Stylish contemporary restaurant, with a vibrant bar & lounge, resonates with a discerning KL clientele for more than 5 years.
November 27th, 2012
An adventurous concept that melds an elegant dining experience with a vibrant bar and lounge, twenty.one kitchen+bar manages to pull off the challenge with considerable panache. One of the favoured choices for a cosmopolitan clientele of locals and visitors in the know, twenty.one kitchen+bar delivers a sophisticated but unpretentious experience of well-executed cuisine and chic clubbing. Now, after five successful years, the founders have just completed a refurbishment to freshen up the interiors, and at the same time, introduced a new menu.
Located within a re-modeled two-storey terrace space on the mega-popular KL nightlife destination of Changkat Bukit Bintang, the twenty.one restaurant occupies the ground floor space, with the bar and lounge upstairs on the upper level. The restaurant serves a modern European cuisine- with some Asian tweaks- for both lunch and dinner. Highlighted dishes from the A la Carte menu include Roast Duck Breast with spring onion broth, chilli & capellini pasta; Crispy Skin Salmon with potato croquettes, tomato, asparagus & caper butter sauce; Mushroom Risotto with tempura oyster, mushroom & parmesan wafer; and Beef Noodle with mai pak choy, beef shin, white radish, kyuri, braised ground nut & chilli sambal. The new “Lunchy Lunch” menu offers dishes from only RM10++, and sets of main + dessert+one soft drink or juice, for RM29++
The upstairs bar and lounge embraces an understated yet sophisticated style of chic clubbing, with relaxed drinks on the outdoor balcony. The talented mixologists at the bar serve up some cracking cocktails from an impressive selection of both the classics and their creative concoctions. Infused vodkas are a house specialty- with the infamous “spanking boards” of five differently flavoured shots a popular challenge. The wine menu offers a good selection of wines by the glass, plus a well curated list of fairly priced premium wines, champagnes, and sparkling wines to suit all palettes and budgets.
Themed nights and regular events are a popular draw at the upstairs lounge- including Sunday Sessions; Lushouse and Altitude nights. The eclectic style of music spun by resident and guest DJs encompasses lush vocals, seductive melodies, haunting strings & pumping bass, and sexy, cool house music. Event details are updated on the Facebook Page.
Twenty.one kitchen+bar opens daily from 12:00 pm for lunch- with the bar and lounge open until 3:00 am. The popular Changkat venue has spawned a sibling- twenty.one tables+terrace located at Bangsar Shopping Centre- attracting a similar crowd for the classy dining and sophisticated clubbing.
Up a few steps from the pavement, an outdoor terrace area at the entrance of twenty.one is the ideal spot for people watching.
The restaurant dining room on the ground floor is a long, narrow space with tables extending the length of the side wall. Intricately carved wall panels were recently added as part of a refurbishment marking the 5th anniversary of the restaurant.
The restaurant features an understated contemporary-chic style.
Upstairs Bar & Lounge
The first floor comprises a sleek cocktail bar and outdoor balcony, with an intimate lounge at the rear of the room.
The open-air balcony is open on three sides with tree top views of the action out on Changkat.
Looking down Changkat from the first floor balcony.
Casual cushion seating at low tables, with the bar and lounge inside behind the full height glass doors.
The signature light fittings of twenty.one add an element of contemporary elegance to the decor.
The plushly furnished, intimate Lounge space at the rear of the room.
View of the Lounge floor space from the DJ’s console.
The Lounge area is slightly raised above the bar, and seamlessly connects with the bar- a few steps down.
Featured beverages from the bar
Russian Spring Punch – combination of Skyy vodka, crème de cassis, raspberry syrup & puree & fresh lemon. topped up with a whole bottle of bubbly. To share with four , or more….
Applelicious Martini- home-infused apple vodka, apple sour liquer & sugar
Pure Cane Smash- cachaca, lime juice, orgeat & pineapple juice.
Auchentoshan Old Fashioned- Auchentoshan 12 year old single malt, angostura bitters, passionfruit, honey & an orange twist.
Rum Mocha Martini- blend of rum, espresso, cacao liquer, sugar & choc cinnamon bitter.
twenty.one kitchen+bar- Changkat
Address: 20-1, Changkat Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Reservations: +603. 21420021
Website: http://www.drbar.asia
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/twentyonekitchenbar
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 12:00 pm ~ 3:00 am
Promotions: Happy Hours- Monday to Sunday 5:00 pm ~ 8:00 pm One for One on all loose drinks
Related venues– twenty.one tables+terrace @BSC – www.facebook.com/twentyonetablesterrace
See also 2011 article.