Publika is probably the most hipster shopping mall I know of – revolving around the concept of an open art gallery and housing lots of vintagey shops and chic cafes. Every month they feature works from artists both local and abroad, so it’s not surprising to see art pieces, paintings or stuff decorating the mall. It’s also a great place to go hunting for one-of-a-kind pieces, whether it’s fashion or home deco. I’d come here often if it wasn’t so bloody far away from my house.

Coincidentally, I was there for an assignment last week – so for lunch, I headed on to one of the aforementioned cafes – Red Beanbag. I’ve been hearing rave reviews about the place but never really got to try it. It’s not inside the main shopping mall, but just opposite the entrance – you have to do a bit of legwork to find the place among the many interconnecting blocks in the area.

The place was packed with the lunch crowd. Managed to find a seat outside. The design is cozy, with wood accents and lots of red and black – lending it a classy yet cosy feel.

For drinks, I had a strawberry smoothie, which was very sweet and syrupy. Not bad, but might be off putting for people who can’t stand sticky sweet stuff. It had a fizzy aftertaste to balance out the sweetness.

Although it was lunch time, I was craving for breakfast, so I ordered the RBB Big Breakfast Fry-Up – one of their signature dishes. The meal comes with two eggs (poached, overeasy, sunny side up or scrambled), beef/chicken sausage, beef/turkey bacon, stir fried assorted mushrooms, beans and two slices of bread with butter.

THIS. WAS. REALLY. GOOD. It remindED me of the all-day breakfasts that I used to have in English restaurant-pubs as a student in the UK – hearty, delicious and oh-so-satisfying. The eggs were perfectly cooked on the outside and oozed beautiful golden goodness when cut open, while the hashbrowns were so addictive; crispy on the outside and well done on the inside, not overcooked or drenched in oil. The beef bacon was streaky with just the right amount of lean and fat. The bread slices were thick and chewy because they used some type of yoghurt in it, but I liked the texture. The mushrooms were presumably tossed in olive oil with a slightly bitter aftertaste, but juicy and good all the same. The beans were beans, and the sausages were okay – but overall, it was a very good plate of breakfast. *pats stomach*

Nope. Not insanely guilty for a cheat day well spent. But I guess I won’t be able to eat anything nice this whole week.

Other than that, they also serve various Western cuisine. Reviews have also said that the coffee here is excellent – so maybe I’ll give it a try next time.

The Red Beanbag,

Lot A4-1-8, Solaris Dutamas, Publika, Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur

Open daily from 10AM – 6PM

+6 03 6211 5116