Ong Chin Huat spends a Sunday afternoon at one of the ‘hippest’ and most happening places in KL and relishes the new dishes and drinks in the newly refreshed menu.

When you find yourself in the centre of town in Kuala Lumpur with a few hours to spare, Tujo Bar-sserie & Grill is the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat, sip a cocktail to cool down or have a fun night on the tiles. Located strategically opposite the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, Tujo has recently spruced itself up with a refreshed look and a new menu.

With a tagline of Eat, Drink and Play, these are activities which their regular customers have been doing since Tujo opened its doors back in 2014. With a sleek and modern interior inspired by 1960’s Danish design, Tujo boasts double volume ceilings and a mezzanine level which gives this airy eatery a sense of space.

With the addition of verdant plants in the main dining area, the airy feel is further enhanced. Michele Kwok, the first lady of Tujo as she likes being called, confirms: “The glass enclosure that cocoons Tujo inspired the concept of a Tropical Glasshouse,” she says. “Bringing in some tropical foliage conveys an air of calm which is a welcome sight, especially when surrounded by so many skyscrapers.”

With the rejuvenated ambience, Tujo also ups the ante in the kitchen and bar. A new selection premium cuts are now available from The Grill. The Tomahawk, a juicy 1.3kg Sanchoku Wagyu from Australia, is a new addition to the menu. Although it would take an hour to prepare, it would be well worth the wait for any steak lover and this succulent cut would be perfect with the Burnt Raclette, another new item on the menu.

Other new dishes are the Lemon Pepper Halibut, Kuro Squid Ink Pasta, Korean Spicy Style Breaded Chicken Wings and Black Miso Haddock, as well as other meats like chicken, lamb and seafood available from The Grill as perennial favourites like pasta, pizzas, salads, soups and light bites. There’s also a new Oyster Bar which serves some of the best oysters from Europe such as Tragheanna Bay from Ireland, Fin de Claire from France and Dutch Creuses from Holland. A Bloody Mary Bar makes diner participation a must because this is where you can customise your own Bloody Mary mix and garnishing.

And talking about drinks, there’s a new range of delicious cocktails whipped up by Tujo’s own mixologist using local ingredients. Dubbed ‘Hometown Hooch’, 16 new ‘Malaysiana’ cocktails such as the Hang Li Mau which utilises rum, calamansi, lime juice and gula Melaka and ABC (Alcoholic Batu Campur) with tequila and Irish Cream Liqueur make their debut on the cocktail list.

Others also use the abundant local ingredients in contemporary cocktails such as Naughty Nangka Iced Lolly or the Boozy Blues which has the addition of coconut flakes.

“We had tons of fun tasting these new cocktails,” says Kwok. “”We are very proud of our mixologists for thinking out of the box and coming up with something very creative. These are products that will be popular with the local crowd as well as visitors and a tourist alike….what is my personal favourite? The Mat Kool! We all have had it at wedding dinners before, but we have added something which you need to taste to believe!”

Tujo Bar-sserie & Grill – Where and how?

For further information, please visit www.tujo.my