Random Food Store (CLOSED)

Located right next to Village Park (winner of Best Malay/Malaysian at the Time Out KL Food & Drink Awards 2016) is Uptown’s latest eatery, Random Food Store. This three-concept food store is where you can get baos courtesy of Buncit Bao-Bar, coffee by One Half and ice cream by the people behind the now-closed Every Sundae.

Spotting the store might take a bit of an effort as there’s no obvious sign. Instead, look for an exposed concrete wall with a small silver nameplate that reads Buncit Bao-bar and One Half Coffee; the neon red light spilling out of the entrance might help. Inside you’ll find minimal decor with white and black accents – there’s an art piece and a singular decorative neon light in the shape of a hand on the walls, and a long black table dominating the dining area. The space is shared between the dining table, Buncit Bao-Bar’s small kitchen and One Half’s coffee bar.

Food-wise, Buncit Bao-Bar offers a compact menu of baos and a selection of siu sek (small bites). The siu sek menu offers up a selection of bite-sized dishes like furikake corn, pan-fried kambing gyoza as well as sweet potato mash with roast duck.

But when you go to a bao bar, you go for the baos. Try the star fruit smoked paprika chicken bao – a steamed bun stuffed with smoked paprika chicken, salsa verde and star fruit – or the Chinese roast duck bao served with hoisin sauce, ginger, spring onion and relish. For beef lovers, the wagyu bao – M6 wagyu beef, caramelised onions and a touch of wasabi – will definitely hit the spot.

Fans of pop-up coffee joint One Half will be glad to know that it has now set up shop once again in Random Food Store. You’ll find an expansive list of espresso, coffee brews and teas. Here, they use Buena Vista Colombian roast, Ethiopian Kelloo, and the Random Blend – a mix of Guatemalan and Ethiopian beans.

To end your meal on a sweet note, get a scoop (or two) of ice cream from the window kiosk outside the store. There are only three flavours to choose from at the moment – charcoal vanilla orange, strawberry lychee and golden coconut. But you can rest assured that more flavours are in the pipeline.