[Photos: NZ Phang]
The Bar Awards for KL and Penang wrapped up with a killer award ceremony and a mental afterparty at JungleBird (so many hangovers the next day) to celebrate the best bars in the two cities.
Award highlights include Bar Trigona snagging two awards (Best Hotel Bar and Best New Bar) less than six months after opening, Mish Mash cleaning out the Penang categories (Bar of the Year and Bartender of the Year, to Spencer Ezra), Shawn Chong of Omakase + Appreciate winning the Bartender of the Year – Kuala Lumpur, and Coley winning Bar of the Year – Kuala Lumpur, two years in a row.
Special mention goes to Ben Ng of Mish Mash and editor of Thirst Mag Kim Choong for being recognised this year as the Bar Awards Luminaries, for their contribution to the growth and development of the Malaysian bar community. This is the first year it is introduced to Malaysia.
Luminaries KL & Penang - (Far right) Ben Ng, Kim Choong, Daniyel Jones, Brand Ambassador of Angostura and Helle Aslak.
We are so proud of all the nominees and winners. Check out the roundup below for the full list and rankings.
The Rising Star - Caden Chua (middle), (left) Tammy Cheow, Senior Operation Manager of Mui Hua and (right) Francisco Moretti, Brand Ambassador of Perrier.
The Rising Star (Perrier)
1. Caden Chua Hui Chan (Coley)
2. Jordan Lim Jen Xian (Pahit)
3. Calzeno Clitus (W Kuala Lumpur)
4. Sam Yap Chun Fai (Three x Co)
5. Joe Ngui (Bar Trigona, Four Season Hotel)
6. Mahbub "Rusho" Hasan (Beta)
7. Abel Sukau Bin Antonius (Skullduggery)
8. Al Imran Ahmed (JungleBird)
9. Mitchell Raymond (Kenshin)
10. Yeo Zhen Yue (Hyde)
Best Restaurant Bar - Joloko KL. (From left) Lini Pong, Marketing and Michelle Loh, Director of TWE, Kit Yin and Rick Joore, bosses of Joloko.
Best Restaurant Bar (Tito's Vodka)
1. Joloko
2. Mr Chew's Chino Latino Bar
3. Fuego
4. Birch
5. The Locker & Loft
6. Nadodi
7. Pincho's Tapas Bar
8. Beta
9. Chocha Foodstore
10. Lavo
Best Beer Bar - Taps Beer Bar. (From left) Alvin Lim (one of Tap's partners), long-term staffs of the bar and (right) Sean Soh, Commercial Director of Luen Heng.
Best Beer Bar (Peroni)
1. Taps Beer Bar
2. Ales & Lager
3. Delirium Café
4. Paus
5. The Great Beer Bar
6. Sid's Pubs (All location)
7. Bottle Haus
8. Uncle Don's (All locations)
9. The Beer Factory (All locations)
10. Brussels Beer Cafe
Best Wine Bar - Vintry. (From left) Jean Baptiste, Brand Ambassador of Mumm and Liz Koh, Operation Manager of Vintry.
Best Wine Bar (Mumm Champagne)
1. Vintry
2. Private Room
3. Mr Chew's Chino Latino Bar
4. Dewakan
5. Cellar 18
6. Lavo
7. Brasserie Fritz
8. Sitka Studio
9. Joloko
10. Chocha Foodstore
Best Hotel Bar 2018 - Bar Trigona. (From left) Ashish Sharma, Head Bartender, Marcus Kwok, Server, Divyesh Chauhan of Campari, Rabiatul, Server, Shadrach Shan, Bartender and Derrick Yee, Bar Manager.
Best Hotel Bar (Pierre Ferrand Cognac)
1. Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
2. Pacific Standard Bar (Alila Bangsar)
3. Vertigo (Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur)
4. Astor Bar (St Regis Kuala Lumpur)
5. MO Bar (Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur)
6. Sky Bar (Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
7. Man Tao Bar (Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur)
8. Arthur's Bar (Shangri-La Hotel)
9. Chambers Bar (Hilton Kuala Lumpur)
10. Mai Bar (Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral)
Best Specialist Concept
Best Specialist Concept (Restaurant, Pub and Bar Asia)
1. Pahit (Gin)
2. 61 Monarchy (Whisky)
3. JungleBird (Rum)
4. The Deceased (Themed)
5. Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur) (Trigona Honey)
6. Joloko (Mezcal)
7. Los Flowerpacker (Vermouth)
8. The Whisky Bar (Whisky)
9. The Rum Bar (Rum)
10. iPong (Themed)
Best hospitality Ambassador- Andrew Tan of Hyde 53M and Monarchy 61, (right) Victoire Desvignes, SEA Business Development Manager of Fever Tree.
Best Hospitality Ambassador (Fever-Tree)
1. Andrew Tan (61 Monarchy, Hyde)
2. Kho Chee Kheong (Coley, Pahit)
3. Alvin Nirmal George "Loco" (Coley)
4. Ashish Sharma (Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur)
5. Shawn Chong (Omakase + Appreciate)
6. Angel Ng Ji (PS150, Thirsty Trio Trader)
7. Joshua Ivanovic (JungleBird)
8. David Hans (Three x Co)
9. James Estes (Huckleberry Group, Jack Rose, Tequila Ocho)
10. Ananda Ruben (Pacific Standard Bar, Alila Bangsar)
Best Hospitality Team 2018 PS150 - (From left) Charmain Thio, Brand Ambassador of Hendrick's Gin, Peter Lam, Glen Oliver, Angel Ng and Rusho Harry.
Best Hospitality Team (Hendrick's Gin)
1. PS150
2. Coley Cocktail Bar
3. Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
4. JungleBird
5. The Vault
6. Three x Co
7. Joloko
8. Mr Chew's Chino Latino Bar
9. Pacific Standard Bar (Alila Bangsar)
10. Pisco Bar
Most Creative Cocktail PRogram - Omakase + Appreciate. (From left) Yong Chee Kim of Remy Cointreau, Shawn Chong and Karl Too, owners of the bar.
Most Creative Cocktail Program (Cointreau)
1. Omakase + Appreciate
2. Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
3. Coley Cocktail Bar
4. Kenshin
5. Three x Co
6. PS150
7. Bar Zhen
8. JungleBird
9. Pacific Standard Bar (Alila Bangsar)
10. The Deceased
Best New Bar (Campari)
1. Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur) (July 2018)
2. Three x Co (December 2017)
3. Pacific Standard Bar (Alila Bangsar) (May 2018)
4. Joloko (July 2018)
5. Kenshin (December 2017)
6. Bar Shake (October 2018)
7. The Iron Fairies (August 2018)
8. Bar Zhen (December 2017)
9. Beta (June 2018)
10. Knowhere (July 2018)
Bartender of the Year 2018 Penang Spencer Ezra (middle), (left) David Hans, Brand Ambassador of Giffard, (right) TJ Anthony, Regional Sales Director of Giffard.
Bartender of the Year - Penang (Giffard)
1. Spencer Ezra (Mish Mash)
2. Kenny Loo Chia Chuen (12 Senses)
3. Muhammad Rushdi bin Md. Shaari (Magazine 63 天下第一客棧)
4. Adrian Haslem Singha (Out of Nowhere)
Bartender of the Year 2018 KL Shawn Chong (right), Jay Gray (left).
Bartender of the Year - Kuala Lumpur (Monkey Shoulder)
1. Shawn Chong (Omakase + Appreciate)
2. Kho Chee Kheong (Coley, Pahit)
3. Ashish Sharma (Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur)
4. Alvin Nirmal George "Loco" (Coley)
5. David Hans (Three x Co)
6. Angel Ng Ji (PS150, Thirsty Trio Trader)
7. Joshua Ivanovic (JungleBird)
8. Arsenio Ash Mariano Jnr. (The Vault)
9. Karl Too (Omakase + Appreciate)
10. Jason Julian (Soma)
Best Bar of the Year 2018 Penang - Mish Mash. Team of Mish Mash.
Bar of the Year - Penang (Havana Club)
1. Mish Mash
2. Out of Nowhere
3. Golden Shower by Chin Chin
4. Manchu
Bar of the Year 2018 Kuala Lumpur - Coley. Team Coley, (middle) Ariya Samattai and (right) Ponn Kitiphum, Brand Ambassador of Mekhong.
Bar of the Year - Kuala Lumpur (Mekhong, the Spirit of Thailand)
1. Coley Cocktail Bar
2. Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
3. 61 Monarchy
4. PS150
5. JungleBird
6. The Vault
7. Pacific Standard Bar (Alila Bangsar)
8. Joloko
9. Hyde
10. Taps Beer Bar