Food and Culture Proposal

RESEARCH PROPOSAL FOR FOOD AND CULTURE (ARC3223/CLS60203)

NAME: CHEONG YEN SIN (JOVIN) STUDENT ID: 0328050 SEMESTER: 5 TUTOR: MR NICHOLAS NG

How are speakeasy bars becoming a trend for the younger generation and how it is affecting the nightlife in Petaling Street?

What is speakeasy? This term “speakeasy” came about 1920-1933 which translates into an illicit drinking spot. As during that era which is known as the Prohibition Era, where all the alcoholic beverages were illegal to sell and consume in America, so people started to sell alcohol in discreet locations with the door closed.

Those bars were hidden up as they do not have any signboards or indication of bars showing out to avoid getting caught and they usually set passwords for their customers to make sure they got the right people coming in. Those bars sell their own poor quality ‘bathtub’ gins and moonshine and mask the flavour by mixing the booze with sugar, bitters and juice, then it became the loose form of cocktails that are commonly serving in all speakeasy bars.

But, Prohibition was an old definition of speakeasies bar, it has changed to become a bar with inconspicuous entrance and hard to find, and come with a unique theme, while cocktails will be the main alcohol beverages on the menu. This “culture” has also be brought into Malaysia and we are going to discuss the bar in Petaling Street. Rumour said that Petaling Street has been the originality of speakeasy bar in Malaysia, because the earliest speakeasy bar was opened in Petaling Street, and then it attracted more similar bars to open there.

To develop the understanding of the research titles, objectives are set as a framework to understand how speakeasy or hidden bar become a trend for the younger generation and how this related back to the nightlife in Petaling Street. First, is to know the history of speakeasy bars, as mentioned above speakeasy bar came from America and it is representing the “Prohibition” meaning during that era, but nowadays it just became bars with an inconspicuous entrance or hard to find it. After knowing the history of the speakeasy bar then find out what are the selling points that get to attract the younger generations and become a trend. Thirdly, is to understand how these speakeasy bars affect the nightlife in Petaling Street, as there are quite a few of these

bar opened in Petaling Street, so more or less it will affect the ambience or feeling during the night time.

The significance of the study is the reviving of nightlife in Petaling Street because of the great impact made by these on-trend speakeasy bars. As the speakeasy bar is either came with a unique theme or how hidden it is to evoke the curiosity of human, that get to attract the youngsters to find them out. When it became something everyone would go for, the supply and demand will relatively increase. That is why speakeasy bar become a trend for the youngsters. Yet in Petaling Street there is at least 7-8 speakeasy bar over that small area, it totally became bars heaven for the youngsters to go there, they can even have ‘bar hopping’ to experience more than 1 bar at that area. These definitely revive the quiet and dead nightlife in Petaling Street, not only tourist but also youngsters hanging out with friends at here because of all these bars. There is more than fake goods and cheap and nice street foods over here, the younger generation would willing to come all the way to Petaling Street for these bars.

Various methods are used during this research, one of them is sufficient online research of food blogs, articles and some video about Petaling Street, not only the speakeasy bars but also the food and attractions over there. Beside, observations during the site visit are important too, for us to understand more about Petaling Street itself, not through words but a real experience. We also did some photography and recording to capture down the feeling of the moment we felt about this place that we get to refer back.

The outcomes that are expected within the duration of 6 weeks are a composition of video recording to show what we experience in Petaling Street, from the morning wet market in Madras Lane, the noon Petaling Street that full with tourist, the back lane attraction of mural paintings and also the night time of street foods and speakeasy bars. Then, a written research proposal to show the individual understanding of a specific topic that is chosen by ourselves.

REFERENCES

● 5 amazing bars around Petaling Street. Retrieved from : https://www.worldofbuzz.com/5-amazing-bars-around-petaling-street-absolut ely-check/

● The best hidden bars in KL. Retrieved from : https://www.timeout.com/kuala-lumpur/bars-and-pubs/best-speakeasy-and-hi dden-bars-in-kl

● What is a speakeasy? Retrieved from : https://www.star2.com/living/viewpoints/2016/11/05/what-is-a-speakeasy/

● Top 10 places to eat in Petaling Street. Retrieved from : https://klfoodie.com/top-10-places-to-eat-in-petaling-street-kl/

● Food hunting @ Petaling Street. Retrieved from : http://www.choiyen.com/food-hunting-petaling-street-kuala-lumpur/