Serving modern American fare, Birch has established itself as a clear contender in the Damansara dining scene. The restaurant bar sports a beautiful well-lit interior, a great use of flora and tasteful decor. While the restaurant is known for their inventive insta-friendly foods, their cocktail menu is created to pair with their eats. We sample 6 cocktails with director of mixology James Estes, each one a loving homage to a classic cocktail.

1. Pina Clear-ada

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Above Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler

Well suited for our warm tropical climate, the famous cocktail gets reimagined in a martini class, switching up images of Hawaiian printed shirts and exchanging them for a shirt and jacket without losing its core flavours.

While you may expect the dryness of an actual martini when taking a sip for the first time, what you'll get instead is a wonderful coconut and pineapple flavour combo that finishes really lightly in the mouth.

Perfect to start with.

2. California Daquiri

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Above Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler

The daquiri gets a Californian treatment, mixing rum, pineapple, sherry, lime green chartreuse (a herbal spirit) and orgeat (a cooling drink made from orange flower water).

The drink itself has a very strong citrus presence with a faint hint of sweetness and rum, with a light body that makes it incredibly easy to drink.

If you're not sure about the pina clear-ada as your first choice, this is a worthy alternative.

3. Beyond Sunrise

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Above Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler

A refreshingly light cocktail that mixes things up with a dark syrup base at the bottom of the glass, this is another twist on a classic cocktail – the tequila sunrise.

Made with premium agave tequila (which is delicious and has a clean taste with a soft floral hint), this drink it deceptively strong.

Although it may have the dominant flavour profile of citrus fruits to mix with a gentle tasting spirit, it still packs a punch.

4. Whisky & Coke Fashioned

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Above Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler

A tribute to all the times you had whisky and coke during your college days except this beverage is a major upgrade from the drink you used to have in the early days of your youth.

A twist from an old fashioned, the cocktail uses bitters, a smoky bourbon and a coke reduction to make for a surprisingly complex sipping drink that is meant to be enjoyed slowly, so take your time.

Because of its heavy body, letting it sit while the ice melts will really open up the drink, allowing you to enjoy it in a different light.

5. Birch Hummus Duo

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Above Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler

Order some of these bar bites and you won't be disappointed, starting with a shareable hummus platter that will surely please all members of your party.

One is made with carrots and the other capsicum, for a slightly sweet and slightly spicy offering that goes well with sea salted sourdough bread. Great in between sips, the smooth yet somewhat chunky texture of the dip will encourage more sips of your cocktail.

This goes great with a flat white martini.

Read also: our review of Birch's dinner menu

6. Beef Marmalade

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Above Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler

The classic marmalade and toast gets the luxe and savourty treatment with this dish. Salty, soft and delectable, the texture contrast from the 7-grain sourdough and the soft chunky dip gets enhanced by tangy pickles. Another great dish to share around the table. 

Great with lighter ctirus cocktails like the pina clear-ada or the california daquiri.

7. Smoked Quail Eggs

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Above Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler

Exactly as advertised, these bite sized flavour packed protein bombs are deliciously smoky. The bursts of saltiness from the tobiko also make for a welcoming element, creating flavour complexity out of a few ingredients. Great when paired with a whisky and coke fashioned.

8. Flat White Martini

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Above Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler

For those who needs a drink to wake them up and shake them up, the flat white martini is just that drink. With a chilled creamy mouthfeel and wonderful frothy texture on its head, this drink ticks a lot of boxes. 

Garnished with nutmeg, each sip rewards drinkers with a flavour harmony of spirit, coffee and milk that reveals more nuances the more you drink it.

9. Keluarga

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Above Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler

Created in anticipation for the Bacardi Legacy competition, this cocktail will certainly please Malaysian palates, thanks to its use of pandan, coconut and citrus.

This tropical concoction even has hints of ginger and lime that will hit the back of the palate and the nose respectively.

Rum and coconut already go hand-in-hand, but add a little pandan and limau nipis and you've got yourself a great drink to end with.

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