Menu to Taste

Backdoor Bodega

Cocktail Bar · Penang · Chef Koh Yung Shen

Ranked among Asia's 50 Best Bars, founder Koh Yung Shen's Penang venue operates as a cocktail bar located behind a clothing store. The drinks programme highlights regional Malaysian ingredients, featuring signature cocktails such as the Kelapa Hotak.

37 Jalan Gurdwara, George Town, 10300 Penang, Malaysia, Penang

  • #64 Asia's 50 Best Bars
  • #53 World's 50 Best Bars 2024
  • #66 Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026

Menu

Cocktails

  • Georgetown Gimlet (35) — Gin with belacan (fermented shrimp paste), tamarind, lemongrass, and ginger flower. A punchy, savoury gimlet inspired by Penang assam laksa.
  • Mango Martini (38) — Gin flavoured with Pamplemousse Rose, mango, and grapefruit, with bits of sago adding texture.
  • One-Two-Som (Tam) (35) — Papaya-infused rum, kaffir lime leaf, fresh lime juice, chilli. Thai-inspired sour-spicy profile from the Guide to Penang menu.
  • Eugene (38) — Dry gin, Cointreau, homemade mishti doi (Bengali yoghurt), yuzu purée, lime juice. A house classic recommended for first-timers.
  • The Meg (35) — Nutmeg-infused rum, house-spiced rum, and lime. A Penang nutmeg daiquiri — an ode to the island as one of the few places in the world that drinks nutmeg in juice form.
  • Rojak! (35) — Whisky, green mango, peanuts, shrimp paste, milk-washed. Garnished with fried cruller on a wooden spoon, referencing rojak sellers' spatulas.
  • Chrysanthemum (35) — Chrysanthemum-infused Roku Gin, homemade tea syrup, Lapsang Souchong cold brew tea. Clean and mildly sweet, evoking Yeo's chrysanthemum tea.
  • Kelapa Hotak 2016 (35) — BB Cocktail #001. Coconut fat-washed rum, pandan syrup, kaya (coconut egg jam), clarified with agar. Served over a single clear ice cube. 'Kelapa Hotak' is Penang Hokkien slang.
  • Rasa Rasam (35) — Whiskey with tamarind, turmeric, cumin, and lime, clarified with milk. Inspired by Georgetown's Little India spice trails. Served with a papadom garnish.
  • Ulam Mojito (35) — Ulam raja and daun kesum (Malaysian herbal salad leaves) with torch ginger and galangal replacing traditional mint. Distils Penang's herbal lexicon into an aromatic fizz.

The Experience

A relaxed room in a hidden location. The meal is structured around an avant-garde approach.

  • Atmosphere: Relaxed
  • Format: Avant-garde
  • Setting: Hidden

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