Humboldt Bar & Kitchen – Bukit Damansara
Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Peter Tan
Humboldt is the hottest (or perhaps the coolest) bar and kitchen to hit Kuala Lumpur this year! Inspired by the Humboldt Current, which flows along the Pacific Coast of South America, the concept promises cuisine and cocktails with distinct regional accents.
Cool and fresh, like its namesake, the Humboldt Current, the restaurant and bar bring a new perspective to Kuala Lumpur’s gourmet scene. Similar to how the current shapes the South American coastline, proprietors Lolita Goh and Joshua Ivanovic have been enriching the city’s food and beverage scene for well over a decade through various ventures, most notably the award-winning rum bar and kitchen JungleBird.
The location above Smith Breads Café and Restaurant JIE is familiar to many. Formerly BAC, the bar maintains a cosy feel yet with a striking palette of orange and black. The dark lounge area is brightened by penguin portraits, and a giant original piece by Olli Ef of Taksu Studios will eventually go up for auction. The plan is to use this wall space to do good in the community with regular events to raise funds for various causes.
We uncover several surprises as we relax into the space to the beat of slow house music humming from an excellent sound system (the future foresees DJ events, too). Every few spaces along the bar, hidden drawers line the base. Tap the tables, and you might find concealed compartments, too. It’s like a lucky dip – you never know what you’ll find! We’ve already stumbled upon hot sauce and a penguin Lego set.
Another awesome feature is Humboldt’s focus on table service. Several beverages, like martinis, are poured at the table. A freezer tray keeps the glasses icy so guests get the best quality beverage in the moment. Even if you’re not seated at the bar, you still get a chance to interact with the bartenders.
Humboldt KL Menu
For now, Humboldt’s food and drinks menu is a one-page printout. However, the soon-to-be-published menu will look much like a comic book with Humboldt Penguin and Ink Squid as the protagonists. Also, remember the old-school Penguin books you’d bookmark as you progressed. There will, too, be a changing menu featuring 12 classics on a “bookmark.” Not only does Humboldt innovate on South American-inspired numbers, but it also aims to have a comprehensive list of textbook classics to draw on. On the other side of the menu is a mouthwatering list of dishes guaranteed to make you want to stay in your seats.
Cocktail Menu & Prices
Is there a better place to begin a tour of South America than a Pisco Sour (RM 55)? Premium Waqar Pisco forms the base supported by citrus, eggs whites and Amargo Chuncho Andean Bitters (the only place to have it in Southeast Asia). However, this drink has something more than a powerful citrus and spirit kick. Mistela, made from ripe muscat grapes slow-juiced and rested with Pisco for 30 – 90 days, adds a fermented grapey note. It’s more complex than the original, so it’s worth a try.
Canelazo is a hot cinnamon drink with aguardiente (sugar cane liquor) found in Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru. It’s often combined with juice to make a beverage similar to mulled wine – naranjilla is commonly used in the Andes. The tropical fruit can’t be found in Malaysia, so the team reverse-engineered it by breaking it down into chemical compounds, finding fruits with similar structures and blending those to resemble the flavour. That’s a mountain of work for one drink! Humbolt’s Canelazo (RM 50) is a little more refined with the use of the boutique El Amparo Rum, an Agricole-style spirit with a fantastic bouquet from a tiny Ecuadorian coastal town. There’s also honey, cinnamon, rhubarb, berries and lacto-fermented tomatoes, which achieve a musty, complex finish.
The Colombian Masato de Arroz (RM 55) is a fermented beverage based on rice and customised with fruit and spice. Humboldt’s recipe includes Christian Drouin Calvados, oloroso, toasted rice, apple and cinnamon. It’s pale-straw in hue over a block of ice, super delicious with rice and spice notes and lightly lingers on the tongue for minutes after swallowing.
While mistela was a supporting ingredient in our first cocktail, the Pisco Sour, in our next drink, it’s the star of the show. Mistela (RM 48) is the result of fully ripe pressed muscat grapes aged with El Gobernador Pisco. It’s served at 18 degrees Celsius, the same ideal temperature as red wine, and in a wine glass, as it forces you to nose it before sipping. It is wonderfully aromatic and has a light viscosity similar to a dessert wine.
Leche Con Plátano (RM 60) is noticeably our first drink with a garnish. The Humboldt team only add adornments if they’re functional. In this case, a twirl of lemon rind balances the slight sweetness of the drink. You know I don’t have a sweet tooth, but the citrus rind bouquet makes the desserty flavours of butter-washed Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon, banana, coconut, whey and butter very doable. We think this is our favourite cocktail until we meet the next (and the next).
If you are a ginger lover, you are going to adore the Chilcano (RM 50). It marries El Gobernador Pisco with a triple ginger – Bentong, old ginger and bunga kantan/torch ginger flower- Muay Thai-strength kick of spice. The floral heat is augmented by apple cider vinegar, while mustard seed gives a third dimension. But the citrus carbonation is the secret here, tempering a potentially harsh edge and providing a vehicle for all the other flavours. Josh says, “It’s ginger, ginger, ginger – we’d stayed on the same train, just added some more carriages.”
Our final drink is the bartenders’ favourite, their version of Chocolate Santafereño (RM 58). In Colombia, it’s basically a cup of hot chocolate with a block of cheese melted in. Popular for brekkie, it sounds a weird combo, but the savoury and sweet work well together and provide all the calories you need for navigating the high-altitude hillside. Humboldt manages to craft all of these flavours in perfect harmony with butter-washed Chairman’s Reserve white rum, cacao, Parmesan, vanilla, whey and lactic acid into a clear liquid served in a wine glass. Its simplicity masks a surprising depth of taste. Josh says, “Most people are unsure reading the description, but once they’ve tried it, they’re wowed. If you want to stand out, you have to take some risks.”
Food Menu & Prices
Humboldt is part of a rising trend where the bar and the kitchen are given equal weight. Neither outshines the other, but rather support each other, like two independent pillars in a marriage. Like the cocktail menu, the food menu has deep roots in the Latin American continent.
You could be forgiven for thinking that the list of four empanadas might just be copy-and-paste renditions, each with a different filling. However, you’d be very wrong. Each has its own pastry and shape, and boy, are they wadded to the brim.
Empanada de Pipián (RM 30) is an excellent veggie choice with potatoes, roasted peanuts and aji de mani (reminiscent of a peanut satay sauce). They’re a mouthful of comfort, a warm embrace around my tongue and cheeks, with little chunks of peanuts giving pleasant pops of texture. While peanuts and potatoes are yum, the Empanadas de Viento (RM 32) are the crowd favourites. They’re jam-packed with caramelised onions, four cheeses and aji de tomate (tomato hot sauce). They’re OMG-level warm and cheesy, gooey and sweet.
Empanadas de Pollo (RM 34) reminds us of grandma’s chicken pot pie, with shredded chicken, chopped lightly toasted walnuts, Parmesan, egg, olives, and aji amarillo (yellow chilli). Lastly, Empanadas de Pino (RM 46) comes in a baked case filled with ground beef and beef brisket, kalamata olives, egg, raisins, and merkén especial (Chilean smoked chilli pepper powder).
Anticuchos are another popular street snack from South America and Lolita includes several on the menu. The Anticucho de Pollo (RM 36) are the most tender pieces of charcoal-grilled chicken thighs we’ve had in a long while. Lolita’s secret is just the right amount of melted fat with the meat and cotija cheese for a dairy and umami element. They’re drizzled with a fantastic aji verde of mint, coriander and a load of other fresh greens. Wow! Order these. You won’t be disappointed. Anticucho de Corazon (RM 44), beef heart, has a surprisingly nice texture to it, some bite, and a good bounce. They’ve been brined in cultured buttermilk and seasoned with toasted cumin and an excellent chimichurri.
Pescado Encocado (RM 48) is absolutely delicious! The barramundi fillet has been sous vide at a low temperature and finished off in the pan, gifting a thin, crisp skin and fleshy middle. A fantastic coconut sauce has me asking for a spoon, and a lightly picked salsa on the crown gives it freshness and colour.
Finally, we are thrilled to see Yuca Frita (RM 24) on the menu! Most Latin American countries have their own version, but we’re particularly fond of it in Venezuela. The key is a soft cassava/tapioca middle and crisp coat. Lolita has sprinkled it with cumin, coriander, and paprika seasoning, giving the root vegetables a light spice. The accompanying avocado sauce with soft-boiled egg both cools the fry and softens the spice. ¡Qué rico!
Humboldt KL Review
Humboldt is indeed a cool addition to Kuala Lumpur’s food and beverage scene. Clearly, much thought and love have gone into this place. It has a strong theme, but it’s not overdone. We’re enamoured (biased for sure) by the Latin American flavours and vibe. It’s definitely worth checking out.
Reasons to visit Humboldt: drinks curated by one of the top bartenders in town; a concept that’s well put together without being cheesy; Chocolate Santafereno, Chilcano
Humboldt Bar & Kitchen KL
73- 1, Jalan Setia Bakti, Bukit Damansara 50490
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Link to Humboldt on Google Mapes
@thehumboldtco +6 03 2388 3976
Humbolt Bar & Kitchen KL Opening Hours
Wednesday – Sunday: From 5 pm till late
Monday & Tuesday: Closed
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