Some say that variety is the spice of life. For a certain couple in Taman Keramat and their customers, that should apply to breakfast as well.
Located at postcode 54200, 54200 Breakfast is the dream project of Mohammad Alif and Rafidah.
The business offers Western food, a rarity amongst their local-dish-selling peers in the area.
Both born in 1987, the couple had drastically different careers before choosing to pursue F&B.
Alif had worked 18 years in the retail industry, handling sports apparel to luxury goods.
Rafidah, on the other hand, started off as a flight attendant. She went on to open an online business as a side hustle after becoming a full-time housewife.
But with family histories rooted in the industry, food had and always will be their passion.
Daring to dream
The inspiration for 54200 Breakfast first came about when they realised that their area lacked any Western food options for breakfast.
You could easily get nasi lemak and roti canai, but something like an English breakfast was nowhere to be found.
It was a golden opportunity, but the timing of it couldn’t have been any worse.
“If I’m not mistaken, it was right before the lockdown,” Alif explained.
Their hearts were set on a physical store, which would have been a death sentence for a budding business when there was a virus going around.
So, the idea had to be shelved.
As luck would have it, though, that gap in the market for Western food still remained years on.
The decision wasn’t immediate as it was still a risk. Though they assumed that those looking for more simple food options existed, there were no guarantees.
But they weren’t just about to let their dream go a second time.
So, at the tail end of September, 2024, the two founders would drop everything that they were doing and go all in.
Fried-up with confidence
Step in, and you’ll find that the two have their fingers in every pie.
From purchasing ingredients to preparing the food, the pair are involved in just about everything at 54200 Breakfast.
Starting small, their initial target audience was, quite reasonably, their fellow neighbours in the area.
Three months on, though, and now they have people coming in from Ampang, Melawati, Wangsa Maju, and Cheras. Some even come all the way from Johor to have a taste of what they have to offer.
And that is something that they take immense pride in.
Most of the food on 54200 Breakfast’s menu is made completely from scratch. There are exceptions, but their chicken patties, pulled beef, and even English muffins are all “homemade” according to Alif.
This, in his opinion, gives their food a special flavour that can’t be found anywhere else.
“We believe that the quality of our food is on par with more fancy or larger restaurants,” said Alif.
“Quality in this context is in terms of taste.”
For first-time customers, he suggests giving their Chicken & Egg Muffin (RM9.00) a shot. For meat lovers, he recommends their Pull Beef Brioche (RM12.00).
Custom orders can also be made with the full breakdown of ingredients being listed on their menu.
At the moment, 54200 Breakfast is unavailable on any online food delivery platforms.
Nevertheless, orders can be made through WhatsApp with deliveries through either Grab or Lalamove.
Down-to-earth
The fact that Western food is less popular than local dishes here in Malaysia is not lost on Alif and Rafidah.
But according to them, competing was never the intention.
“The idea in the first place was to give our customers more options,” Alif claimed. “We believe in the idea that quality food can retain customers.”
Expansion is on the cards for 54200 Breakfast. But the now 38-year-old founders are keen on taking things one step at a time.
Currently, they are set on making their restaurant more popular before putting any of their other plans into motion.
To that end, they are looking to add more items to their menu. Rafidah particularly has a few ideas in the tank for customers old and new to try out.
Once better established, the next step for them would be to extend business hours into lunch.
In the near future, the dream is to open another branch.
Though the two are facing an uphill battle, they are confident that their food will be able to win the hearts of locals and tourists alike.
Featured Image Credit: 54200 Breakfast