Steaks & Lobsters @ Desa Sri Hartamas

Awesome Surf & Turf for Indulgence

Desa Sri Hartamas is an area well filled with lots of good eats. Adding to the good eats list is Steaks & Lobsters. In some ways, this place does remind me of another eatery that took off by storm in another part of the world. That said, I am just glad these owners decided to open a restaurant showcasing the best of surf and turf they boldly named Steaks & Lobsters!

Located in the bustling area of Sri Hartamas, parking might be the only problem when dining here but again, when there’s a will to dine, there’s always a way. The restaurant is pretty spacious and decorated with warm theme filled with bricks and wood and lush terracotta wall panels contrasted with cream. The place echoes a casual and friendly vibe, taking the edge off dining in much seriousness despite serving lavish ingredients. Diners can dining in casual and yet enjoy scrumptious premium steaks and lobsters.

The restaurant is basically what its name state, serving up the best cuts of steaks and lobsters prepared the minimalist way. Besides that, there are a handful of other dishes of appetizers, salads, main dishes of ribs, lamb, chicken and fish together with some pasta, burgers and sandwiches. So fear not, not everything is lavish and there are plenty of affordable dishes too when dining at Steaks & Lobsters.

Diving straight into the signatures, we had their steak and lobsters of course! Each lobster served are estimated about 800 grams and are flown in from Maine or Boston, US. The restaurant also imports premium beef from Australia. Choose from Grass-fed to Angus and even the much highly prized Wagyu and have it grilled it to your liking.

Signatures of any restaurants are always the best bet when it comes to ordering. Steaks & Lobsters Signature Flaming Live Lobster (RM110 – Half | RM205 – Full) looked delicious when placed in front of us. I can smell how delicious the aroma was with its light and tantalizing sweet grilled aroma. Chargrilled to a beautiful succulent stage, the crustacean is also topped with house made Ebiko aioli and flamed up. More aioli is served on the side with fresh cut of lemons.

I was pretty satisfied with just the lemon as it really brightened and enhanced the sweet lobster meat. The smoky edge also gave the crustacean an undeniable deliciousness. Even when char-grilled, the meat was still juicy and had a nice firm and bouncy texture.

At Steaks & Lobsters, all their beef and lobsters are serve with unlimited helpings of house made four side dishes. These may change depending on the ingredients available. On that day, we had nice thick cuts of French fries, roasted pumpkin, avocado potato salad and coleslaw. It’s definitely a plus point if you are not full from the lobster!

If you prefer the natural and pure sweetness of crustaceans, then you should definitely go for the Steamed Live Lobster (RM98 – Half | RM195 – Full). As much as I do enjoy the chargrilled lobster, this one would always be my preference as one can really savor how fresh and sweet Maine or Boston lobsters are. It is also juicier when it is steamed. Served with spiced butter sauce, make sure you try this with the lobster chunks as the butter sauce made it richer and buttery.

The owners here take pride in their cuts of wet aged steaks. To them, wet aging makes the meat juicier and tender. All the classic prime cuts of sirloin, ribeye, tenderloin and T-bone are available. There was a special that day that came highly recommended which was the Wagyu Round Sirloin (RM82).

I am impressed. The wagyu sirloin, with a marbling of 7, was really superb. Tender, juicy, bursting with lots of moreish beefy flavours, it’s quite an unusual to have a sirloin this gorgeous. I have always been a ribeye fan and this cut has really changed my mind about sirloin. Because it is a wagyu, the sirloin is well marbled with enough fat to make this sirloin just as good as a ribeye or tenderloin. It is also evenly cooked with a lush pink as what I had requested and there is a nice chargrilled sear too. Can’t ask for anything more… besides that the price is very affordable considering it’s a wagyu with a marbling of 7!

Besides the signatures, there are other dishes as mentioned earlier. We had two appetizers for sharing of Fried Portabello Fries (RM19) and Crispy Hot BBQ Chicken Wings (RM25).

Both are good choices to share. The Fried Portabello Fries is crispy and meaty with a yummy earthy flavour of mushrroms. Dunk these into their Smoky Sriracha Aioli for creamy and spicy notes.

We all thought the Crispy Hot BBQ Chicken Wings was the bomb and is indeed a must-order at Steaks & Lobsters. One gets drumlets and winglets deep fried to crispy perfection and coated with their signature Spicy BBQ Sauce and drizzled with Honey Mustard Sauce at the end. Finger-licking good!!

Warm Buns served with a sweet spiced butter

Fresh Apple Juice, Carrot Juice and Lemonade

Steaks & Lobsters seemed to really have cornered a well-deserved market for surf and turf lovers. We love the casual vibe and the premium quality food they served. We can’t wait to come back to try their 12”Spicy Big Dinosaur Bones (Huge Beef Short Ribs), Premium New Zealand Lamb Leg Steak, *London Cod and Chips and more…

STEAKS & LOBSTERS

42, Jalan 24/70a,

Desa Sri Hartamas,

Kuala Lumpur,

Tel: +60 12-743 7167

Facebook: www.facebook.com/steaksnlobsters/

Business Hours:

Tue – Fri 5:30 PM – 12:00 AM

Closed on Monday

Book with Offpeak.my! Offpeak.my is an online platform that helps diners save money and time when booking great restaurants online. Once a restaurant is available in the Offpeak.my directory, you can simply book and enjoy unlimited discount on your favourite restaurant, every day, anytime. No more waiting for the right deal or coupon to come by. It’s easy to book and instantly confirmed.

Book now by downloading Offpeak.my App available on the App Store and Google Play, or visit our website www.offpeak.my or Facebook: www.facebook.com/offpeak.my

Cedar on 15 @ Impiana KLCC Hotel

Modern European Fine Dining with a Majestic KL Skyline View

The city never fails to amaze many and its night charm is best viewed from high above the skyscrapers for the full effect. One of the place to enjoy the city’s gorgeous view and to also indulge in a sumptuous meal of fine dining gastronomy is at Cedar on 15 at Impiana KLCC Hotel. The modern European dining located on the 15^th floor of the hotel offers a luxe dining experience and hangout bar for many. Whether you are here for its European cuisine or the KL skyline view, you are assured that this will be an unforgettable experience of what this city has to offer.

Choose to dine in elegance at its modern contemporary dining room brought to life by its bold interior design themed of cool black, grey, red and white illuminated by the massive freeform curves of the lighting or simply head over to the alfresco area backed with lots of glass panels to offer one of the best city skyline views to lounge casually by the open bar. Either space is fine as the main open or grilled kitchen offers diners a sumptuous 2 page menu of delights.

That evening was wet and heading to the city was an obstacle but as soon as I walked into Cedar on 15, every ounce of stress magically disappears as I sat down to a Cosmopolitan to unwind my day.

Fresh House Bread Rolls were served with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The breads were so yummy, a good indication that dinner can only get better.

A course of Amuse Bouche of Salmon played up our appetites to look forward to more dishes to come.

Cedar on 15’s latest dining concepts takes on the aromatic oils from Vom Fass, a gourmet company that produces fine oils, vinegars, spices, wines and spirits. The menu is carefully paired with selected Vom Fass oils at every course from start to finish.

Dinner commenced with Cedar Salad with Pomegranate Balsam (RM42). Tender leaves of baby spinach paired with sharpness of freshly shaved parmesan, toasted pine nuts and a mustard walnut vinaigrette is a treat of freshness. Though the salad is flavourful already, diners are encourage to explore and drizzle on the Vom Fass Pomegranate Balsam for extra oomph of fruity sweetness.

The next course of Fresh Burrata Cheese with Basil Olive Oil (RM45) was a personal favorite. Fresh Burrata cheese is hard to come by in our country and this one was divine. Read off the menu as Air flown from Italy, the young creamy and soft mozzarella is painstakingly wrapped with a balsamic gelee into a long cylindrical pipe and presented with sweet slices of roma tomatoes, greens, herb pesto and Vom Fass Basil Olive Oil. Using thin pipette to add droplets of the intense basil olive oil really brought out the luscious burrata flavours to a crescendo. The balsamic gelee also pulled its weight in cutting through the richness of the cheese and oils with its tangy sweet notes.

Jeruselum artichoke is an unfamiliar ingredient here but once you have tried it in the Cream of Topin Ambour with Truffle Oil (RM38), you will be pleased on how wonderful this root vegetable is. Also known as earth apple or sunchoke, the flavours of this Topin Ambour is more refine with a mellow rich earthy note. Each spoonful of the silky smooth bisque is enhanced further with the highly raved truffle oil. The bisque also has baby bocconcini on crouton as an extra treat. Poured tabled side, the bisque is piping hot and extremely satisfying on the palate.

Vying for equal attention in the bisque section is another gorgeous dish of Australian Scallop Velouté with Garlic Oil (RM52). The sweetest sliced raw scallops together with a sundried tomato timbale is gently cooked in the luscious and velvety seafood velouté. The dish is a brilliant and thoroughly thought of dish as each element contributed to indulgence of the dish. From sweetness of the scallop to the savory creamy seafood bisque and the tangy sundried tomato, it’s a dish of finesse and flavour!

More indulgence took form in our main course of Lobster ala Cedar with Vegetable Tagiatelle and Garlic Oil (RM388). Served two ways, each half of the Boston lobster was grilled with herb oil. One half was grilled and served on extreme heat from the block of Himalayan Rock Salt to boost the aroma of the king of crustacean and the other half was served with a side of vegetable tagiatelle.

The half on the Himalayan rock salt block had more smoky and charred notes, rendering more intense essence of the lobster with unadulterated taste whereas the other half showed off more delicate sweetness of the crustaceans. The second half was also juicier. Either way, add on the Vom Fass Garlic Oil for another dimension of garlicky flavours to the sweet lobster.

Cedar on 15 also has a solid list dry aged beef featuring various cuts of Australian Black Angus and Wagyu. We opted for the Black Angus Filet Mignon with Rosemary Oil (RM88) with side of Mashed Potato with Truffle (RM14). The Black Angus had such a robust beefy flavour and was buttery and tender too. Cooked to medium rare to my preference, the beef really only needed some salt and pepper. A few drops of rosemary oil raised the bar in aroma.

Though all grilled meat comes with a side dish, we decided to go one step further and opted for the extra special side of Mashed Potato with Truffle. No regrets as the mashed was so smooth and creamy with a good hit of truffle aroma.

There is also lamb for non-beef lovers, and the New Zealand Lamb Loin with Porcini Oil (RM84) was beautifully presented on a plate with a kaleidoscope of colors. Lamb loin crusted in parsley crust and cooked to lovely pink medium was surrounded by fondant potato and served with a side of oven roasted brassica vegetables. The lamb loin was tender and went well with the rich demi-glazed sauce. The light parsley notes gave the lamb a unique aroma. I would definitely encourage diners to add on the porcini oil for this dish because the piquant porcini aroma went so well with the lamb.

Our last main dish of the evening was Seafood Aglio Olio Spaghetti (RM48). Executed well with all the markings of al dente pasta soaking up the garlicky chili oil and seafood, there’s no reason why this dish is not a contender with the other dishes on the menu.

We were full from all the courses and yet our heart wandered longingly for dessert as it seems the right experience at Cedar on 15 should end all the way with a sweet note. The Crepe Suzette with Grand Marnier (RM44) wasn’t flambéed at our table but we didn’t mind. The thin crepes were decent and had a good soaking of orange and Grand Marnier while the ice cream made it more luscious. Not the best I have had but enough to really make our dining experience a satiating one.

Our dining at Cedar on 15 was truly a luxuriant and pampered experience. It was everything from food to ambience and the city’s view that made this unforgettable. All out to impress someone? Bring them to Cedar on 15…

CEDAR ON 15

Impiana KLCC Hotel

Level 15, Club Tower,

13 Jalan Pinang

50450 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 603 2147 1111

Fax: 603 2147 1080

Toll-Free: 1 800 88 3100

Email: info.klcc@impiana.com

Website: www.impiana.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/impianaklcchotel

Business Hours:

Lunch (Mon – Fri) 12.00pm to 2.30pm

Dinner (Daily) 6.30pm t0 2.00am (dinner is served till 10.30pm)

Charcoal, The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur: A Unique New Malaysian Style Grill Room

Taking the Grill to New Heights!

The brand newly opened Charcoal by The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur is unlike any grill that I have come across. Charcoal is a unique new open grill restaurant that takes grilled and BBQ cuisine to new heights. Its concept is inspired by the age of old technique of cooking over charcoal coupled with the local tradition of using local infused condiments, dips and sauces to create a fusion of chargrilled meats and seafood with an added dimension of flavour and depth. The modern contemporary take on Charcoal menu is very drool worthy and is brilliant alchemy to the gastronomy cuisine.

When I first heard of Charcoal through social media and also through the radio broadcast, I can’t help but to drool over the statement of Grilled Meat with Tamarind and Gula Melaka sauce and its list of delectable dishes. The names of the dishes are enough to tempt many foodies to make way for a taste at Charcoal.

Arriving at Charcoal, I was pleasantly surprised by the modern contemporary ambience of the restaurant. Taking spotlight was, of course, the open grill kitchen right. How can one not be in awe of the gorgeously designed open kitchen set with a mega ‘Rolls Royce’ charcoal grill? The open 360 degree grill has many functions and sections, each allow the various meat and seafood to be grilled to perfection according to the heat levels that is control by adjusting the height of the grill.

There is a whole spit roast available on the grill where a very delectable Whole Lamb Panggang is being rotate slowly over hot coals. As the juices and oils drips off the lamb onto the hot coals, sizzling sounds coupled with luscious smoky aroma of spices enhances the gourmet dining experience at Charcoal.

Sticks of satay skewers are also seen on the grill, getting ready to be savored by diners. The grill even has its own sink and place for boards. An ultra large industrial hood hovers over the grill, ensuring that all the smoke is kept within the open kitchen.

Moving on to the dining area, dining is sectioned off and most tables are set in big groups. There is regular seating and banquette seating, dine-in air conditioned or al fresco seating. There is also a huge private hall perfect for events and 5 smaller private rooms for personal dining. Charcoal has wall-to ceiling glass panels that overlook the hotel’s lush green landscape and skylights that fill the interior with lots of natural sunlight. The warm wood colors create soothing earth tones with the cool gray walls and rich leather furniture.

Charcoal also boasts of an elegant wine cellar filled with a list of international wines to be paired with the grilled meats and seafood.

Chef Robert Johnston helms the grill together with Auntie Belle who is the mastermind behind all the luscious sambals, dips and sauces. Chef Robert hails from Newcastle, Australia and brings with him a list of exclusive experiences from his many stints in working from several Michelin starred restaurants all over the world. Auntie Belle is a familiar face as she was previously manning the Nyonya restaurant at the hotel before it was revamped to Charcoal. The duo work their charm on a menu filled with a list of premium quality meats and seafood imported from all over the world tweaked with a touch of local flavours.

With a name like Charcaol, it only makes sense that Charcoal Water was presented at the restaurant. Served in an elegant tall decanter, water is infused with charcoal as a water purifying agent. This works beautifully with all the grilled dishes served at the restaurant.

At Charcoal, freshly baked breads are simply a must, served with salted butter. The real McCoy butter served with mini Charcoal Buns with Cherry Tomatoes and Mini Baguette is so good that one may need to instill some self-control to save some room for dishes later.

That evening, we took on the most basic and all-time favorite Chicken, Lamb and Beef Satay. At Charcoal, the sticks of Satay were thick, juicy and well marinated. It is even served on miniature charcoal burner to keep it warm when we savor it. It makes a nice presentation though the satay skewers never lasted long on the tiny grill as they were utterly divine with caramelized edges. All three meats are tender with a melodious balance of sweet and savory. I can taste the aromatic lemongrass in the satay. These are served with the usual suspects of ketupat, cucumber, onions and satay sauce.

Another local favorite served in Charcoal was the Ayam Percik with Fragrant Rice. Looking deceptively simple, the boneless thigh smothered in a creamy spicy peanut and coconut gravy has a hidden surprise element. The chicken opens up to reveal a stuffing of soft spinach leaves. It is a well-thought single meal with the rice, meat and vegetables.

The chook is lusciously succulent as it had juices literally flowing out as we cut into it. Though the chicken is tender and juicy, it’s rather delicate on flavours but that is easily remedied by the delish peanut and coconut percik sauce. Squeeze a bit of lime on this and the flavours perked up even more. I also like how there are crisp caramelized edges on the chicken skin… yum!

South Australian 100% Black Angus Tenderloin already sounds perfect and when its simply grilled naked and served sea salt with a side of Sarawakian Black Pepper sauce and vegetables, it’s a thoroughly a steak worth lusting after for. Though I am always a ribeye cut kind of foodie since I enjoy a little fatty goodness, I must say that this tenderloin is pretty darn good. Lean and tender, my knife glides through this like a smooth operator. Beautifully medium pink, one can also see how juicy the meat is as it has been well-rested. The charred edges gave this beef its character and the light smokiness is delightful.

My advice is to savor this meat with the various sambals and chutneys from Auntie Belle for extra local flavours. If you see these four bottles of sauces, hold on to them during this meal… these are so good, especially the Sambal Mangga, a mango infused chili sauce that is fruity, sweet and spicy. I swear it goes well with everything from meat to seafood. There are also the Nyonya Kerabu Sauce, Sambal Hijau and Chili Garlic. The Kerabu sauce has a vibrant herb and spice notes like ginger bud, kaffir lime, chilies and more while the Sambal Hijau shows off lots of herb notes with chili. The Chili Garlic is perfect for poultry as it reminds me of the Chicken Rice chili, spicy, garlicky and tangy.

Murraysland French Cut Rack of Lamb had us enjoying one of the best lamb cuts grilled to medium raw. It does have a good dose of fats to make this extra flavourful. Again here, the meat is delicately seasoned so diners can enjoy the lamb flavours. Served with mashed potatoes and gravy, I love the mashed as it stil has bits of potato texture for a rustic touch. Needless to say, I had mine with the Sambal Mangga again…

It might come with a hefty price tag but the colossal Tiger Prawns with Kaffir Lime Leaves and Lemongrass Marinade is thoroughly fresh, juicy and sweet. The soft nuances of lemongrass and aromatic kaffir lime leaves did justice to the crustaceans. One can add more sea salt to adjust according to their taste.

What we all raved in addition to that king of crustaceans was the Fried Rice that is studded with lots of egg, mushrooms and fried garlic. Beautifully fluffy with a deep rich wok breath…

The Wild Sarawak Garoupa in Tumeric and Sea Salt Rub came as a whole fish, allowing diners to enjoy the full spectrum of the sweet creamy fish flesh, bone and all. A side of tangy tamarind and gula Melaka sauce with bird eye chili and onions pump up the flavours, making it beautifully local and delicious. Of course there are other fishes available so ask the wait staff for your preference.

Besides the grilled meat and seafood, Charcoal also serves up Auntie Belle’s Peranakan flavour-infused dishes. We had the Terung Sumbat Bakar (Baked Stuffed Eggplant) and Barkke Kari Ambila Kacang (Spicy Tamarind Braised Beef with Long Beans) that evening.

I adored the Terung Sumbat Bakar! Soft sweet round eggplants are stuffed with a fish mousse paste, similar to otak otak, before being baked and served with a creamy yellow sauce. The fish mousse is pretty light and delicate in texture but has enough flavours to round up the whole dish.

The Barkke Kari Ambila Kacang is a favorite of many and is also Auntie Belle’s specialty. It is beef chunks braised in hot and spicy curry gravy with lots of crunchy green beans. The spices are very well balanced, rendering heat and spice notes with a pungent taste. It is a bowl of sour, spicy and robust curry. The dish practically begs for a bowl of white rice, for which I am sure I would have polished off the whole bowl happily if I wasn’t already so full.

After savoring all the grilled meats and seafood together with the strong notes of Peranakan dishes, we needed on a very local note that is lightly fusioned up. Bingka Ubi Kaya (Tapioca with Glutinous Rice and Grilled Mango) and Grilled Exotic Fruits with Spiced Kalamansi, Caramel Sauce and Pineapple Sorbet are very enjoyable and easy on the tummy. These are light and fruity and provided a sweet and delicate ending to a very enjoyable dining experience at Charcoal.

If you love the sauces as much as I did grab a few of these for sale on your way out…

A New Malaysian Style Grill Room experience that you don’t want to miss!

Charcoal’s Weekend Feast

For RM99++ per adult and RM49.40++ per child, enjoy a sumptuous feast of grilled meats and seafood, Peranakan and International dishes, desserts and more available every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Charcoal.

Saturday & Sunday – 12.00noon to 3.30pm (brunch)

Friday &  Saturday – 6.30pm to 10.30pm (dinner)

Ala carte is also available.

Lifestyle by Saujana loyalty card menmbers enjoy up to 50% discount when dining at Charcoal while CIMB cardholders are entitled to 15% to 20% off their food bill.

For more information on Charcoal and its full menu and prices, visit www.saujanahotel.com or for reservations call 603 7843 1234 ext 6122 or email at charcoal@thesaujana.com

CHARCOAL

The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 
Saujana Resort,
Jalan Lapangan Terbang SAAS,
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor.
Tel: 603-7843 1234 ext 6122

Website: www.thesaujanahotel.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSaujanaHotelKualaLumpur

*More photos available at my Facebook: Chasing FoodDreams