Wine and dine at Hakka Republic Wine Bar & Bistro

Menara Hap Seng, Jalan P. Ramlee

Popping over to Menara Hap Seng at Jalan P. Ramlee for the first time the other day, I was surprised to find a cigars outlet there. Cigars Lounge is conveniently located on the groundfloor near the entrance where TGI Friday's and Starbucks Coffee are.

The shop was closed but you could see the different cigars and cigar paraphernalia on display through the glass including pipes and cigar-cutters. There are not many cigar shops in town so this could be your new source if you are looking for liga undercrown cigars, for instance(?).

When it comes to food, Menara Hap Seng could be having one of the best food outlets in Kuala Lumpur.

Hakka Republic Wine Bar & Bistro is the place but don't let the Chinese name fool you, says one Tripadvisor reviewer, because Hakka Republic is a stunning European restaurant serving great food with a touch of Asian fusion such as miso cod. The fois gras is not to be missed. Thursday, Friday and Saturday has fun live music.

Another reviewer says: Be sure to sit at the front section, the rear section has very noisy air conditioning. For a tuesday night I was the only diner up to 9pm.

Yet another reviewer, from London, says: Every time I go to KL I make it a point to go to Hakka Republic, for one reason - the food. Great selection to suit just about any palate. I have tried steak at several 'famous' restaurants, including Cut, but Hakka's is consistently the best. The prices are no different from other western-style restaurants in KL, maybe even lower....

There you have it - Hakka Republic is the place to check out the next time you are looking for good food and some fun live music.  They serve wine by the glass too from their very large collection of liquor that you cannot typically find at other restaurants or bars, although there are some selections that require purchase by the bottle - additional info from a Tripadvisor reviewer from Dallas, Texas.

Here's the address:

Hakka Republic Wine Bar & Bistro
1-3 Jalan P. Ramlee
2nd Floor, Menara Hap Seng
Kuala Lumpur 50250, Malaysia
Tel: 60 3 2078 8908 or 2078 9908

Opening times: Mon-Sat, 11am-3pm, 5pm-12midnight