Today, the district is one of the trendiest commercial and residential addresses in bustling KL - and the preferred destination for those in search of pulsating nightlife.

 

Just 10 minutes by car from the financial district, KL's version of Piccadilly Circus boasts an impressive international mix of restaurants, pubs, bars, grills, bistros, cafes, fast-food joints and coffee and ice cream parlors. Its location near an affluent neighborhood that's home to free-spending expatriates and well-heeled local executives helps explain the popularity of "the strip." But it's the variety of the themes that keeps the crowds coming back every night. And a large pasar malam (or night market) on Saturday evenings adds to the area's especially festive atmosphere during weekends.

 

Bangsar has a wide enough array of cuisine to satisfy any craving - Chinese, Indian, Malay, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Mexican, American and European. Some cater to vegetarians. Night traders generally open between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. and the last pubs close at around 2 a.m., but food and drink are available at outdoor stalls until early morning.

 

The well-stocked MPH bookstore as well as computer/VCD shops, hairdressers and a post office remain open until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. Almost every corner has an ATM machine. The strip can be skirted on foot in about 15 minutes. Taxis run to and from all other parts of the city, but keep in mind that fares after midnight carry a 50% surcharge.
Bangsar Baru's Best
One of the must-see, must-try places is Grappa, an Italian restaurant with a bright, informal atmosphere and an extensive list of good wines. Open till midnight, its customers often pay US$6 to US$8 for spaghetti with tiger prawns or chicken liver salad - and then dally over drinks. The Italian Frangiacorta is priced at about US$30 per bottle, while the Californian Opus 1 costs about US$230 and the Chateau Latour of France more than double that. This 3-year old establishment continues to be well-patronized, surviving the stiff competition to keep the area's upscale clientele interested.

 

For a taste of Ireland, check out Finnegan's. This Irish pub is one of the most popular spots in the area, exuding warmth with its solid wood furniture, gas lamps and old maps on the wall. Facing the bar is a small dance floor, a DJ playing loud but well selected music and monitors showing live sports telecasts. The upstairs restaurant prides itself on its Sherperdspie, Irish Stew and rack of lamb with prices averaging at US$9. Kilkenny beer and Guinness stout by the pint are about US$6.

The oldest pub and grill in the area, Kanteena, eschews music. It is quietly comfortable, and known for its steak and lower prices.

 

Popular local fare is available at Champ's "Damn Schok" (local slang for very good) Bistro. Rice and noodle dishes, mostly of Chinese origin but adapted to Malaysian tastes, sell for around US$3 each and the beers are US$2.50 per mug all night.

 

A generally young clientele frequents Modesto's - described by one reviewer as having a sleek Manhattan chic - for its beers, pizzas, R&B music and pool. Some also go there to strike acquaintances with members of the opposite sex. At the Gas Works, customers join groups named after grand prix teams to participate in video quiz games for free vouchers and beers.

 

Dome, which specializes in coffee, is promoting the Shisha or "bubbly-bubbly", a Middle Eastern water pipe. The elaborate equipment burns tobacco processed with herbs and fruit flavors, smoked through a hose and 2-foot pipe after it is filtered and cooled through a water bowl. A half-hour puff costs US$5.

 

While there are no discos or theaters in Bangsar Baru, the wide choice of other forms of entertainment, ambiance, F&B and, of course, people watching seem to be enough to keep people coming back day after day, night after night.