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Hidden Treasures
Thewhole concept of speakeasy bars is they are not easy to locate. You have to know
exactlywhere to look. Speakeasies came into being in theUnited States back in the
1920s, when alcohol was banned and people had to find an alternativeway to get their
fix. No longer illegal, speakeasy bars can nowbe found in theKlangValley, eachwith
their own little twist thatmakes themspecial.
Hannef Esquander
manages to find the
doors toSparrowandThe Locker &Loft to sample their bespoke drinks.
Sparrow
Sparrow just happens to be located in a
hidden room at the back of the Olfactory
Bulb café in Kota Damansara. The cock-
tail bar specialises in bespoke drinks,
using local ingredients like herbs and
spices. Classic local drinks like teh tarik
and sirap for instance, are turned into
cocktails using only the finest ingredients
courtesy of the highly skilled bartenders.
Bold Mixes
According to Shawn Choong who
founded the cocktail bar along with
Karl Too, the initial idea was to create
something oriental that reflects Malaysia,
not only in the drinks and food that are
being served but also in the interior, as
well as the customer’s experience. The
counter top at Sparrow is adorned with
Chinese mahjong tiles, which is also
Sparrow
5/13 Kota Damansara,
47810 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday : 6pm - 1am;
Saturday : 3pm - 1am
www.facebook.com/sparrowbarkl
where the name actually came from - the
word ‘mahjong’ sounds like ‘sparrow’
in Chinese. The floor tiles, furniture
and lighting fixtures all compliment the
original concept with ease.
While drinks like
Sirap Selasih
(Ford’s
Gin, rose pandan syrup, lime, Angostura
bitters),
Spiced Up
(Jose Cuervo 1800
Blanco, lemon, curry leaves, sweet
vermouth, sugar) and
Pekoe Park City
(Rendezvous Rye, raw honey, jasmine
tea, star anise) are some of the bold
mixes offered at Sparrow, the snacks on
the menu prove to be just as interesting.
For example, their
Dip Dip Salsa
is
squeezed with zest of kaffir lime while
crackers are served with Indian yogurt
dip (Dip Dip Raita). Sparrow serves
only small bites but its take on Chinese
yee-sang (Talisker Prosperity Toss) and
cold glass noodles can actually keep
you full throughout your local flavoured
cocktails hour(s).
Looking at its remarkable incorpora-
tion of local essence throughout the
entire concept, it seems like Sparrow
has successfully set itself apart from
other bars in the area. Promising good
quality drinks and a fun experience to
all of its customers, Sparrowmight soon
become the best place for cocktails in
Petaling Jaya.
The cocktail bar specialises
in bespoke drinks, using local
ingredients like herbs and spices