So Chic As To Be Slick

For most big city dwellers the thought of coming up to Penang simply means taking a break from it all, relaxing, catching up on Astro….in other words being bored. B*llsh*t! Penang is a happening place despite what some may believe and every now and then our man in Penang Stephan Vergara will be bringing the latest to you here on SmoovePinch.

Chic! Bar+Cafe
403 Jalan Burma, Pulau Tikus 10350 Penang

With clubs popping all over the capital city, it’s reached the point where most revelers have become blasé about a launch. So what if they have parquet floorings and gargantuan plasma screen TVs? It’s all worth jacks*it if the mood ain’t right and the vibe is off. Knowing this, BadBoyBen, DJ par excellence pooled his wit, charm and considerable style to put up an adult drinking establishment worthy of its name. Whip into that equation the fact that the man has got the cojones to set it up in Penang and you know that Chic! Bar + Café is set to change the party scene in Penang.

Set across from the once-happening Belissa Row, Chic! stands out from its neighbours with a décor that is both hip and energetic. The vibe you get just from entering the place is one that’s smooth yet raunchy (for those who don’t know what raunchy means, go ask your Mama). Set on two floors with the lower floor set more for conversation and business and the upper floor for dancing and really partying down, the set up is well anointed, making full use of the narrow but long architecture of the building.

Dedicated to house music, Chic! is one of a kind on the island, differentiating itself from the head shaking, slut booty-shaking, cheap imitations of a club in NYC. The heavy use of wood in the interior does make a difference – it’s called “class” for all you ignorant f*cks out there. Light fixtures become functional by recounting the history of house (think of is as the Cliff’s Notes version of Music 101 – The Fun Tutorials) and the staff have definitely been chosen for their looks (Check Niki out!), charm and ability to smile while balancing 6 glasses, a jug and an overspilling ashtray.

Chic! is proud to boast that it has almost 1200 cocktails to its menu and its got the primo stuff like Bollinger and Black Vodka. Sure you can get a soft drink, but would you want it soft when you can get it hard?

So who comes here? Baby, anybody who wants to have a drink, soak in house, be treated well and enjoy some class. There is no ageism here, it’s for classy people who want to avoid the hardcore pulse of techno, the whine of country & western and the drone of the opera. In a nutshell, if you want fun with sophistication, this is the place to be.