(From left) My Cucumber Raita, Balik Pulau and Yuzu Sour.
In 2017, Kuala Lumpur saw a boom of speakeasy bars with their whimsical and clandestine atmosphere.
It helped create a vibrant and exciting night scene.
Bars such as Three X Co, helmed by three friends, in Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC) swooped in with their uniquely crafted cocktail offerings.
Three X Co was also on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2021.
Spearheading the success of the bar are multi-award-winning mixologist David Hans who is Asia’s first winner of the Giffard West Cup 2017 competition, and friends Waihung Wong, Daniel Gunawan and Angeline Tan.
Last year, a friend introduced me to this bar after a sumptuous dinner nearby.
Although I was somewhat familiar with the food and beverage offerings of BSC, it was a pleasant surprise to find this place because the cleverly concocted cocktails had oriental-inspired ingredients reminiscent of our childhood.
My friend and I ordered the Eastern Poem made with chrysanthemum and Chinese herbs (ginseng rootlets), infused gin cocktail with Pei Pa Kou and yuzu tonic water.
Pei Pa Kou is a traditional Chinese cough syrup using herbs and honey that most Malaysians know, making this akin to an oriental-style gin and tonic.
Recently, we met with Tan who said the bespoke bar had collaborated with aspiring entrepreneurs, offering seasonal spots to operate their businesses in front of Three X Co’s entrance.
It was a unique concept in giving opportunities to others.
Tan said, “We had a barber operating outside the bar, which helped us gauge the clientele in Bangsar but eventually the business moved to another location.”
Three X Co, which can comfortably seat 65 people, exudes a warm, unpretentious ambience with its stylish decor, replete with cleverly curated art on its dark blue walls.
The specially curated cocktail menu featuring whimsical sketches was designed by Hans.
Three X Co has a warm and cosy ambience.
It lists cocktails divided into the Signature Series (local and oriental- inspired) and Inner Circle List (classic cocktails with a modern twist using local ingredients).
Have you heard of a salad-inspired cocktail, or specifically a raita-inspired one?
Inspired by National Salad Month in May, the bar went straight to research and development to come up with My Cucumber Raita.
At first, we were sceptical because of the name but after we had a taste, we were blown away by the sheer cleverness of bartender Danny Choo who came up with it.
“We observed what was around us. Our favourite dish of banana leaf rice with its side dish of cucumber raita came to mind.
“Danny then said he would make a cucumber salad cocktail,” said Tan.
This gin tonic cocktail celebrates Hendrick’s gin cucumber identity.
It combines a pineapple sous vide and onion concoction to balance the flavours, and enhanced with East Imperial yuzu tonic that gives a robust and zesty citrus flavour.
The humble cucumber is jazzed up in the form of luxurious foam on top.
Another cocktail under the Signature Series is the Balik Pulau, and as someone born and bred in Penang, this sang like an angel.
It is a clarified milk punch cocktail using gin and Penang’s unsung fruit – the white nutmeg.
It recalls the betel nut wraps of the olden days.
Again, Hendrick’s gin is the backbone to this, enhanced with fresh nutmeg, clarified milk, lemon and saline solution.
The garnish on top is a basil leaf with candied nutmeg and ginger, which gives the drink a nice edge.
As a whisky lover, I was piqued by Three X Co’s Yuzu Sour (a twist to the whisky sour). It has Monkey Shoulder, yuzu, bergamot sour, shiso leaf and egg white.
Three X Co also has tea-based cocktails that uses jasmine, oolong, Earl Grey and winter melon.
THREE X CO, Lot T6A, Level 3, Bangsar Shopping Centre, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 019-336 6031. Business hours: 5pm to 1am, Monday to Saturday. Closed on Sunday.
Email: threexco@gmail.com
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
