, crafted with gin, lemongrass syrup, lychee puree and fresh lemon juice is a salute to Petaling Street.
Coffee lovers will find the CTRL + Kopi cocktail alluring as the drink’s flavours encapsulates the evolving cafe culture in the city.
Mixed with tequila, coffee liqueur, palm sugar, coconut puree, espresso and milk, coffee beans are placed on its foamy cap, adding a fun, crunchy bite.
The Jazzy Boozy Boogie – mixed with whiskey, Martini Rosso, Amaretto and hazelnut syrup – is a tribute to Chow Kit in the 1960s and ’70s.
The Last Lockdown is inspired by the 19th-century prison Pudu Jail, which stood with its colonial architecture until December 2012.
Mixed with bourbon, tequila, Amaretto, honey, ginger syrup and fresh lemon juice, the drink offers a hint of mild honey and nectar fragrance.
