Mish Mash ensures a great evening in Penang

There will always be a warm smile for you at Mish Mash.

“I don’t miss KL that much,” says Ben Ng, the co-owner of Mish Mash, a bistro for those who live on the street, who travel widely, who want to eat and drink well.

It’s not exactly avant-garde, but it will ensure you a good time. In Ng’s words, “it is a place where you can sit in without a sense of time”.

Ng officially moved back to Penang, in the midst of detoxing the hustle and bustle of KL bit by bit. “At the end of the day, Penang is home.”

Fifteen years ago, he took a job at an Irish bar in KL, where he first learned bartending. Today, he’s a well-respected mixologist and does consultancy work for some of the biggest brands.

“It was hard to learn as resources were limited during the pre-Youtube era”. Ng worked and saved money to buy bartending books & magazines.

The F&B entrepreneur talks about drawing inspiration from watching hawkers at work. In fact, he grew up watching them.

“That is true craft to me. It gives me a very different understanding of flavours.” The fascination also made him realize one key point, that things don’t have to be complicated to be good.

Ever earnest and transparent about the business he’s running, he confessed that it’s not for everyone. “We want to serve you but it has to be a place that you yourself choose to come in by natural liking. You come in, you like it, you understand it — it’s your place.”

Honestly? It’s hardly a bitter pill to swallow.

It is a spare, welcoming room with happy yellow walls, warm lighting, smooth wooden tables. The murals and Chinese calligraphy on the wall add an off-kilter element to the cosy venue.

“It used to be a Chinese medical hall,” Ng adds. The whole process of conceptualising only took three months, of which one month was for construction work.

It was all spontaneous but they brilliantly nailed it with a little help by drinking lots of whiskey along the way.

It is a place where you can sit in without a sense of time.

Ng and his college buddy turned business partner, Simon, planned on introducing the “kitchen bar” concept because the demand far outpaced supply. Once implemented, the way customers order food changed drastically.

They also regularly embark on menu development, where new items are implemented based on customer feedback.

At the end of the day, Ng and Simon are all about building a meaningful business, regardless of the amount of effort it takes.

They aim to work with local farmers and artisans who produce the best ingredients. “It’s going to take us years but we intend on making it happen. It’s one of the reasons why I’m back here,” says Ng.