By EDKL Writer A.A.
Beer Shack marries a passion for food with the love of beer, in a setting that pops with colourful vibrancy. With its first two outposts launched recently in Desa Sri Hartamas and Taman Tun Dr Ismail, it's a cool spot that's worth checking out for chilling out.
Beer Shack pours plenty of pizzazz into its food selection, showcasing a sense of playful imagination that goes beyond the typical bar grub. This is a real restaurant in its own right: For a hearty meal, more than a dozen Japanese-influenced rice bowls are available, including the Beer Shack Donburi (RM 18), which combines chicken, cream sauce and mozzarella cheese for one fine, melting mess, and the Truffled Gyu Donburi (RM 22), a certain crowd-pleaser with tasty sliced beef, onions, truffle oil and onsen tamago. Well-executed comfort food; you'll also find everything from unagi to ox tongue in the other rice bowls.
Where there's rice, there must be noodles: The Kuro Pasta (RM 12) sits pretty on its plate, featuring charcoal-hued strands with fried squid, ebiko, lotus root crisps and a secret sauce - it's exceptionally priced for a relatively elaborate creation, which ensures a very pleasant surprise. We like the Hiyamugi Pasta (RM 18) too, with firm, slippery cold wheat flour noodles buoyed by tobiko, chives and truffle vinaigrette. Both of these recipes successfully convey a harmonious mingling of Japanese and Italian sensibilities, with a tasteful, textured wholesomeness that makes for feel-good nourishment.
More fusion fun: The Mee Goreng Ramen (RM 10) puts a twist on a Malaysian staple, relying on ramen for its base, while the Seafood Tomyam Linguine (RM 18) is Tuscany by way of Thailand, spicing up the pasta with hot-and-sour inflections, rounded out with mussels, prawns, squid, sauteed mushrooms and spinach.
The classics are nicely represented nonetheless, for fans of time-honoured Malaysian favourites. Claypot concoctions clock in at RM 15 each: Beer Shack does justice to the full-bodied flavours of the Claypot Oxtail Asam Pedas, soaking the gelatinous meat in a robust broth; the Claypot Patin Tempoyak, saturating the river fish with sweetly fermented nuances; and the Curry Mutton Masala, a faithfully encouraging recreation of the popular staple. Each satisfying serving comes with your preference of rice or bread.
You can also go full-on traditional Japanese with Beer Shack's yakitori and kushiyaki selection, with skewers of Chicken Wings (RM 5), Baby Scallops (RM 13), Shiitake Mushrooms (RM 3), Ladies' Fingers (RM 5), Chicken Meatballs (RM 6), and Gizzard (RM 3). The more premium sticks include Lamb Rack, Unagi and Oysters.
All in all, we appreciate how Beer Shack is versatile enough to offer everything from single-dish sustenance to small-plates sharing, with a twist or two to keep it all engaging. Hungry diners can order a Chicken Chop platter, which comes with the works, plus some creamy wasabi sauce to complement the succulent thigh meat (only RM 13), while patrons seeking snacks can sample the Beer Shack Wings, an evergreen pub-grub staple that's bolstered by a lip-smacking, luscious Thai chilli sauce (RM 18), and the Mentai Mayo Baked Oysters, a thorough treat that's indulgently coated with a seafood sauce and showered with ebiko (RM13).
Of course, Beer Shack carries the familiar beers: Tiger, Heineken, Guinness, Kilkenny, Smirnoff, Strongbow and more. But there are also beer-based cocktails, like a frosty mug of B.D. Tiger (RM 35).
Other cocktail possibilities include the Mark's Bitt of bourbon and whisky with a lick of orange (RM 29) and can't-fail choices like the Dirty Martini (RM 25) and the Espresso Martini (RM 25).
Mocktails galore are available too, with alluring monikers like the Vojito, Angel Mist and Pink Silk. The Beer Shack Cooler blends the nuances of strawberry and green apple with orange and pomegranate, while the darker Berry Passionate is no less refreshing, bringing together a slew of berry juices.
Many thanks to Beer Shack for having us.
Beer Shack
12, Jalan 22a/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.
125, Jalan Aminuddin Baki, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
Daily, 11am-1am. Tel: 016-866-7511
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