Cocoon’s main entrance, facing Jalan Tun Fuad Stephen
The Cocoon Garden is a great ala carte dining area, and offers an excellent view of the ocean
A view of Cocoon’s interiors as seen from the main bar. A second bar is found at the very end of the main room, offering convenience to customers who can’t seem to stay put in a long night of revelryNote: Photos Copyright © 2006 New Sabah Times
By Nazri Noor
Few dining and drinking establishments in the city offer as many options throughout the day as Cocoon Bar and Restaurant does. A lavishly-designed mecca for lovers of music, the bar and its adjoining ala carte dining area, Cocoon Garden, stand as a suitable destination for any locals and tourists interested in lazing the day away in resolute comfort and style.
Henry Wong and Albert Lau are the young co-proprietors of Cocoon Bar and Restaurant. The two are extremely hands-on, spending much of their time in the club and investing much of their energy on smoothing out operations and preempting any systematic hiccups, ensuring that all goes well in the little amount of time that they aren’t there.
Albert, an interior designer by trade, put his skills to good use by helping to outfit Cocoon, giving it the little characteristic details that distinguish the club in terms of its look, including the unique wall scones made out of metal, glass and fabric and the frosted circular logo windows. The entire club is done in vibrant shades of red, with plenty of pale metallic copper fabric to drape and accent and a hefty dose of cream furnishings to balance the palette. The resultant effect is that of a large hall that succeeds at being a bit sleazy yet sufficiently sophisticated all at the same time.
Cocoon caters primarily to the business crowd and quite a number of tourists who mill in from nearby hotels and pubs. A staff of over 40 attends to the club’s daily operations, and all are dressed in a black uniform blazoned with the Cocoon logo, for style as well as the ease of placing orders. “On a good night, we get about 100 people, and during events, there could be anywhere between 150 and 200,” Henry says.
Cocoon Bar and Restaurant is actually made up of two separate areas. The interior is the club-cum-dance hall itself, with comfortable seats and booths to accommodate guests who come to watch the band and have a drink or two. The outdoor area, Cocoon Garden, is oriented more towards serving food, and stands as an excellent ala carte dining spot with a very nice view of the Sabah sealine. The bar and garden serve both local and Western food.
Prices for food and drinks are different, with bar fare generally priced a bit higher than what can be found in the garden. Price ranges of RM5 to RM28 for garden food give guests a great assortment of very inexpensive quality eats. Naturally, guests from the garden are not allowed to bring purchased food or drink into the bar; doing so incurs a standard corkage charge. It’s more a reminder of the two areas’ separation than anything, really.
The garden’s strong beach feel and relaxing ambience serve for a great dining experience, and during hours that many other restaurants don’t cover. “We want to at least give people more choices,” says Albert. “The time factor won’t be here for people who want to eat and sample local fare. You’re out of a meeting at 2:00pm, and you want a bowl of laksa, but the shops are all closed. You can come here instead. If you want to eat or drink, we’re here for you.”
The duo is currently working with both the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation and Tourism Malaysia to integrate the bar’s tourism thrust. Cocoon will soon dot their establishment with information racks, providing brochures and leaflets with detailed info on various points of interest and tourist spots within Sabah. Cocoon will also allocate space to showcase local handicrafts, simultaneously promoting Malaysian destinations, traditions and culture with a gallery of indigenous arts and crafts.
Cocoon’s cocktails and drinks are prepared lovingly and are always well-mixed. You won’t be finding watered-down highballs or over-iced alcohol here. Food is surprisingly inexpensive for such a luxe setting, and guests can comfortably order from a tidy selection of bar chow fit for any appetite, to prepare for a long night of uninhibited drinking.
Henry and Albert are especially proud of the entertainment that Cocoon offers. Music is a very central thrust for the bar, and the pair take every effort to ensure that guests hear only the best that their bands and DJ’s can offer. “Our local band starts playing at 9:00pm, usually starting with jazz and contemporary music,” Henry says. “None of that hip-hop and R&B here.” Cocoon is very supportive of local talent, to the point of calling their bands ‘guest performers’, and not simply ‘employees.’ They also actively promote their talents, carefully presenting them in ways pleasing to the eyes and ears and making certain that they land in successively great places to perform when their contracts expire. “Our first band, Rimba, played with us for five months, right from when we opened,” shares Albert. “Immediately after leaving, they were hired by a hotel.” “Rimba were so grateful to that they offered to perform on Sundays for free,” Henry continues.
The current band slot has been taken over by the Headhunters, a local six-piece band that has been around for 15 years. The band’s repertoire includes primarily rock classics, funk, jazz, a little bit of disco and just a pinch of pop. An interesting aspect of their performances is the fact that any musically-inclined guests are invited to sing or play with them. “Cocoon provides a platform for local musicians to showcase their talents. We constantly encourage musicians to come and jam with our bands,” says Albert, as was evident on a recent Saturday night, when Akademi Fantasia’s Yazer and local legend Sammy Ariff joined the Headhunter’s for an impromptu set. Bands typically perform 3 sets on weekdays for an hour and 4 sets on weekends for a total of 45 minutes.
Cocoon Restaurant and Bar is a good spot for both wining and dining, and is perfect for people in need of some great comfort food, excellent drinks, or both. The bar is located at Segama Complex, Jalan Tun Fuad Stephen in Kota Kinabalu. Cocoon opens its bars at 5:00pm and closes at 1:00am weekdays and 2:00am Fridays and Saturdays, while Cocoon Garden is open for diners 11:30 am, closing at similar times for weekdays and weekends. For reservations and inquiries, call 088-0211252.
Henry Wong and Albert Lau are the young co-proprietors of Cocoon Bar and Restaurant. The two are extremely hands-on, spending much of their time in the club and investing much of their energy on smoothing out operations and preempting any systematic hiccups, ensuring that all goes well in the little amount of time that they aren’t there.
Albert, an interior designer by trade, put his skills to good use by helping to outfit Cocoon, giving it the little characteristic details that distinguish the club in terms of its look, including the unique wall scones made out of metal, glass and fabric and the frosted circular logo windows. The entire club is done in vibrant shades of red, with plenty of pale metallic copper fabric to drape and accent and a hefty dose of cream furnishings to balance the palette. The resultant effect is that of a large hall that succeeds at being a bit sleazy yet sufficiently sophisticated all at the same time.
Cocoon caters primarily to the business crowd and quite a number of tourists who mill in from nearby hotels and pubs. A staff of over 40 attends to the club’s daily operations, and all are dressed in a black uniform blazoned with the Cocoon logo, for style as well as the ease of placing orders. “On a good night, we get about 100 people, and during events, there could be anywhere between 150 and 200,” Henry says.
Cocoon Bar and Restaurant is actually made up of two separate areas. The interior is the club-cum-dance hall itself, with comfortable seats and booths to accommodate guests who come to watch the band and have a drink or two. The outdoor area, Cocoon Garden, is oriented more towards serving food, and stands as an excellent ala carte dining spot with a very nice view of the Sabah sealine. The bar and garden serve both local and Western food.
Prices for food and drinks are different, with bar fare generally priced a bit higher than what can be found in the garden. Price ranges of RM5 to RM28 for garden food give guests a great assortment of very inexpensive quality eats. Naturally, guests from the garden are not allowed to bring purchased food or drink into the bar; doing so incurs a standard corkage charge. It’s more a reminder of the two areas’ separation than anything, really.
The garden’s strong beach feel and relaxing ambience serve for a great dining experience, and during hours that many other restaurants don’t cover. “We want to at least give people more choices,” says Albert. “The time factor won’t be here for people who want to eat and sample local fare. You’re out of a meeting at 2:00pm, and you want a bowl of laksa, but the shops are all closed. You can come here instead. If you want to eat or drink, we’re here for you.”
The duo is currently working with both the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation and Tourism Malaysia to integrate the bar’s tourism thrust. Cocoon will soon dot their establishment with information racks, providing brochures and leaflets with detailed info on various points of interest and tourist spots within Sabah. Cocoon will also allocate space to showcase local handicrafts, simultaneously promoting Malaysian destinations, traditions and culture with a gallery of indigenous arts and crafts.
Cocoon’s cocktails and drinks are prepared lovingly and are always well-mixed. You won’t be finding watered-down highballs or over-iced alcohol here. Food is surprisingly inexpensive for such a luxe setting, and guests can comfortably order from a tidy selection of bar chow fit for any appetite, to prepare for a long night of uninhibited drinking.
Henry and Albert are especially proud of the entertainment that Cocoon offers. Music is a very central thrust for the bar, and the pair take every effort to ensure that guests hear only the best that their bands and DJ’s can offer. “Our local band starts playing at 9:00pm, usually starting with jazz and contemporary music,” Henry says. “None of that hip-hop and R&B here.” Cocoon is very supportive of local talent, to the point of calling their bands ‘guest performers’, and not simply ‘employees.’ They also actively promote their talents, carefully presenting them in ways pleasing to the eyes and ears and making certain that they land in successively great places to perform when their contracts expire. “Our first band, Rimba, played with us for five months, right from when we opened,” shares Albert. “Immediately after leaving, they were hired by a hotel.” “Rimba were so grateful to that they offered to perform on Sundays for free,” Henry continues.
The current band slot has been taken over by the Headhunters, a local six-piece band that has been around for 15 years. The band’s repertoire includes primarily rock classics, funk, jazz, a little bit of disco and just a pinch of pop. An interesting aspect of their performances is the fact that any musically-inclined guests are invited to sing or play with them. “Cocoon provides a platform for local musicians to showcase their talents. We constantly encourage musicians to come and jam with our bands,” says Albert, as was evident on a recent Saturday night, when Akademi Fantasia’s Yazer and local legend Sammy Ariff joined the Headhunter’s for an impromptu set. Bands typically perform 3 sets on weekdays for an hour and 4 sets on weekends for a total of 45 minutes.
Cocoon Restaurant and Bar is a good spot for both wining and dining, and is perfect for people in need of some great comfort food, excellent drinks, or both. The bar is located at Segama Complex, Jalan Tun Fuad Stephen in Kota Kinabalu. Cocoon opens its bars at 5:00pm and closes at 1:00am weekdays and 2:00am Fridays and Saturdays, while Cocoon Garden is open for diners 11:30 am, closing at similar times for weekdays and weekends. For reservations and inquiries, call 088-0211252.
Courtesy of New Sabah Times
No comments:
Post a Comment