Perched on the fourth-level rooftop of Bangsar Village, Mantra’s calling card is its exclusive bird’s-eye perspective of the neighbourhood, viewed from a sleek, starry setting; this is the sort of watering hole that socialites will throng to see and be seen – but thankfully, beyond the superficial glitz, there are shimmering glimpses of potential in both the food and the cocktails.

1. Mantra Rooftop Bar 2. Mantra Rooftop Bar 3. Mantra Rooftop Bar 4. Mantra Rooftop Bar 5. Mantra Rooftop Bar 6. Mantra Rooftop Bar

Asian inspired tapas

Mantra’s menu exudes a contemporary sense of worldly confidence – commence with warm, golden Chinese mantou sliders, packed with Indonesian-inflected pulled beef, richly succulent and subtly spiced to evoke dendeng belado, with caramelised chillies and kaffir lime – a sumptuous snack that goes down real easy (RM8+ per piece). Also addictive: Crispy whitebait, smeared with a textured Malaysian sambal and Japanese onsen egg for a unique combo (RM18+).

7. Mantra Rooftop Bar - mantou with pulled beef 8. Mantra Rooftop Bar - crispy whitebait with sambal and onsen egg

Other items may be an acquired taste; it’s rare to spot Brussels sprouts on a bar menu, but Mantra serves them, char-grilled with soy vinaigrette, smothered with shallots, baby anchovies and peanuts (RM30+). Another vegetable that receives the guilty-indulgence treatment is broccoli, thickly battered and strapped with Korean flavours, testing your tolerance for deep-fried calorie bombs (RM15+).

9. Mantra Rooftop Bar - brussel sprouts 10. Mantra Rooftop Bar - brocolli

Inventive cocktails

Cocktails are of the smooth, easy-drinking variety – classics revitatlised with Eastern twists, constructed with quality liquor and engaging flourishes. The Dynasty (RM35+) is presented in an Oriental teapot and cup, a mellow medley of Tanqueray No. 10 gin, grapefruit juice, jasmine tea and demerara sugar – a cocktail a grandmother could love.

11. Mantra Rooftop Bar - dynasty

Tonique No. 10 (RM32+) boasts a house-brewed tonic infusion of cinchona bark, allspice berries, lemongrass, citrus zest, lavender and seltzer, topped with Broker’s gin; the Bloody Mary (RM32+) relies on the bar’s own BBQ mix, with Russian Standard vodka and a striking skewered garnish of beef bacon and cherry tomatoes.

12. Mantra Rooftop Bar - tonique No.10 & bloody mary

Also notable: the Bentong Buck (RM28+), aka Moscow Mule, but with spicy notes of Pahang’s Bentong Ginger, plus the Pulau Panjang (RM38+), a wise and witty variation of the Long Island, masquerading as a kopitiam beverage, harbouring an intoxicating blend of Russian Standard, Bacardi, Don Julio Reposado and Tanqueray.

13. Mantra Rooftop Bar - Bentong Buck & Pulau Panjang14. Mantra Rooftop Bar 15. Mantra Rooftop Bar 16. Mantra Rooftop Bar 17. Mantra Rooftop Bar 18. Mantra Rooftop Bar 19. Mantra Rooftop Bar

Location & Details

Mantra Rooftop Bar

Rooftop Level, Bangsar Village II, Kuala Lumpur. Use the elevator at the centre of Bangsar Village II.

Open Tues-Sun, 4pm through late.

Tel: +60173448299

Find: View Mantra Rooftop Bar’s directory here