The pretty, genteel surroundings of Bistro42 in Bangsar Village II are not the first that would spring to mind when I think of a cocktail hour – but that mindset has lead to me missing out on some extremely good cocktails until just recently.

Part of the BIG Group, Bistro42 serves French bistro fare and is generally crowded with the ladies-who-lunch sort (and many gentlemen who do as well), who meet over a cuppa and some scones.

It’s the sort of plush, pastel-coloured refuge that becomes a middle-of-the-day haven from the madding crowd. But it’s also a lovely place to relax and unwind with one of the unusual cocktails from its small list.

Each cocktail is a very pretty sip, and many of them are built around various teas – all made with T2, the Australian brand imported by the BIG Group, and which also features prominently on the menu with 16 different varieties of infusions, plus 8 tea tonics which comprise different teas combined with pureed fruit or juices. The coffee served here is a house blend, courtesy of the Plan B roasters (also under the same group). Such exclusive products confer a sense of uniqueness to B42’s drinks selection.

But back to the cocktails, which are all below RM25 each. They’re all made with the premium liquors also on offer on the menu – Ketel One vodka and Tanqueray gin etc. And they show both creativity and a gentle hand, so the alcohol kick is discernible but softly so – good balance and great flavour, so they can be enjoyed in the middle of the day and don’t need to be confined to the evening portion of your routine.

The cocktails made with tea all have a roundness and complexity to them. Try the Oolong Mojito, the classic reborn with oolong tea substituting for soda water, or for something with a bit more liquor presence, a Watermelon Mar-Tea-Ni, made with vodka, green tea and watermelon liqueur. My favourite is the rather ethereal Elder Chamomile Flower, which combines chamomile tea, elderflower syrup and lemon juice and then spikes the whole thing with tea. It has the soothing aromas of chamomile and a lovely flavour really reminiscent of custard apple, but with a slight tartness.



Bistro42 is known for its fabulous desserts, and the Lemon Meringue Martini is probably not assumed to be on that list. But if you’d like to drink your dessert, a cocktail that starts off with the aroma of caramel (thanks to the torched meringue topping), and then continues into a tangy, juicy limoncello-spiked mouthful is definitely the way to go. It’s like sipping on a liquid version of lemon meringue pie.

If a glass of wine is on your mind, the small list here features only French labels; beer-wise, there’s also bottled Heineken and Paulaner on offer.

Lyra Deanna
2012-02-10