Taiwanese bartenders have invaded Malaysia, & they’re playing with fire: Meet the Klang Valley’s latest speakeasy-inspired bar, hidden behind thick, heavy doors, serving striking cocktails that succeed in making a stirring impression.

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Ojos is founded by Taiwanese expatriate Cindy, who has lived in KL for three years & is eager to nurture a venue that evokes her homeland’s night-life & craft cocktail culture. She has brought in Min, a bartender who honed his skills in Kaohsiung, & David, a Malaysian mixologist, to help her – if they remain consistent in their efforts, this could become one of PJ’s best bars.

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Tiki Time

Let’s have a tiki: This combo of rum, mango & persimmon makes for everything we look for in a cocktail, with satisfying nuances at sensible prices (each drink here costs between RM40 to RM45, within a reasonable range for a bar of this calibre).

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Distinctively topped cocktails include one featuring vodka, coffee & raspberry, garnished with a house-made caramel ‘bird’s nest,’ & another with Bols Creme de Cassis, ginger, a dusting of cocoa powder & crown of cotton candy, all with delicious flavours. Food isn’t available yet at Ojos (which is Spanish for ‘eyes’), but a selection of Taiwanese snacks is in the pipeline.

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Take a seat at the counter to watch each cocktail being painstakingly crafted & presented in eye-catching fashion: Try the elegant carafe filled with whiskey & Tie Guan Yin oolong tea, or the sensual glass of Campari, spiced Caribbean rum, Dom Benedictine & Sauvignon Blanc, pegged with herbs cultivated right here at Ojos. Note: A formal cocktail menu hasn’t been printed so far, & communication with Min can be complicated because of language issues, so patience is vital.

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Location and Contact Details

Ojos Bar

H-99-G, Jaya One (same row as Wendy’s, but on the other end)

Tel: +6017-624 4768

Daily, 6pm-2am

Find: Contact details and map for Ojos Bar