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There are many things worth observing in Mandarin Grill. At the Les Amis dinner, I observed a beautiful lady playing the game of seduction with an older, suave foreigner. During the Igor Macchia/Frescobaldi wine dinner, I noted how some women behaved around the Igor the chef and Bastian the F&B Director. (can’t blame them) :)

At my recent dinner in Mandarin Grill however, I was busy relishing my large cut of wagyu ribeye so I blocked out my surroundings. This only happens when the food is good. Try putting your grubby fingers on my steak and I might just throw in a stab or two with my pale pink steak knife – yes, you get to choose your preferred colour from a box of knives.

I wouldn’t consider Mandarin Grill a steakhouse, because it isn’t to me. The interior is elegant and exudes contemporary style. rif and I had a sneak peak of some of the new menu items (now available at the restaurant) as well as some popular steak dishes. For starters, we had the seafood chowder (RM45) – richly imbued with prawns and scallops.

The Marbled Hudson Valley Foie Gras (RM75) was highly recommended and beautifully plated. Tastewise, it didn’t disappoint. The foie gras pate was dense with a butter-like consistency that teased and tugged my palate. The duck leg confit was also delicious – deeply flavoured and slightly caramelized from the reduction – and an added bonus on the plate. I didn’t try the Black Angus Beef Carpaccio (RM70) but it sure looked good.

My Australian Wagyu Ribeye (RM195) was a hefty 300gm slab with a marble score of 6-7 and grain-fed for 360 days. Beautifully cooked till medium rare, I got to appreciate the meat for it is – flavour and texture. Diners get a choice of 2 sauces to with the meat; I ordered the Béarnaise sauce and BBQ sauce. The former was nicely balanced and wasn’t too heavy on the meat.

While I liked my steak, it was rif’s main course that impressed: 100% pure Australian Black Angus Beef Ribeye, grain-fed and aged for 90 days (RM145). The meat was perfectly cooked and the aging process made the fat melt a little more in my mouth. I’ve never had Angus beef this good before! Though no sauce was needed for such a flavourful cut, he opted for the Balinese peppercorn and morel sauce just to try.

Dessert was the Dark Chocolate Sphere (RM34) and Cointreau Souffle (RM34). The sphere was an impressive cocoon yogurt sorbet with a lovely gritty texture from the almond crumble. The souffle – beautifully risen – tasted just as good as the sphere. Well matched with the maple walnut ice cream.

That said, the Granny Smith Apple Tart (RM34) was my favourite of the three desserts. So simple yet so refined. The tart was light, flaky and further sweetened by the caramelized apple slices. Petit fours comprised chocolate balls and macaron – a bitter-sweet end to a lovely meal.

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Ambiance: 8/10
Price: 5/10
Food: 8/10 (pork free)
Verdict: Very good Black Angus Ribeye. The other dishes I had were also delicious.

Mandarin Grill
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Kuala Lumpur City Centre
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2380 8888
Website: www.mandarinoriental.com/kualalumpur
Facebook: MandarinOrientalKualaLumpur