Donkey & Crow GastroPub, Bangsar Shopping Centre
Words: Jacob Weber
Photos: Han Sen Hau
There are plenty of decent bars in Bangsar, but a good old gastrobar is surprisingly hard to find. No novelty, no pretentiousness — just generous portions of proper pub grub, sports on TV, and genuinely good Happy Hour deals.
Now that Chef Logan has come on board at Donkey & Crow GastroPub at BSC, that search is over. If you’ve visited Wurst, the German-style deli in Lucky Garden, you’ll be familiar with Chef Logan’s food philosophy: hearty and fuss-free dishes made with quality ingredients and a touch of class. And he’s bringing precisely that concept to this kitchen, too.
Combined with a unique selection of premium spirits, classic cocktails and bargain-friendly booze options — you can get house wine at RM25 a glass all day, every day here, which is rare for KL, never mind Bangsar — Donkey & Crow GastroPub offers something for everyone from the day drinkers to the post-work crowd to the family gathering. The three-course Lunch Set Special Menu (RM34 with soft drink; RM43 with alcohol) is worth checking out while doing your weekday shopping (or if you’re simply nearby).
We start light and bright with a Tomato Salad (RM35), a deceptively simple and delightfully fresh plate of sweet, juicy heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, onion, crispy croutons and salty anchovies drizzled in olive oil that disappears quickly between us.
The Guinness Beef Stew and Rösti (RM59) sits at the other end of the spectrum: delicious, tender slow braised beef cooked in an unctuous Guinness broth with onions and carrots, served with shredded potatoes a la rösti expertly cooked to the perfect texture. A personal highlight which disappears even more quickly from my plate.
The Gastropub Fish & Chips (RM49) easily earns this British writer’s seal of approval (and considering it’s practically our national dish, that’s praise indeed). A generous hunk of beautifully battered flaky perch fillet is served on top of some of the best chips I’ve had for a while — and apparently the ‘secret’ is simply double-frying them in quality oil. I recommend double- and triple-dipping these in the excellent tartare sauce.
Moving onto even meatier fare, we obviously can’t resist a few items from the charcoal grill. The Spanish Pork Shoulder (RM59) is a firm favourite; a tender piece of premium pork with a perfect char, lightly seasoned with salt, pepper and a little paprika. The quality of the meat does the rest of the talking. The Grilled Pork Sandwich (RM45) gets a little more adventurous, with its Cubano-style flavour profile and a side helping of what must be the most addictive sauerkraut in the city. I may have been lying about the beef rösti being my favourite, because I’m not happy about having to share this. It goes very well with a cold beer (or two).
The Seafood Platter (RM116/serves 2-3 pax.) is a great shout for small groups; a generous helping of prawns, squid, salmon, green mussels and clams with fries, dressed in cajun oil for a subtle, slightly spicy finish that contrasts very well with the fresh seafood.
For dessert, an absolutely delicious Ginger Bread & Butter Pudding (RM25). A sweet, comforting and deeply satisfying slab of this traditional pudding is just the ticket after these meaty mains, and we sit back feeling very content indeed.
Obviously we’re washing all of this down with some adult refreshments. We’ve had our eyes on the interesting-looking bottles lining the bar since we sat down, which includes Indian single malts, Canadian rye whisky and award-winning Australian gins. Donkey & Crow regularly rotate the guest spirits on show to shake things up a bit—literally and figuratively—so my advice is to make multiple visits and see what’s on offer.
On this occasion, we try the Rocky Jones Signature Salted Caramel Gin (RM29/shot, RM85/3 shots), a velvety smooth gin that has rested in French oak barrels for several months to give it strong notes of caramel, vanilla and honey. You can enjoy it on the rocks, or order it as part of a classic cocktail — we choose the Martini (RM46). There’s a slight miscommunication and it arrives as a dirty martini, and we would not recommend dirtying a salted caramel gin. Still, I have no trouble polishing this punchy little cocktail off.
There’s a Japanese craft gin on the promotions menu too, so we figure, for the sake of research, we’ll try that as well. Tokiiro Niigata (RM29/shot, RM85/3 shots) features fresh citrus as the base ingredients, with orange peel and yuzu flavours coming through alongside coriander, juniper berry and Japanese pepper. Naturally, Monica orders this in a Negroni (RM46), and it gets the Yum List nod of approval.
At RM25 a glass, we have to see what wines are on offer, and are pleasantly surprised. The white is a Castillo Rodafuerte Airén, a light, bright and citrusy wine from Spain, on the dry side with notes of lemon and pineapple. The red is a Castillo Rodafuerte Tempranillo, rich and elegant with notes of plum, ripe cherries and blackberries. You could spend far worse afternoons than ordering several of these on a sunny afternoon while seated comfortably on Donkey & Crow’s outdoor terrace. I decide I’ll do exactly that next time I’m here, but for now, it’s time to head home.
Reasons to visit Donkey & Crow Gastrobar: great gastropub fare from comforting classics to charcoal-grilled meats, under the expert eye of Chef Logan; easy-going set-up suitable for small and larger groups, including a private room and outdoor terrace; unique spirits selection with regular promotions and a decent Happy Hour; good vibes all round, from the 80s-90s pop bangers in the background to the friendly and attentive service.
Donkey & Crow Gastrobar
Lot G130, Ground Floor, Bangsar
Shopping Centre, 59000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Link to Donkey & Crow GastroPub on Google Maps
@donkeyandcrow
Donkey & Crow GastroPub Opening Hours
Daily 11 am – 12 am
Happy Hour 11 am – 8 pm
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