Eccentric drinks, playful Asian-inspired tapas, and a healthy dose of 90s nostalgia. China Apek is the unique bar and bistro in Ampang that everyone’s talking about.
Words: Chris Lentner
Photos: Matt Wehner
Hey 40-something Millennials! Remember those warm summer days when you’d roll down the window of your parents’ blue minivan, pop in a CD labelled “Cruisin’ Vol 3”, and step on the gas as Snow’s “Informer” pumped from your Kicker stereo system? Okay, maybe you can’t relate to this exact scene from my childhood. But if you grew up in the 1990s, you probably cling to that funky fresh nostalgia, even as you watch yourself grow older and lamer by the day.
“Baby Got Back” is now “Baby, I Threw Out My Back,” and “U Can’t Touch This” only applies when you’re struggling to put on socks. Maybe you should get into yoga. Alternatively, if you’d rather relive the glory days over some good food and cold drinks, and you happen to be in the Ampang area, I’ve got just the place for you.
Vibe Check
Tucked away in a corner of The Campus overlooking the old ISKL sports fields, China Apek is an eccentric bar/bistro with loads of flavour. Red diner stools line the small bar area, which is adorned with magnums of sake and ornate bottles of Japanese whisky. “Drink first, think later” smoulders in neon red like a command from your drunk uncle on CNY. A man with an electric flute provides the melody while a DJ supplies the beats.
Founder Edwin Yau (Super Boring Club, Yaki Yaki) wanted a laid-back spot where everyone can enjoy good drinks and Asian-inspired small plates without breaking the bank. What he’s built is edgy yet approachable, familiar yet one-of-a-kind — epitomised by the staff uniforms plastered with post-meltdown Mike Tyson, grinning wildly with a grey beard and face tattoo.
And just when I thought China Apek couldn’t get more endearing, I spotted a reservation card at the next table: “Handsome Jeff.” I imagined him as the bar’s patron saint — a man so secure in his title he needs no surname. Here, we are all Handsome Jeff.
China Apek Menu – The Campus Ampang
The pork-free menu roams across Asia, pulling together flavours into mashups that make you ask, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Tapas-style plates sit in the RM23–30 range, with a couple of pastas just over RM30. The drinks menu includes craft cocktails in the RM28–35 range, two local craft beers on tap (plus bottles of Tiger), and a curated sake selection. We were delighted to see six wines by the glass — three red, three white — for those who want to keep it classy while listening to Wu-Tang. Non-drinkers can sip a Lychee Lemonade or Malaysian Weather instead of ordering yet another disappointing bottle of 100 Plus.
Drinks Menu
Cocktails here have no menu descriptions — and in hindsight, that feels deliberate. Some, like the Ume Yuzu Beer (RM28) and Lychee Highball (RM28), are self-explanatory. Others, like the Coconut Paradise or Bitter Sweet (both RM28), keep you guessing.
China Apek is about soaking up vibes, not deconstructing ingredients. Do you really need to know the Never Ending Summer (RM28) has torched ginger, muddled pineapple, and local herbs? Probably not. The China Apek Cider (RM33) hides asam boi, sake, and yuzu inside its understated name, delivering way more complexity than expected. The Spiked Walker (RM28) is a mellow, spiced whiskey mystery — and that’s fine by me.
The two local craft beers sit at opposite ends of the summer spectrum. The Session IPA (RM28) is slightly bitter, crisp, and thirst-quenching — perfect alongside richer plates. The Yuzu Beer (RM28) is citrusy, smooth, and infinitely drinkable. It’s sunrise vs. sunset. Spend the afternoon here, and you can have both.
To round it out, a billowy glass of crisp Felicette Grenache Blanc (RM30) brought elegance to the table — until the astronaut cats on the label reminded us not to take ourselves too seriously.
Small Plates Menu
We dug into China Apek’s greatest hits.
The Otak Prawn Toast (RM26) was all bounce and crunch — otak otak’s familiar flavours (plus prawns) on a golden-fried base, drizzled with Kewpie mayo, and served with a stingingly sweet honey-chilli sauce. Not a whiff of fishiness — only a perfectly rowdy mouth party.
The Hand Tear Chicken (RM26) tossed succulent dark meat with zesty herbs and aromatics — coriander, cucumber, shallots, Thai chiles — plus a couple of glugs of whiskey and Chinese wine for fragrance and depth.
The Prawn Cheong Fun (RM28) wrapped generous prawn chunks and bits of century egg in a sticky rice flour purse, topped with pico de gallo, house-brewed Hong Kong soy sauce, and a whisper of truffle oil. It’s a low-risk way to trick your less adventurous friends into trying century eggs.
The Pad Kra Pao Rice (RM28) proved China Apek can do Thai brilliantly. Ground chicken and tofu cubes stir-fried with holy basil and chillies, a mound of rice with a runny egg on the side, steamed okra and Japanese pickles … who needs pork? A great solo meal, but hearty enough to share, and perfect for soaking up every drop of alcohol in your system.
While some preparations of beef tongue braise the muscle down to an undisguisable mush, China Apek’s toothsome Melbourne Fried Chilli Tongue (RM33) stir-fries it with bean sprouts and leeks in a black bean sauce, allowing the meat to retain the *snap* us Asians adore. Like the outer casing of a frankfurter, each bite of beef tongue crunched between the molars with a salty, satisfying chew.
The Indo Thai BBQ Chicken (RM28) delivered sweet, grilled thigh meat marinated in Indonesian herbs — glistening with Southeast Asian street-food energy. We all grabbed our chopsticks and pounced on it like ravenous panthers.
The Kung Fu Bao (RM26) tucked a fried potato-and-minced-chicken croquette into a pillowy gua bao, topped with a mysterious brown sauce, cucumber, coriander, and salsa. Fans of Indian cuisine may think vada pav; Japanese lovers, korokke pan. But, me? My only carb-on-carb reference was mac-and-cheese pizza — and the Kung Fu Bao drop-kicks that into oblivion. You win!
The Wasabi Octopus with Cucumber (RM18) might have been the most “China Apek” dish of all — a literal mashup of Chinese smashed cucumber salad and Japanese takowasa. Bright, briny, and refreshing, it’s a guilt-free pleasure made for an icy drink on a steamy KL afternoon.
China Apek Review
Ironically housed in one of ISKL’s former Chinese classrooms, China Apek is where Kuala Lumpurians can escape the chaos of modern life, listen to old-school bops, and fuel up on playful Asian-adjacent bar food and frosty drinks. “Apek” may be slang for an over-the-hill uncle stuck in the past, but here you’ll feel lighter than air — lifted by music, food, and maybe a buzz.
The 90s-centric soundtrack pumps from blue-box speakers, sometimes punctuated by quirky live acts — a solo saxophonist one night, a DJ-and-melodica duo the next. I mean, where else can you see someone playing a MELODICA!? Take all my money. If they ever sneak in a surprise Informer singalong, I might just move in.
Reasons to visit China Apek: Whether you’re peckish, strolling The Campus on a lazy weekend, or looking for after-work drinks, China Apek delivers. The unpretentious vibe feels like your high school friend’s basement — only now you won’t get grounded for holding a beer. Highlights: Otak Prawn Toast, Hand-tear Chicken, Wasabi Octopus with Cucumber. Pair them with a Malaysian craft beer (or five), and you’ve found your new happy place. Handsome Jeff and I will see you there.
China Apek – The Campus Ampang
Lot G7, Ground Floor, The Campus BATU
Jalan Kerja Air Lama, 68000 Ampang, Selangor, Malaysia
Link to China Apek on Google Maps
@china_ape.k
China Apek Hours
Tuesday – Friday: 4:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 1:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Closed Mondays
Find more restaurants and bars at The Campus Ampang here and stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in KL’s food and beverage scene with The Yum List on Instagram and The Yum List on Facebook.
