Backdoor Bodega serving some of Penang’s unique localised cocktails. — Photos: JEREMY TAN/The Star
LOCAVORISM (using ingredients grown or produced locally) has been embraced by cocktail bars which recognise its tantalising potential.
Within Penang, Backdoor Bodega was among the earliest to adapt this increasingly influential practice for its drinks.
The speakeasy – hidden behind a clothing shop called The Swagger Salon on Jalan Gurdwara near Hin Bus Depot –capitalises on local market harvests and Malaysian pantry staples to craft fresh exciting concoctions with a distinct sense of place. And it resonated with customers.
Think ulam, pandan, tamarind, nutmeg, kaya, shrimp paste or even soya sauce. Not what you would typically tie to tipples but the bar’s innovative team can sling some surprises out of them.
Koh mixing one of his creative concoctions. — KOH YUNG SHEN
Take the playfully named Kelapa Hotak which owner and self-taught mixologist Koh Yung Shen described as their genesis drink, having created it before the bar opened in 2016.
This bestseller has been refined over time but now mixes coconut-infused white rum with pandan and store-bought kaya. It then gets clarified. The sweet eggy nuance of the beloved kaya, which most locals would associate with warm toast, brings familiarity to every sip.
The Ulam Mojito is a prime example of farm-to-glass. Besides rum and bubbles, its supporting cast of torch ginger, ulam raja, daun kesum, galangal and kaffir lime are all grown locally.
Island native Koh said, “Penang is blessed with bountiful good produce. So rather than mint which is used everywhere, we decided to swap in these traditional greens instead.”
There was a botanical nose from the torch ginger that quickly transitioned to a refreshing herbaceousness.
Adventurous drinkers might find the Spellbinder rather bewitching. It incorporates an ingredient virtually every Malaysian household has.
The aged soya sauce is accompanied by cognac, cane molasses, Granny Smith apples and bubbles. The result is a rather delicious and savoury quencher. Imagine malty stout meeting crisp cider.
Rojak! presented with a piece of fried cruller on a wooden spoon.This localised approach allows them to maintain a dynamic menu that changes every few months. The previous selection was Peranakan-centric but the current is quintessentially Penang.
Other highlights include the Georgetown Gimlet that is reminiscent of laksa and ais kacang.
The Chrysanthemum Tea and Tom (Yam) Collins both need no explanation.
Interestingly, the menu is presented like a magazine with snippets promoting local culinary culture.
“All the popular cocktails in the world have been done to death. To create a unique experience, we decided to seek inspiration closer to home,” said Koh.
This creativity was key to Backdoor Bodega placing 97th on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022’s “51-100” list. It is the only Penang watering hole to earn a spot thus far.
“It was an unexpected but welcome validation for our hardworking team,” said Koh, a designer by trade.
His switch to bartending happened serendipitously.
He opened The Swagger Salon to sell his own line of clothing in 2014.
Kelapa Hotakwas Backdoor Bodega's genesis cocktail.He was partial to a good drink, but at the time, could not find cocktail bars in Penang to match the ones he frequented in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
So, he converted the vacant rear portion of his shoplot into a personal bar where he could mix drinks and hang out with friends.
“Word spread and before long, outsiders came looking for a drink. The place took off.”
Initially, customers had to purchase a lapel pin which could then be exchanged for a drink – leading to their slogan “an overpriced pin shop”. Today, one gets a pin for their drinks instead.
Backdoor Bodega is also participating in the inaugural Penang Cocktail Week and their featured drink is Rojak! – a milk-washed concoction with whisky, green mango, peanuts and shrimp paste.
While the pungency of the shrimp paste is upfront, the nuttiness and fruitiness of the other components balance it out.
A piece of fried cruller is presented on a wooden spoon as a garnish – referencing the spatulas rojak sellers typically use to mix ingredients.
Koh was quick to point out that they avoid making their cocktails liquid versions of a particular food, and instead make something that reminds one of it.
“Because no matter how unique the backstory is, the drink must first taste good. It has to be something you’d order again. That’s what gives any cocktail longevity.”
Backdoor Bodega, 37 Jalan Gurdwara, 10300 George Town, Penang. Opening hours: 8pm to midnight, Thursday to Monday (closed on Tuesday and Wednesday). Rel: 016-475 3326
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
