Reka:Bar impressed the judges at the Sustainable Restaurants Association with its clear commitment to sustainability throughout all aspects of the business. Here's what the SRA had to say about why Reka:Bar was selected out of the four nominees.
“Reka:Bar demonstrated a breadth of sustainability efforts – from plastic and energy reduction to staff wellbeing and paid days off – but the level of visibility it has over its supply chain and its ‘Domino Effect’ food waste campaign is what truly sets Reka:Bar apart.”
What stood out to the judges was Reka:Bar’s exceptional knowledge over its ingredient origins, from the farming methods used to even the way produce is transported. It makes an active effort to source from responsible farms and proudly features local ingredients.
Reka:Bar doesn’t just champion Malaysian ingredients and producers, it makes sure these flavours shine in its cocktail menus that change with the seasons. Each menu reads like a themed album where bartenders remix and riff on classic cocktails to create freshly minted hits. Its signature ‘Domino Effect’ menu, however, functions like a circular menu, both conceptually and literally.
Here, every main ingredient in one drink is reused as a garnish in the next drink, leading to a cascading chain reaction of flavours. For example, in the cocktail Mari Berangan, local Berangan bananas are used for flavour while their peels are used as the garnish for the next drink, Gentian Glory. This approach to sustainability also applies to the kitchen where a delicious jackfruit seed pakora is made with the seeds of the jackfruit used in another cocktail.
“First and foremost, our creations need to be delicious and resonate with our guests," shares the Reka:Bar team. "The magic happens when we present guests with a delightful, no-compromise experience rooted in sustainability at its core.”
Reka:Bar dishes out some fantastic cocktails, like the “Dusun 2.0”, which contains everything from tempoyak (fermented durian) and jackfruit soy milk to a chilli padi distillate. Turn the wheel, work your way down the ‘Domino Effect’ menu, and it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll find a drink that speaks to you.
Sustainability extends beyond the cocktails too and appears central to all decision-making. The bar itself is designed and fitted out to limit energy use – with LED lighting and added insulation to reduce energy consumption. Reka:Bar notes that it routinely transforms spent wine and leftovers from bar guest shifts into various fermentations and fortified distillations. It practices a no single-serve plastic policy and tries to encourage vendors to deliver products in reusable containers.
“Ultimately we believe that with a little creativity and effort, the practice of sustainability in the bar world can be great for the planet, for the guests, and for the business all at once,” says the Reka:Bar team.
Reka:Bar continues to forge a way ahead, heralding Kuala Lumpur’s bar scene into headier heights for sustainable mixology. Experimental and revolutionary, it sets a high benchmark for others to follow, and we are proud to honour them as Time Out KL’s first Bar of Tomorrow.
