Mr Brooks

BSC’s best kept secret.
My friends told me to meet them here one fine evening and it was definitely an evening I won’t forget.
I arrived after the shopping centre had closed and I was wondering about alone. All I knew was that I was to meet Mr Brooks in a garage, next to Ben’s.
Much to my surprise, I found a fully stocked open garage complete with a purple vintage convertible. It took me awhile to figure out that one of the panels leads you into a secret bar. It was an adventure.
Mr Brooks is dimly-​lit and is decorated with sofa’s and vintage lamps, very classy. Even the pool table in the middle of the bar looks like it was plucked straight out of the colonial era. One of the main pieces on the wall is mechanical bicycle lamp.
The vibe here is really chilled out and romantic for some ;) I’d definitely recommend a visit if you’re sick of all the usual bars and night-​spots around town.

Speakeasy bars are definitely hot on the trend right now. Mr. Brooks is another one which requires you to look for its hidden entrance. Headed by The BIG Group, Mr Brooks targets the very affluent or some call it the ‘atas’ crowd. The cheapest drink on the menu is RM50++. Go figure out.
It is a very sleek and classy bar which is a reminiscent of a British gentleman club. Expect some good stuff here like Patron X. O and vintage whiskies. So if you’re here, sip, don’t chug.

Funnily enough, I first heard about Mr. Brooks through my Mum of all people. Subsequently after telling her I was going out that night for a round of drinks with my buddies, she gave me the mandatory mum, don’t drink and drive talk which was then followed by the never ending lecture about responsibility. Don’t get me wrong, going out for late night drinks should never be taken lightly especially when driving is involved, however after years of having the same repetitive conversation, I spaced out for a good two minutes, drifting off into lucid daydream about black pepper corns and Satan. Minutes later, she comes back to me and starts telling about good drinking places, and Mr. Brooks was one of them. My mum sure is a character. What really interested me about Mr. Brooks was that being a speakeasy, you sort of have to play detective to find the place. Probably the easiest case to solve though as all the clues of its whereabouts can be easily found online. (Pssst, it’s behind the tool panel). Still, that added element of mystery, as you push through its unsuspecting doors sure gives you that elite exclusivity feel, and I won’t lie, I sort of felt like James Bond. I stared down the bartender with an unrelenting gaze and went «Shaken, not stirred» (okay, that didn’t really happen). A few things to note about this place is, it’s small. REALLY SMALL! So reserve a table if you’re set on visiting this place, because a couple of minutes astray and you’ll be dumbfounded at how packed the place is. Another thing, prices here are stiff, so don’t just look the part with your diamond encrusted shoes, you’re going to need a couple of 50’s just to be safe. A swanky place for a swanky night.

So I was just taking walk in Bangsar Shopping Center one night and found this lot with a car (a Sunbeam Alpine) in it. My first thought was really? Why would you try to sell your car in a shopping center like this? So I gave it a few touches, took a look around it as the garage-​like décor got my attention, and off I went.
Precisely a week later, I heard from a friend talking about so called «hidden» bars as they say, and there was one in BSC! My first reaction was, lets do this. So we arrived, to the same lot, with the car, and I was like, are you kidding me?!
I went full Sherlock, trying to find the way in (not gonna spoil the fun here). As we got in, man was I not ready for this, I was in slippers and a t-​shirt, thinking it was just a bar screening live football matches. Glad we didn’t get kicked out though.
We got a spot beside the pool table, décor was very nice, kinda instil a relaxing mood into you. We got a couple beers and some cocktails for the ladies. Beer was as usual, although it was priced slightly higher here. Cocktails were great and I was starting to feel like Bond.
It is a great place for any special occasions, despite the slightly expensive prices of their drinks. Just remember to dress appropriately.

I remember my first time popping by this place — it was late at night on a weekday and the shopping mall was completely deserted. My friend’s excitement boosted up my expectation on this speakeasy bar. I was already psyched to check this place out.
The purple Sunbeam Alpine car parked right outside the entrance made it too easy to figure out the bar is somewhere very near the vicinity. The door was quite easy to spot if you’re like me — I get easily annoyed by uneven walls (they’re meant to be flat!)
To our surprise, the place was packed despite the empty mall. I walked around the bar and noticed a swanky pool table at the back. Many fashionable expats and locals filled this place and immediately I felt under-​dressed.
The décor was beautiful — dimmed light, melodic deep house music, and gorgeous couches. This place is quite tiny though. I reckon they could only fit in about 20 – 25 people max. They do carry out a strict dress code so no slippers and shorts are allowed.
I managed to try out their drinks during my second visit. Service was exceptional — we were attended by ‘Swanky’ Sean (he was donned in a gorgeous tailored suit).
I had the Purple Haze — a sweeter cocktail of berries and vodka. My friend had a concoction that contains gin and a citrus base (I think it’s called Pimm’s Fizz). They were both delicious but I liked mine better. After our first drinks we ordered two glasses of Red. I was too busy enjoying the night that I’ve forgotten to inquire more about the Red wine. And as I wasn’t blessed with great palate, I couldn’t distinguish what type of wine it was.
The bill came up to quite a fair bit for the both of us. Either that or I’m still not used to paying cocktails at RM 50+ on average.
Overall, I had a great time. This place would definitely be my go-​to celebratory place. You’re able to reserve a table as well so that’s always a plus in my books. So till next time Mr Brooks!