A night out in Bukit Damansara: Cocktails and Cubano are still the move at JungleBird
KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Since taking flight in 2017, JungleBird — the city’s foremost rum bar — has been a regular feature on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, flying as high as No.35 in the 2022 edition.
It’s been three years since it found a new perch on the first floor of a Bukit Damansara shop lot, where the space is positively tropical, right down to the wicker chairs and palm tree cushion covers.
As expected, rum takes centre stage here; over 200 types sit behind the bar, each bottle in various states of undress.
I’m usually here for the piña colada (RM48), as well as the (mostly) 80s soundtrack full of deep cuts, like Two of Hearts by Stacey Q on this particular visit.
"I-I-I-I-I-I need, I need you” plays over the speakers as the tall, clear glass arrives. Yes, the piña colada here is clarified, swapping the heavy, cloying creaminess of the traditional version for a smooth, silky mouthfeel without losing any of the primary pineapple character.
The warm yellow backlit sign is a sight for sore eyes on a night out in Bukit Damansara.
The only drawback is that it seems to vanish from my glass far too quickly — forcing me to reluctantly — and terribly so — get a second, or even a third in record time.
But if you like the JungleBird piña colada as much as I do, seriously, call me. Maybe we can write a song about it and pretend to be frustrated lovers with a predilection for getting caught in the rain — a fresh, new hit that’s definitely never been heard before, I’m sure of it.
All this drinking makes me hungry, which is the cue to turn towards the Cubano (RM48). This is JungleBird’s ode to the sandwich born out of the Cuban communities in Tampa and Key West, Florida which became a central part of the 2014 movie Chef starring Jon Favreau.
Don’t be fooled by the clear appearance of JungleBird’s piña colada — it’s one of the best around.
Wedged between two tightly pressed and toasted slices of bread is a barrage of pork: slow-roasted mojo pulled pork shoulder, ham and salami all feature with Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and mayonnaise.
While not strictly conventional, sun-dried tomatoes and olives offer a welcome respite from a sandwich with a ridiculous density of pork to surface area ratio. Eat your heart out, Favreau!
The slaw on the side is some of the best you’ll find in KL — crunchy, spicy and refreshing from the inclusion of chadon beni. Also known as culantro, it’s used extensively in Trinidad and Tobago and tastes somewhat like cilantro on steroids.
JungleBird’s KFC wings feature 'kunyit fried chicken' and a punchy hot sauce.
As with most nights here, it soon turns into a meandering, wandering journey through libation and fare alike. Chicken wings are a staple bar food, and the JungleBird KFC wings (RM34) were no exception.
Marinated in kunyit (turmeric) and served with a seriously kick-ass hot sauce, they were more than capable of standing up to the strongly flavoured drinks, which we had reached four or five of at this point.
Albondigas guisadas are really, really beefy, but are also tempered nicely by the capers and olives.
A pleasant surprise in ball form, the Albondigas Guisadas (RM40) were beefy, dripping with fat and served with a thick, pulpy-ish tomato sauce that tasted strongly of bell pepper. The balls were rich and unctuous, but nicely balanced out by the salty and tangy olives and capers.
I had moved on to the KL-arified KL-aipirinha (RM55), JungleBird’s spin on the caipirinha, Brazil’s national cocktail that’s made with cachaça, a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane. It’s bright, citrusy and refreshing, and a strange choice to follow the sweeter piña colada, but I was having too good of a time to really care.
The KL-arified KL-aipirinha is JungleBird’s take on the 'caipirinha', Brazil’s national cocktail.
JungleBird’s Cendol Colada brings Puerto Rico and Malaysia together for a cold, sweet and creamy celebration.
The Cendol Colada (RM45) is the clear choice for dessert: if you miss your creamy piña colada, this is the drink to get. Coconut cream, pandan, pineapple, lime and Diplomático Planas rum come together with just a smidgen of corn and red bean to really bring the night home.
JungleBird
61M, Jalan Medan Setia 1, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Open daily, 4pm -1am. Opens at 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays; closes at 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Tel: 03-2011 5715
Facebook: @junglebirdkl
Instagram: @junglebirdkl
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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