In pursuit of healthier living, starting at Bagel N Coffee Station

Sunday AM: In need of greasy, fry-up breakfast to counter effects of last night's pinot grigio. At 9.15AM, Jarrod & Rawlins still shows no sign of life so we proceed to try our luck at Hartamas Shopping Centre.

Fry-ups elusive here too. Does F&B retail mean you start no earlier than the regular mall o'clock of ten to ten? Thankfully, Bagel 'N' Coffee station stands open, bright, cheery and welcoming. Bagels were probably the last thing we had in mind this morning but we decide it'll have to do and step right in. Bagels can't be choosers, right? HA HA HA! Sorry, Sundays are lamecheck-o-meter's days off.

The interior is standard contemporary cafe - liberal use of the warm colour palette, cosy lighting. Air conditioning could do with a service though.

We struggle initially with the menu as the guy who served us basically shoved us the Combo deal menu they had without letting on that there was another menu listing the various fillings that made up either a Super, Deluxe or Premium bagel.

The coffee arrives within minutes, two big steaming mugs. The quaintest thing - coffee comes with a handful of peanuts (salted) and a piece Dairy Milk. We think it's a little strange but we're charmed nevertheless. Biscottis in bulk probably aren't cutting the budget sheets these days.

MS' glorious ode to dairy - Parmesan bagel. Cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto and parmesan. I wouldn't touch it, but can understand how lactose nuts would quiver in ecstasy at the sight of this.

MS says it's good, very very good.

I go for the more predictable Classic New York - hold the cream cheese, double up on the horseradish, smoked salmon, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes and onion.

I am very impressed. Bagels are tricky things - they have to be harder in consistency, but they can't afford to be too hard. This one is lightly toasted with generous, fresh and crisp fillings. A far cry from bacon and eggs but this really puts the whole new health regimen I keep putting off into plausible perspective. That's it, I start tomorrow! Whee!

Bagels here also come with a side of coleslaw each - I love it when I start off the day judiciously ticking off my 3+2 quota! My insides are thanking me profusely for not having found the fry-up.

You can also enjoy a short video about the bagel's origins looped on a TV screen propped up in one corner. I didn't pay it any attention until I finished my bagel and found it quite informative and amusing!

I really hope this place sticks around. It's tough going with the choices available in KL and at this type of pricing (each combo set of Deluxe bagel + coffee is about RM19.90), it's hard to not think about what else you could feed on elsewhere.

Thanks for shouting brekkie, MS! Hope you had fun at the races!