where and what to eat lah?

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Jake's Charbroil Steaks has been a well-kept secret nestled in the leafy enclaves of Damansara for the past 28 years. Located at Medan Damansara, along the highway from PJ to Damansara Heights and ironically next to the first Victoria Station branch in Malaysia.


In the 80s to early 90s, whenever we talked about steaks, it had to be either The Ship or Victoria Station. I had fond memory of my first steak experience at The Ship in the early 90s. During that time, it was like the best steak ever. It was humongous with really thick slab of juicy and tender steak. Somehow, over the years, their steaks became thinner, more expensive and less enjoyable.


Jake's brings diners back to an old cowboy town atmosphere with the old Wild West decor of brass cooking utensils, saddles and cowboy-themed staffs. The interior space is rather small and claustrophobic with bandwagon style seating arrangements.


Known to many from near and afar as a place relied upon for a memorable treat, Jake's has been serving top quality steaks to generations of royalties, ministers, dignitaries, captain of industries, leader of men and is still going strong. Ministers like Tun Mahathir, Abdullah Badawi, Anwar Ibrahim and their families, all have dined here before.


Honestly, I didn't expect such run-down, dark and cramp steakhouse to offer premium steaks like Angus, Kobe and Wagyu. Jake's is definitely oozing with character! If you don't fancy dining in such a run-down rustic restaurant, you can go for Jake's new branch at Starhill Gallery.


For appetizers, crispy potato skin (RM 9.90), with crunchy capsicum, onions, beef bacon and topped with cheese. Didn't really like it, the skin was too thin, overly dry crispy and the vegetables were too lightly cooked.


Chili beef (RM 20.90) with corn chips and hot dips. The chili beef was warming and amazing but a little expensive.


Australia wagyu rump steak (RM 98), perfectly and beautifully grilled with its seared criss-cross griddle marks. The rump steak is a full-flavored steak that is considered to be the cheapest of all premium steak. In true Jake's fashion, these steaks were subject to minimal preparation and marination in order to allow the natural flavours of the meat to emerge.


Every mouthful was consistently flavourful, tender and juicy even without any sauce and minimal marination. It was perfect with slightly charred exterior and warm juicy pink center.


All the steaks are served with boiled vegetables, corn on a cob and baked potato with sour cream and bacon bits. Just like the good old days, it was such a nostalgic fondness. Also, ask for the mustard, it was one of the best mustard I've ever had! Bitterly sourish and it will kick you through the nose.


BBQ spare rib (RM 98), a meaty, more textured cut with BBQ glaze and rich in flavors.


Jake's Texan beef burger (RM 28), charbroiled medium well beef burger served with french fries and boiled vegetables.


Really thick and rich beef patty that worked best with hot wasabi-esque mustard.

Verdict: Premium steaks can be fairly expensive these days. For the price paid for, Jake's is definitely far better than The Ship and Victoria Station. But how will this old Jake's stand against the age of time with the new rising and cheaper competitions?


Address:
21, Jalan Setiapuspa,
Medan Damansara,
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2094 5677
Business Hours: Opens Mon - Sat from 12pm - 3pm and 6pm - 11pm. Sun from 6.30pm - 10:15pm only
Pork Free: Yes
Taste:
Value:
GPS: 3.139884, 101.657942
Map:

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When my cousin brother told me about The Humble Chef at Pusat Bandar Damansara, my initial reaction was,...No way!? There's nothing there at night isn't it?! It's an unlikely place for a food stop but the surprising location is undeniably part of The Humble Chef's charm.


Tucked away in the corner of Pusat Bandar Damansara, along the street next to the McDonald's and only opens from Monday to Saturday from 9:30pm till 12:30am. We arrived sharp at 9:30pm and all we saw was an empty street.


Not till about 9:45pm, the humble van pulled over by the road side and out of no-where, swarm of young customers appeared helping them to set up the tables and chairs. It was quite a scene and all six to seven tables were briskly occupied.


Not a kept secret, the Humble Chef is mostly known to the HELP students and expatriates living nearby. Rosman Hussin, one of the two friendly owners operating from the van, is a Western and pastry chef who worked for a few restaurants in Germany before starting up The Humble Chef.

With a simple Italian specialty menu, this is the only place you can get a spaghetti for RM 5 and pita sandwiches for RM 4.


Spaghetti seafood olio (RM 5), with a medley of fresh shrimps, squids and capsicums sauteed together with olive oil, garlic, herbs and black pepper. It tasted very light with prominent flavors of seafood in it. For RM 5, you can't really complain and compare with the ones from a proper Italian restaurant.


Spaghetti lamb olio (RM 5), the minced lamb bits gave a slight meaty texture and a more intense flavor to the pasta. Again, for roadside spaghetti standard at an affordable price, it was decently okay.

Spaghetti carbonara (RM 5), with slices of sausage and bits of capsicum in a creamy carbonara sauce. Personally, I prefer a richer, stronger, creamier and all-soaked-up with sauce type of carbonara.


Lamb pita (RM 4), this was definitely the show stealer here! Warm fluffy pita bread stuffed with cheesy minced lamb and lettuce.


If you like the strong taste of lamb like I do, this is perfect. Generously filled with overflowing tasty minced lamb, one is never enough!


For those that dislike anything related to lamb, there is the chicken pita (RM 4). Stuffed with plenty of shredded chicken and cheese, it was very good too. But between the two pitas, I preferred the lamb.


Lamb omelette (RM 2.50), an interesting variation to the lamb pita. Instead of using pita breads, the same tasty minced lamb all wrapped up within the omelette.


With an incredible roadside and open-air dining experience, you'll get to feast over views of the highway below, towering luxury condominiums around and best of all, it didn't cost a bomb!

Verdict: For spaghetti, it was neither the best nor the worst, it was just decent for the price paid for. Needless to say, the lamb pita is a must!


Address:
Pusat Bandar Damansara,
(next to McDonald's by the flyover bridge road),
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 014-229 6854 (Rosman)
Business Hours: Opens Mon - Sat from 9.30pm - 12.30am (best to call to confirm)
Pork Free: Yes
Taste:
Value:
GPS: 3.145026, 101.663371
Map:

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I never really had any Irish food before and for all that I know about Irish are probably their pubs, stouts and beers. Pubs claiming to be Irish in this city have an iffy relationship with anything close to what can be seen as authentically Irish – Malones isn't any different but it plays to the current aesthetic of the gastropub trend.


The word drunkard Irish man surely did not come out of no where. I'm sure there is more than just drinking in Malones.


Eating out in a restaurant bar no longer means the dreaded microwaved frozen foods and cardboard chips. They are probably a restaurant posing as a pub more than a pub with a restaurant.


Established since 2009, Malones offers a delightful menu filled with an array of pork free authentic Irish specialties. Going pork free in an Irish bar is a bold move but the selections available look sound and currently serving 4 different locations - the Suria KLCC, Sooka Sentral, Pavilion KL and The Curve.


Irish stew (RM 24.90), a famous traditional Irish dish with tender stewed lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions, parsley and served with mashed potatoes and slices of tuscan bread. And of course, the Irish are famous for their stew and the other variation was the Guinness beef stew (RM 28.90). Chunks of tender lamb and fresh vegetables slowly stewed, served and eaten with a smile.

Sausages on colcannon and Guinness onion gravy (RM 28.90), grilled beef and chicken jumbo sausages and steamed veal bratwurst sausage served with onion gravy and colcannon (mashed potatoes with cabbage). The sausages weren't quite what we'd been expecting; definitely skipping this next time.


Beer battered fish and chips (RM 21.90), dory fillet dipped in beer batter, golden-fried to perfection and served with fries and tartar sauce. The fish was fresh, while you can taste the slight hops from the beer in the crispy batter.


Just like the days in UK, malt vinegar on hot battered fish and chips is probably one of the world's best accompaniment. And if only they wrapped it in a newspaper, it will be the "Icon of England".


Wicklow lamb (RM 39.80), rack of lamb marinated with balsamic vinegar, seared and roasted to perfection and served with crunchy French beans, new potatoes and basil dressing. What a wicked delight it was!


Pan fried gaelic steak (RM 49.90), seared 280g sirloin steam served with fries and broccolis.


The gaelic sauce was creamy and rather different from the normal steak sauce; it could be the Irish whiskey.


Beef burger (RM 24.90), juicy 200g beef patty topped with beef bacon strips, cheddar cheese, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, pickle slices and served with fries. It looked good but expensive for something common like this.

Verdict: Might not be the best Irish food but definitely a nice relaxing place for a decent good Irish experience dinner with boozing atmosphere flowing freely into late night. With 4 branches up-to-date, who needs the Irish's luck now?


Address:
Lot C3.02.00, Level 3,
Pavilion KL Shopping Mall,
No. 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2141 6310
Business Hours: Opens daily from 10am - 12am
Pork Free: Yes
Taste:
Value:
GPS: 3.1492897, 101.712155
Map:

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