Lai Po Heen at Mandarin Oriental Welcomes Chef Thomas Fong from Doha
April 24th, 2024
This review is brought to you in part by MAZE.
Coffee saloon by day, gin parlour by night; sunny before six p.m., sultry after dusk: Maze takes an imaginative Jekyll-and-Hyde philosophy to what a suave, sprawling lounge can potentially be, transforming from a brunch-to-tea, cake-and-caffeine haven into a velvet-cloaked watering hole that stylishly spotlights the old-world glamour of gin.
For an evening of drinks, Maze’s unique ‘gin-sum’ is a fun way to bring gin enjoyment to the next level. Order a glass or bottle of gin, and add RM38 for a pushcart comprising fresh fruits and herbs, which may include the likes of grapefruit, kiwi, cucumbers, raspberries and more. Mix and match these to experiment with and enliven your gin – Sloe Gin could be complemented with watermelon, lychee and lemons, Caorunn could go with red apples, The West Wind’s Cutlass with capsicum and lemons; it’s a memorable method for better appreciating the nuances of gin. To that end, Maze also offers a selection of complimentary gin samplings at the counter, including Fords this month. All in all, the bar boasts over 150 craft gins for a bounty of botanicals.
Gin-based cocktails are also recommended – Maze’s mixologists do a satisfying job of whipping up well-balanced beverages like the Love Potion (RM37; with house-made rose honey), a gin-based Sangria (RM30; available both red and white), Lemon-Gin Fizz (RM28), Sloe and Steady (RM28) and The Reviver (RM35; with blackberries and elderflower).
If you need warm, savoury nourishment, food can be ordered from Maze’s sister outlet, Lavo, downstairs: we’re fans of everything that Lavo’s kitchen dishes out, from the fiery spiciness of the deep-fried chicken wings (RM15) and stir-fried lamb sausages (RM18) to the skewered pleasures of the barbecued beef meatballs (RM12) and thigh-meat chicken satay (RM15), the sea-to-land temptations of Thai red curry mussels (RM18), marvellously moreish tempura baby prawns (RM16) and paratha-wrapped mutton varuval (RM16) to the can’t-stop-snacking guilty indulgences of chicken-and-cheese balls (RM15) and truffled fries (RM12). Many thanks to Maze for having us here.
Address: 1st Floor, Menara Lien Hoe, No 8 Persiaran Tropicana, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. (Smoking & non-smoking areas available.)
Tel: +6010-311-1888
Hours: Open Sun-Thurs, 10am-1am; Fri-Sat, 10am-2am.
Trivia: MAZE has an extra meaning for its name; customers can enter the bar’s sister outlet, CHAZE, via a discreet entrance.
Find: View directory for MAZE here.