Backyard Pub & Grill

There’s a simple equation behind Backyard Pub & Grill’s longevity and it’s made up of a steady flow of drinks, good music, plus an unpretentious character. A landmark in Desa Sri Hartamas, we popped in on a hump day and found it to be busy, which says a lot about its unwavering draw throughout the years. Clearly a popular pick for a weekday unwind, the standard attire among patrons was T-shirts and shorts. This boded well with us, and the atmosphere was lively enough to conjure the feeling of a midweek treat.

What also sat well with us were the drink prices. House wines are RM18.90 per glass and if you visit on a Sunday, you’ll enjoy happy hour prices on beers all night long. Tempting proposition, that, and so was Backyard’s whisky selection. For a neighbourhood pub, Backyard has a surprisingly good selection that includes whiskies from the Glenmorangie family and Japanese single malts like Yamazaki and Nikka. Their kitchen offerings – local bites and Western pub fare – are also worth a shout. Try their mutton fried rice the next time you’re in. Made with spicy mutton varuval (mutton cooked in dry spice paste), it goes down like a charm, especially if you’re nursing a cold one. Like your meats sizzling? Backyard has barbeques every Saturday.

Backyard scores averagely. Its interior is what you’d expect of a standard pub, but one thing that sets this place apart from its cousins is its live music; there’s a band playing here nightly. On our visit, Rod Stewart numbers were being belted out, which is a good hint at the general age group of Backyard’s customers. But don’t let this turn you off. Backyard is a connoisseur’s choice for live music, and it sure as hell beats listening to another Top 40 dance track by Pitbull. And then there are their two pool tables. Friendly games were being played out the entire time we were there and we found out that Backyard regularly hosts pool competitions.

All in all, our crystal ball doesn’t predict a younger set taking over this spot anytime soon, but Backyard is a great suburban pub for weekday drinks when the city lights don’t seem to beckon, and when you don’t want to dust off your best threads but just want to feel comfortable. And you will. Backyard is the quintessential Malaysian-English watering hole, where curries coexist on the menu with cider, and where everyone feels at home. Cheers to that, or do we say ‘yum seng’? Rachel Jena

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