Hidden like a secret Zen garden, the newest outpost of Farmer's Bar could be the Klang Valley's most beautiful craft beer bar. Tucked within Subang Parade, this is a soothing, spacious retreat that feels like it's in a lush park instead of a mall.
It's easy to imagine enjoying the evening here, perched on the bar's repurposed wood swing or other striking boutique furniture crafted by Malaysian artist-designer Khoo Boon Want, with tall, slender trees forming a natural green backdrop for an encounter with beer from across the world and Japanese-inspired kushiyaki.
Farmer's Bar is a craft beer specialist that opened its original outlet in Cyberjaya in November 2018, followed over the past year by branches in Puchong and Kota Damansara. This Subang offshoot launched on the week of Christmas 2019 and will remain open throughout the Lunar New Year, so if you're seeking a brand-new place to celebrate with friends, this could be it.
This is so far the only Farmer's Bar branch to also feature craft beer on tap, empowering more people to explore the vast, vibrant world of craft beer. When we visited, there were four choices from the tap, starting from RM28 for a 250-ml glass (330-ml possibilities are also available), but there'll eventually be up to a dozen options. Right now, the Welsh-brewed Kir Royale Pale Ale comes recommended, rich and bold with blackcurrant notes for fans of fruit-forward flavours.
At its core, Farmer's Bar is a craft beer shop with potentially the widest variety you'll find at a single bar in the Klang Valley. Its founders have scoured the world in search of their favourites, with between 300 to 400 types of craft beer offered at each Farmer's Bar.
You'll find many colourful labels here, hailing from Australia to Belgium, Japan to Taiwan, Sweden to Germany, the U.S. to the U.K., and more. Bottles start from RM26, continuing up to RM60 for the larger bottles built for sharing.
If you're new to the realm of craft beer, these are beers produced by more independent microbreweries, on a much smaller scale compared to corporate breweries. These artisanal beers emphasise quality and flavours, experimenting with more interesting ales and lagers - some microbreweries have even introduced wacky flavours like chocolate or coconut curry in their beers, alongside refreshing ones like Earl Grey tea craft beer, honey lavender beer and fruit ciders.
In the evening, Farmer's Bar in Subang Parade also serves up Japanese-inspired, charcoal-cooked skewers, so you can have a complete dinner here. Choices are aplenty, from meat and seafood to mushrooms and vegetables, courtesy of RyoRi Kitchen, all temptingly smoky and succulent enough to pass muster in a true-blue Japanese restaurant.
It's a full-bodied feast - everything from smoked duck to the juiciest rack of lamb, plus beef galore, including Angus sirloin with enoki or mozzarella, as well as seafood such as salmon, scallops, shishamo, saba, squid tentacles, baby octopus, rock lobsters and vannamei sustainable prawns.
For poultry pleasure, the yakitori has an entire section devoted to it - chicken thigh to tail meat, wings to skin, gizzards to soft bones, starting at RM5 per skewer. Balance out the protein with fibre from okra, eggplant, baby corn, gingko nuts, garlic, sweet potatoes, shiitake, enoki and king mushrooms.
All in all, if you're been thirsting for a craft beer bar in Subang, there's finally a spot to hang out here. Many thanks to Farmer's Bar for having us.
Farmer's Bar
SP01, Lower Ground Floor, Subang Parade, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor. Below Coffee Bean at Subang Parade's main entrance. Daily, 3pm-12am; kitchen opens 6pm.
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