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FOR AN AN ISLAMIC CITY, THERE SURE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF FUN HAPPENING IN KUALA LUMPUR OF A NIGHT. Now, we all know that Bangkok is the city of the sin in the Orient, and that Reykjavik is the most happening city in Europe -- but did you know that Kuala Lumpur is a pretty wild city as well? It seems to me unfair that Malaysia as a whole has a reputation for being a dour, conservative country. You only have to spend five minutes anywhere in KL on a Friday or Saturday night to realize that this is a party city? And it is a city where exotic dance styles -- Latin, Bhangra, etc -- are increasinly taking control. Kuala Lumpur is a serious rival for Bangkok or Singapore as a place to go out. So, how do you have fun in an Islamic state, and where are the best places to go? I have said it before that one of the best reasons to go to KL is to sample the (literal) smorgasbord of cuisines on hand in Malaysia, representing the best of Asia and even more far-flung places beyond. After all that eating you might need to work it off, and there is no better way to work off calories, than spend all night in a sweaty nightclub. Kuala Lumpur has plenty of these, and I will presently introduce you to some of the most happening. This website will be written in a mixture of English and Japanese (maybe more languages will follow soon -- Icelandic?) I am going to start with the bars first, then move on to the clubs, and then move on to the restaurants and little stalls where you can fill yourself up after the big night out. There is nothing like a bowl of noodles after a night out on the town -- it is the perfect comedown.Bangsar:
b a r s + kl
SINCE "B" FOR "BAR" COMES BEFORE "C" FOR "CLUB", I DECIDED TO START THIS DIRECTORY WITH THE BAR LIST, RATHER THAN THE CLUB LIST. Anyway, it is always good to go to a bar first, in the course of the night, before hitting the real action in the club. Bars are the place to warm up. Some of the best (and not so best) clubs in Kuala Lumpur at the moment, in alphabetical rather than meritorical order, are:
Beach Club Cafe: 97 Jalan P Ramlee. Phome: 03/2166 9919.
This place has garnered and gathered a lot of great reviews from ppl who have been there. Abdul from Saudi Arabia (a dedicated party lover I can tell) said: "Great band the best girls. The only bad thing about it is that it's too busy. It's hard to get the attention of the bar tenders.
Many girls from everywhere, Malay, Chinese, Thai, Viet, etc. I spent the best holiday in years in KL because of the beach club. Highly recommended."
Fellow Middle Eastern party lover Sulail from Lebanon had this to report: "all I can say is that I had the time of my life in there...It was the most amazin' dayz I swear....wish I'll b soon over there again =D."
Not everyone is so glowing and gloating in their reviews, nonetheless. On old KL hand mclane7 from Kuching, Sarawak said: I still remember back in the early 2000 where BCC bartenders was known to be the best in town. Maybe not of their service but of their pr and entertainment. The bartenders treat you as they know you for ages and always serves with a smile and even some tricks of flair. Now they seem to ignore the customer with slow service and serious faces. Where did the old bartenders went. Its a lost for beach club cafe kl. I like bartenders with attitude and personality and the ones previously were fantastic. They dance well on bartops but still respect the customer needs."
It should be noted that this is the kind of place where customers can "buy" a girl to take home, if that is your thing (and it's not mine.) Whoever said that Kuala Lumpur was staid and no Sin City compared to Bangkok. But as A Yahoo! User from Texas remarked: "Stay away from any local girl with a boyfriend there -if you value your life. The working girls are very friendly (the majority are Filipino -ages 20 to 24), the band is usually good, it's an outdoor type environment and it is certainly a good time. Not comparable to Brazil or Argentina but still not bad.
Most guys go there for one reason."
So KL is still not up there with Brazil or Argentina on the sheer debauchery and decadence levels, but still fairly corrupt. Perhaps it is the Islamic factor that has prevented full in-your-face prostitution in Malaysia, but if you like paying for sex, you might get it at the Beach Club Cafe.
Emporium Grand Cafe: Jln Sultan Ismail, KL.
Situated right next to the Beach Club Cafe. As dsmuton said: "Move to"Emporium live" for those who like Live Music. RM20 cover charge."
Glass Lounge: Crowne Mutiara Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Central Kuala Lumpur. Phone: 03/2146 3826.
For the young it is probably not the most happening or lively places to go in Kuala Lumpur. According to its website, run by the parent Crowne Mutiara Hotel, this bar "is a contemporary, stylish outlet with live band entertainment or soothing piano music that sets the tone for a relaxing meeting complemented by an extensive beverage menu. The Glass Lounge is indeed the place to unwind or meet to discuss business matters in a casual environment over drinks and delicious gourmet sandwiches and finger foods. Offering a magnificent view of the Petronas Twin Tower beyond the inviting pool situated amidst and immaculate garden, the Glass Lounge is also a popular meeting spot to gather and welcome the New Year!"
That said, I would rather pass New Year amongst the press of the people downtown, than in a business deal style hotel bar. But everyone has their preferences!
Little Havana: 4 Jalan Sahabat, City Center. Phone: 03/2144 7170.
According to the management: "Little Havana exudes an atmosphere and style that is uniquely its own and has been a favourite haunt for both expats and locals. We serve and exotic range of cocktails, all popular liquors and beers, and an impressive range of wines. Our Cuban inspired tapas, main meals and deserts are to whet your palette."
Since this bar also doubles as a club (of sorts), you can see a longer description of Little Havana downstairs in the Clubs Section.
The Orange: Sri Hartamas.
For pool, darts, foosball and wine, you can't miss The Orange with it's terrific décor and cosy ambience with a lovely alfresco area and comfortable couches. It's comprehensive selection of East_West grub and long wine list is also a must. The ever-friendly Backyard Pub is the neighbourhood's hangout place with premiership football and feverish fans every weekend.
Paul's Place: 8 Jln 2/137B, Resource Industrial Centre, off Jalan Klang Lama, Old Klang Rd. Tel: 016/276 8962.
This is the place to go if you're into live gigs. It can get pretty lively...
Reggae Bar: 158 Jalan Tun HS Lee (around the corner of Petaling Street), Chinatown.
Like the Hard Life Cafe up at Penang, this is one place dedicated to the legend of Bob Marley -- and the continuous all-year flow of backpackers you would expect to find at a place called the Reggae Bar. According to one reviewer: "Bob Marley, the small cafe caters especially for the continuous all-year flow of backpackers." On the menu are all the foods you miss from home, plus a selection of Asian spice -- the night I visited I ate an explosive Thai tom yumsoup. I had met a Spanish guy up at the Jurong Bird Park, and he had been amused by the way the parrots there could count on demand, and dance through little hoops and so on. We walked back into town, and he suggested we try out the Reggae Bar. Inside the cool interior, a jukebox was playing the full gamut of Late Capitalist Pop -- Kylie Minogue included. My new Spanish friend turned out to be quiet entertaining company, and he told me a story of how he had worked at an exclusive Japanese restaurant in London, and had served all the stars of Hollywood and the Media there. Madonna had been his most obnoxious customer, but the Spaniard had dealt with her with professional impersonality and good waiterly restraint. A little less professional was the waiter at the Reggae Bar, who kept hassling us to buy pot. The idea of buying pot in a country like Malaysia with a death penalty for mandatory drug offences, struck me as a little absurd. The waiter with his feigned innonence and his cool, hey no problem if you don't want to buy, you don't have to smoke if you don't want to persistence reminded me of the dealers I later met in Mumbai, who offered me one of the least reassuring sales lines I have ever heard in drug trafficking: "It's illegal, but we make it legal!"
Anyway, the Reggae Bar is cool, even if it is not really authentic Kuala Lumpur. It is worth a visit on your first night to Kuala Lumpur, and maybe a repeat performance if you are impressed. I must confess, I haven't really done a comprehensive search of the KL night scene. For a vaster range of places to go out in Kuala Lumpur, click here.
Some of the other bars around town are:
c l u b s + kl
THE CLUBS OF KUALA LUMPUR ARE LAID OUT BELOW, FOR YOUR LEISURE AND PLEASURE:
12 SI: 12 Jalan Sultan Ismail. Phone: 03/2145 9198. Website http://www.twelvesi.com.my/.
There are actually four parts to this entertainment complex. There is Atmosphere (the club), Bliss (the lounge, more on the garage tip, with R&B and various fusions of electronica thrown in), Bar Fly (sort of like Coyote Ugly with girls dancing on the bars) and Gerai (the cafes where humans can drink coffee and converse.)
According to the club itself, Atmosphere exudes an energy which is both raw and highly polished at the same time. It is in fact a multi-tier concept of an elevated catwalk (close your eyes and try to picture this, picture all the Malaysian beauties walking past you on various levels, and you might understand what this means.) Guest DJs include DJ Joey G, DJ Romel and DJ Love. It should be noted that female cardholders can claim their first free drink at Gerai the Cafe courtyard every day from 6pm to midnight. Some of the events at the club include a Bhangra night -- see the website listed above for more information about this and other events.
Absolute Chemistry: 3 Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru.
Solid house music.
Atmosphere: 12 Jalan Sultan Ismail.
House music on the decks, and the cover charge is 35RM.
Bhangra Beats at Absolute Chemistry: 3 Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru. Phone: 03/2282 7242.
As Juice Online reported: "It's a little daunting to think about vigorous head, hand and feet coordination on the eve of the work week, but hell, what could be better than a good jump around to exuberating bhangra? At least you know your Monday will be spent with discreet feet tapping beneath the office desk to the rhythm of last night's adventure. 9pm. No cover.
Barcode. Phone: 03/3817 9001.
Jackliveshere said this of the place: "My barcode night was certainly an experience for me being an Aussie. Nice little area out the back with some comfy lounges, wasn't my sort of music (techno) that night so I didn't grace the dance floor. We tried to leave at around 2:30 only to find people had triple parked next to the car, so we went for some mamak at the little store located a short walk from the back of barcode. Returing at around 3:30 and going back inside due to still being boxed in. Someone finally shouted that the police were on thier way at around 4:00 so we were caught up in the mad rush to leave leave and just our luck all the parking meters were out (welcome to Malaysia!) except one where there was a 100m queue. We finally got out at 5:45.
Bilique: 3 Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru.
Solid house music in the place.
Deluxe Nite Spot.
Head out to Jalan Ampang Park Shopping Centre to visit the Deluxe Nite Club - one of the most exciting spots in the metropolis. Includes private karaoke rooms and a dance floor.
Flipside: 3 Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru.
Solid house music.
Little Havana: 4 Jalan Sahabat, right at the end of Changrit Bukit Bintang, City Center. Phone: 03/2144 7170.
Kuala Lumpur seems to be a city which is becoming increasingly hooked on Latin beats. Tokyo is another city in the Latin embrace -- I warmly remember attending the annual Salsa Dance Awards Night in Odaiba in mid 2005 -- but that is another story. Anyway, if you live in KL or if you are visiting there and you are into Salsa, your first port of call ought to be Little Havana. Every Saturday night there is a great Salsa Party upstairs which just goes off, as they would say in Australia. According to one girl who was there: "Totally amazing vibe. Everyone just wants to dance the minute you get up there. The crowd builds up pretty late (maybe after 11pm) and can get really loca when its crowded !! Its very infectious *grin* Drinks there are decently priced. Cocktails there are a killer !! Very potent ;-)
It of course helps that this place looks as Latin and exotic as it sounds. This Cuban restaurant cum bar is housed in a circa 1930s colonial style bungalow, complete with all the atmosphere that this style exudes. Management also run Salsa classes to help build you up to speed.
Some writers have claimed that Little Havana has lost its Salsa dominance in recent times, and that the good parties are being held elsewhere -- such as MoodSwings. To keep abreast of what is happening in an admittedly fastpaced and changeable city, visit this forum: http://msn.groups.com/LatinoMalaysia. The discussions there might give you a bit of an idea of where to go for your Salsa serendipity in Malaysia!
Nouvo: 16 Jalan P Ramlee. Wesbite: http://www.nouvoclub.com/nouvo.htm.
Plays hip hop and house; the cover charge is 35RM.
有名ＤＪもゲストでしばしばイベントを開催するＫＬを代表するＣＬＵＢ。２フロア用意してあり、１階はHIP HOPで、２階はHOUSEの箱。各フロアの特徴として、１階はマレーシアでもHIP HOPが人気のようで、週末は激混みでインド人も多いのに対して、２階は週末でもそこそこの客入りです。ハウスフロアは１２時前まではメロディー系も多いですが、１時を過ぎるとほぼハードハウスとなります。また火曜日は１階のみオープンでエントランスフリー。
In English basically this club often has famous DJs and guest stars playing, there are two floors of action -- first floor relegated to hip hop, and the second floor is devoted to house. On the weekends the hip hop floor gets very crowded, especially with Indians grooving to the beat. It also seems to be popular with visiting Japanese, which is why I have included the Japanese language information above.
Rum Jungle: 1 Jalan Pinang (corner of Jalan P Ramlee). Phone: 03/2148 0282
This is a new place and a popular one. There is stuff going on practically every night, which is good for tourists and locals alike. Monday night is Escapade Night, with DJs Philip and Helmee playing retro and samba tunes (no charge.) Tuesday night sees Jungle Diva's take possession of Rum Jungle, and the likes of DJs Yao and Helmee please the masses with R'n'B and Latino inflected beats. Again, no cover charge applies. On Wednesday nights Philip, Yao and Helmee conquer the decks while Green Man Grooves sambas you with some live hip swinging, shoulder swaying music. The action kicks off at 7.30pm and is free! On Friday night is the tropical storm otherwise known as The Jungle Roars, while Tribal Council is held every Saturday night (no cover before 10pm, RM28 including one drink if you enter after that time.) Things take a slightly harder turn on Sunday night with the Bikers and Rockers show starting at 7.30pm.
Sugar Club: Crowne Mutiara Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Central Kuala Lumpur. Phone: 03/2144 5020.
Is sugar a spice? I am not quite sure, but according to FACES, this club can spice it up: "Variety however is the spice of life, and Sugar embraces this philosophy by providing something different for every night of the week. On Mondays, drinkers are treated to Happy Hour prices all night long. Tuesday nights will attract the more suave, easy listening crowd as Jazz Night featuring Greg Lyons and friends croon and jam away. In keeping with the concept of a sweet and feminine ambience, Wednesday nights will be a sure blast with the aptly named Sugarinas Night (or Ladies Night as other clubs call it). Here ladies will be treated to cocktails and house wines at 50% off, whilst being entertained by a sizzling dance show.
"Thursday’s will probably attract the older crowd as Sugar puts on it’s bell-bottoms and 10 inch platforms to provide customers with a night of endless hits from the 70’s and 80s. This retro night will surely strike a chord with many in the KL nightlife who are bored to death of the same old club music. Come Friday and Saturday, Sugar focuses more on being a dance club, catering to the younger generation who enjoy a good time either quietly drinking and partying with friends, or going wild on the dance floor."
Sugar recently introduced a new event called Apprentice Hours, which has been billed as the ultimate chill out session. Basically the idea is that power suiters in search of relaxation during rush hour are offered 15 minute massages on a special chair. Apprentice Hours start at 5pm and there is no cover.
Warp: Bangunan Life Centre, 2nd Floor, Jalan Sultan Ismail.
According to the Japanese language Kuala Lumpur Club Information Site, this club plays a mixture of local and house music and boasts free entry! The site continues: "ＫＬで遊んだ中でDiscoと言えるのはここだけです。体育館みたいなダンスフロアとステージがあり、フロアの周りにテーブルが配置されてますが、汚ないです。客層はかなり若くて友達と皆で来ているようですね。ステージでは女性人のダンスもあり、地元POPのハードハウスMIXに合わせて、踊っていますが、華はないような気がします。週末でもエントランスフリーですが、満員ではありません。"
X'tacy: 16 Jalan SS 21/39, Damansara Utama, 47400, Petaling Jaya. Phone: 03/7727 5800.
The live bands at this club are reputed to be great, according to the Kuala lumpur expat community.
Zeta Bar: Hilton Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03/261 2261.
Seems to be a very popular dance club at the moment.
How to get there: KL Sentral station.
Zouk.New allegations have surfaced about misconduct by Malaysia's religious police during a raid on a top Kuala Lumpur nightclub last month.
More than 100 plainclothes officers from the Federal Territories Islamic Department (JAWI) detained young Muslims at the Zouk nightclub.
You have probably all heard about the legendary Zouk Club in Singapore, and you yup, you guessed it, there is another Zouk in neighboring Malaysia. Given that Malaysia seem to suffer from a strange form of envy I call Singaporeitis, it is perhaps not surprising that they have tried to recreate the original Zouk's magic here in KL. But recently the dream has soured, and Zouk has been getting some negative press in the news -- not because it is a bad nightclub, but because Malaysia has a bad government. I leave it to the BBC to explain in more detail:
Female detainees complained of sexual harassment by officers and the incident has led to a heated debate about the department's future.
Eyewitnesses have now told the BBC that officers assaulted and severely beat members of the club's staff.
The sources also said that non-Muslim patrons, including tourists, who were outside the officers' jurisdiction, also reported being threatened with violence.
"Up to 150 of them came in," one witness said. "They didn't identify themselves, they didn't show any ID cards. They just forced their way in and started pushing people around."
"In the days after the raid it emerged that dozens of young women were held for up to 10 hours without access to a toilet, long after male detainees had been released.
"A number of women said religious officers ordered them to pose in their nightclub outfits while others were asked lewd questions about their genitalia.
"JAWI would neither confirm nor deny the allegations.
"The incident prompted Malaysia's cabinet to discuss the future of the religious police.
"Cabinet minister and former law minister Rais Yatim said after the meeting that he believed crime should be a matter for the police and morality for the family.
"However, his colleague Abdullah Mohamed Zin, Minister for Islamic affairs, defended the officers and maintained that the raid was carried out according to procedures.
"The incident has sparked a sometimes venomous debate among Malaysia's Muslims, reflected in comments posted on JAWI's website.
"Many correspondents, including one signing himself Abdullah were supportive.
"I would like to take this opportunity to applaud the recent raids by JAWI against the cesspools of vice and debauchery in Kuala Lumpur. In this era of permissiveness and promiscuity, there is a need for stern action to roll back the decay of morality in society," he said.
"Others, including SI Azhar, were angered by the officers' alleged behaviour.
"If the reports were true, the officers [who] committed those acts were no better than hypocrites, trying to uphold good values of Islam but themselves never follow[ing] it. You have ashamed us fellow Malays and Muslims. Just tell me, how can we encourage non-Muslims to embrace Islam with this kind of attitude?!"
b a n g s a r + s c e n e
BANGSAR HAS A SPECIAL REPUTATION IN THE NIGHT LIFE OF KUALA LUMPUR. As one Dutch website has claimed: "At night Bangsar is 'the place to be' for the rich expats and the chic young Malaysians There are many different restaurants and bars. Do you want to see how the rich spend their evenings? With their expensive cars? Go tho Bangsar! With a litlle bit of luck you can see a Rolls Royce! It's goo people-watching here!
It's just 10 minutes by taxi from the city center. Some call Bangsar Baru "the KL's version of Piccadilly Circus". It has an impressive international mix of restaurants, pubs, bars, grills, bistros, cafes, fast-food joints and coffee and ice cream parlors. Very popular is the Irish pub "Finnegan's". This Irish pub is one of the hot spots in the area, exuding warmth with its solid wood furniture, gas lamps and old maps on the wall.
One of the must-see, must-try places is Grappa, an Italian restaurant with a bright, informal atmosphere and an extensive list of good wines.
There are no discos or theaters in Bangsar."
k a m p u n g + b a h r u
ANOTHER COOL PLACE TO HANG OUT IS KAMPUNG BAHRU. This is the oldest Malay residential area in Kuala Lumpur with the personality to match. About ten minutes away from Chow Kit Market, it was founded in 1899 and there are still authentic traditional Malay wooden houses there. On Saturday evenings, one section of Kampung Bahru is a hive of activity.
This market has a totally Malay feel to it, and this is obvious in the style of jewellery and clothes, in the type of fabric, the varied tastes of Malay cooking and in the make of the handicraft on sale.