Lavantha continues Penrose’s codes of complex, balanced cocktails and geometric interior design (All photos: Quincy Tan/ The Edge)
Those plugged into the local F&B scene would invariably have heard of mixology maestro Jon Lee’s latest venture. After months of anticipation, Lee’s illustrious Penrose is now joined by a little sister in the form of Lavantha, an haute cocktail haunt tucked deep within the bowels of Moxy Kuala Lumpur Chinatown. Having just unlocked its heavy metal doors (not just an ode to the HQ’s famous entrance — this underground area was formerly a real bank vault) in May, the establishment is still in its soft opening phase at time of writing, and is expected to solidify its operations in the coming weeks.
Fans of Penrose will be glad to learn the sequel holds the same values delivered through an alternative lens — a structured, poetic philosophy around cocktail-making scaffolded by Lee’s beloved “pillars” and set against a more opulent, expansive context. Despite supposedly placing clarity above complication, the menu’s epigraph seems quite happy to wax itself into intellectual knots: “Lavantha is not a place, but a folding of time”; “Just suggestions of something before memory”; “This is not Penrose, and yet it is”.
The textual preamble is not the first puzzle patrons need to crack. This is perhaps a hidden bar in the truest sense. Its entrance is a minor quest to find, both from the lift that brings you to a series of nondescript doors, to the dizzying spiral staircase from Moxy’s lobby. Once you do manage to find this world’s best-decorated panic room though, you are instantly whisked away to a stylishly surreal, avant-garde arena of moody glamour — with no windows or cell phone reception.
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Aesthetically, the family resemblance between both locations is strong: angular cuts, sultry ambience and the same rounded bar stools. The debutante has inherited the geometric industrial look, washed in champagne light and glitzed up with black marble countertops and curved, textured glass partitions. (A word of caution: The bar has a rough, rocky texture on the underside, so watch the hands and knees — our party came away with more than one scrape.)
The first thing one sees upon striding through the trapezoidal corridor is an arresting obelisk in the centre of the intimate floor, dressed in reflective mirror-like gold meant to reference the bounty once stored there. For special occasions or more private get-togethers, there is a separate cigar lounge stocked with premium bottles that can hold a party of about 10, as well as a smaller moss-themed room sequestered away in a more secretive space.
Cozier pockets of sofas as well as communal standing tables offer a variety of options for different group sizes, a marked increase from Penrose’s capacity and good news for solo visitors hoping to squeeze in on a busy evening. We made a reservation for Saturday night, and though the weekend crowd was surprisingly quiet, we were informed it had been packed wall-to-wall just the day before.
The current menu is segmented into four quadrants: Tall, for highball-esque bubblies; Sharp, comprising tangier tipples; Forward, for slow, sippable concoctions; and flavourful Savoury items.
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Where more refreshing opening drinks are concerned, we are utterly delighted with Lavantha’s line-up of fizzies. The gin-based Siccamore excites the tongue with an invigorating acidity, shrouded by a fragrant landscape of jackfruit and tarragon to complement the botanicals. The inclusion of bancha, a type of Japanese green tea, offers a touch of earthy sweetness, topped with a pleasantly carbonated mouthfeel. A similar profile can be found in the Pastica, a bright blend of tequila, floral guava and sherry, underscored with a hint of salty pistachio nuttiness.
An unexpected star for us, however, is the Michelada, one of the taller choices in the Savoury section. Though usually a brazen brew of beer, hot sauces and lime, Lavantha suggests an incredibly refined and clear iteration of the classic Mexican beverage that we are glad to see does not compromise on spirit or spice. The first taste is joltingly appetising and superbly balanced: Zesty citrus wakes the senses, joined by vivid vegetal notes from the tomato, shishito pepper and cucumber garnish, rounded out by a wonderfully smoky edge from the mezcal. Lager adds a zing of fruitiness and texture, which is immediately joined by an unabashedly spicy kick spreading over the tongue for a hot and lingering finish. We only wish for a fine salt rim to top it all off.
While Lavantha the bar is dressed in shadows and gold (the light panel shifted to red halfway through our visit, turning the whole space into that lava-walled dining room from The Incredibles), Lavantha the drink is a pretty pink thing. This rosy liquid exudes a juicy palette of red fruit — think lychee, strawberries and raspberries — restrained by a tinge of pepperiness from the yuzu. Despite it falling under the domain of Sharp, we found the overall character to be more saccharine than sour, especially when punctuated by a syrupy Luxardo cherry.
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Moving into the hard-hitting Forwards, the Plakus Nectar appears in a deceptively unassuming little glass. This spin on a Godfather introduces whey and cacao to scotch, and swaps the usual amaretto for amaro to achieve a nuttier, sweeter flavour and tone down that sometimes contentious medicinal note. Aromas of hazelnut and almond deepen this potion’s dimension, while the base brings a much appreciated wisp of smokiness.
The menu’s Savoury portion also hosts two stiffer options, one of which is another remixed classic, the Sazerac. On first impression, this is a familiar friend: hearty, spicy whisky (Lavantha blends all its own base spirits instead of relying on the qualities of just one brand), pronounced bitters and maple sweetener, but enriched with duck fat and koji instead of an absinthe perfume. The umami is understated to begin with, greeting you with a classic profile almost like a formality, but as the cocktail approaches room temperature, the richness of the duck fat reveals itself, creating also a very satisfying viscosity as it glides across the palate.
On an objective assessment, these are delicious, high-calibre drinks curated to an exceptional level of technical excellence. The watering hole is still testing the waters with a preliminary list of just over a dozen tipples, though word is a fuller list of around 27 items including a dedicated martini section and a selection of small plates are in the works for this month. With each glass priced at RM65, Lavantha is perching itself just above the price tags of other popular bars in the city, but whether this is the natural by-product of its Petaling Street hotel location or a called shot at a ranked spot remains to be seen. For now, we will make do with the merciful discounted rate of RM178 for three.
Penrose recently placed No. 10 at Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025 and retained its crown as Malaysia's Best Bar.
Lavantha, Lower Ground Floor, Moxy Kuala Lumpur Chinatown, 1, Jalan Hang Lekiu, KL. Thurs to Mon, 8pm-2am.
This article first appeared on July 7, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
