Eng serving up one of his signature concoctions at Mood Restaurant in Jalan Pintal Tali, George Town.
ALTHOUGH many eateries operate with a bar, few make a deliberate effort to harmonise menus for the benefit of customers and the planet.
Mood Restaurant in George Town, Penang, is different as it upholds a philosophy of using ingredients across food and beverage offerings.
This thoughtful approach not only drives creativity and collaboration among its chefs and bartenders but also minimises waste, in line with its emphasis on sustainability.
“Every ingredient can be a goldmine of flavours. Parts which are typically overlooked or thrown away can still contribute to taste, texture or presentation.
“This mindset allows us to create unique flavours and ensures that nothing is wasted,” beverage manager and mixologist Jimmy Eng said.
His signature Mood Cosmo – a reinterpretation of the classic Cosmopolitan typically made with vodka, cranberry juice, lime and orange liqueur – is a great example.
Mood Restaurant’s eclectic Asian-fusion offerings include (clockwise from bottom left) Iberico Pork Chop, Milk Bread, Yam Millefeuille and Chili Crab Mantao.
Eng swaps the cranberry for blueberry shrub, which uses up an often surplus ingredient. Shrubs are tangy syrups made by steeping sugary fruits in red or white wine.
“It’s a good way to breathe new life into leftover house wines which turn into vinegar after a few days and aren’t optimal for straight sipping.
“The blueberries, having acquired wine notes from the maceration, are then strained and sent to the kitchen to be used in desserts,” said the experienced barman.
His Shiraz Me Not reimagines the New York Sour. Instead of using a dry, fruity red wine, he uses leftover house champagne milk-washed with passionfruit.
This process adds creaminess – without the need for egg white foam – in addition to a refreshing tropical nuance. Shiraz grape-infused gin tops everything off.
“The kitchen will turn the passionfruit bits into chewy candy sticks which double as stirrers. The milk wash is also skimmed to enhance dairy desserts,” Eng elaborated.
A standard Old Fashioned inspired his Mood Umami.
Instead of bourbon, his version uses single-malt whisky which is bacon fat-washed with shiitake mushroom dashi.
The Mood Umami incorporates shiitake dashi from the kitchen, with the mushroom bits then also baked into a cracker.
Salty, smoky notes greet every sip, followed by earthy savouriness at the back of the palate.
The mushroom bits are saved, added to dough and baked into crackers for garnishing.
Meanwhile, the Moscow Mule led to Eng’s Thai Mule. This has herbaceous notes thanks to Thai basil and lingering warmth from locally sourced artisanal ginger beer.
“The use of similar ingredients across our food and drinks affords customers a more cohesive experience. That’s the best part of a bar working in harmony with the kitchen,” he said of Mood Restaurant, which opened in February last year.
Occupying a century-old shophouse along Jalan Pintal Tali, it is split into two spaces – the bar up front and the open-concept kitchen and dining space at the back.
The bar area retains some of the property’s original walls, but are jazzed up with modern green tiles and custom murals by a local artist.
The dining space is lined by mirrors and gently lit, creating a cosy environment.
“We envisioned it as a space where good food, good drinks and a good ambience come together to put guests in a good mood – hence the name,” said Eng.
Shiraz Me Not (left) and Mood Cosmo (right) are examples of Mood’s commitment to sustainability – incorporating leftover house champagne and wine respectively.
Overseeing the kitchen is Chef Dev, who drew on various cuisines to create his eclectic Asian-fusion menu.
Highlights include the Iberico Pork Chop, marinated with a ginger-garlic paste before grilling. Once carved, the juicy slices are slathered with nam jim jaew, a Thai chilli dip.
There is also Yam Millefeuille, which was inspired by local Penang orh kuih and topped with XO sauce and spring onion oil, as well as Chilli Crab Mantao, which turned a popular sweet and spicy seafood dish into stuffing for fluffy fried buns.
Mood also offers a well- curated selection of wines, craft beers, mocktails, coffee and tea.
A private space upstairs with a mini bar and karaoke can be booked for functions for up to 20 people.
MOOD RESTAURANT, No.133 Jalan Pintal Tali, George Town. (Tel: 018-949 7934) Business hours: 6pm to midnight, Tuesdays to Sundays (closed on Mondays).
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
