Steakhouse Damansara Heights – Maillard Grill

Steakhouse Damansara Heights – Maillard Grill

Words: Jacob Weber
Photos: Han Sen Hau

If you’re going to name a restaurant after the scientific name for ‘browning of the meat’, you’d better be confident in the quality of that meat and the ability of your chefs to cook it properly.

I’m happy to report that the confidence at Maillard Grill at Republik, a steakhouse in Damansara Heights, is very well-placed indeed.

The ‘Maillard reaction’ refers to the chemical reaction between sugars, proteins and heat, which gives browned food its distinctive flavour. When done right, there’s artistry in the alchemy, and the kitchen team at Maillard Grill are accomplished artists indeed.

We’re here to meet new Executive Chef Meg Lee and her intriguing new method of ageing steaks: Sabah Coral Grass.

Yeah. Seaweed. But, like many genius inventions (this technique is Chef Meg’s own creation), there is method in the madness.

Sabah Coral Grass is full of nutrients and minerals, especially collagen and calcium, and has an intense brininess to it – you know, having grown in the sea and everything – which brings an unfamiliar but not unpleasant umami to the flavour of the steak during the ageing process. Chef Meg melts it into gelatine and coats the beef cuts for 21 days to make sure the flavours are really locked in.

It’s also locally sourced and, of course, 100% organic, which always gets Yum List bonus points.

Already intrigued, we take our seats in the cute outdoor courtyard, with its leafy decor and dangling light bulbs. (There is a very nice dining room inside, but it feels like the right evening for alfresco dining.)

There’s a nice touch on the menus that catches our eye – the pages are bound with a stick of rambutan wood, which isn’t just for show. Maillard Grill proudly uses rambutan wood, used in Malaysia for centuries in cooking and traditional medicine, as their primary charcoal. It’s a nice nod to local culinary heritage while infusing the steaks with its unique, subtly sweet taste profile.

Steakhouse Damansara Heights Menu

Like so many good meals, this starts with bread. An excellent, crusty sourdough bread, to be precise, served with fancy, creamy butter that has been whipped for a smooth finish and mixed with herbs.

The Heirloom Tomato (RM38) is a good preamble to the proteins; a lovely light starter of Cameron Highlands tomatoes, both fresh and pickled, with mesclun, barrel-aged feta cheese, and a tangy lemon-dill vinaigrette. Toasted walnuts add some crunch and texture.

The Spring Chicken (RM48) is the first thing we try from the charcoal grill, which is probably Maillard’s most prized (non-human) possession. It’s a full-cast-iron Mibrasa grill, imported from Spain and weighing a full half-tonne. It can heat up to temperatures of 450 degrees Celsius, offers a cleaner way to cook compared to an open grill, and really locks in a distinct flavour to the food. You’ll find these in Michelin-starred kitchens around the world, and it’s no wonder why.

One bite of the Spring Chicken, and we can tell the difference. This air-cured half-bird (from Ipoh) is incredibly juicy and moist, with a richness and smokiness that could almost be mistaken for a glazed ham. It comes with roasted heirloom tomatoes and mesclun salad.

Our Fish of the Day (market price) is a Golden Snapper, a generous chunk of tender fish with crispy skin, served with a delicious romesco sauce – made with charred tomatoes and roasted red peppers – and roasted leeks. Pescatarians will approve.

The Lamb (RM89) is a boneless rump of Australian lamb. It comes with an interesting Mediterranean-style mashed potato (dairy-free) called herbs skordalia, which is more of a thick puree with a heavy garlic and olive oil base. It complements the tender, pink lamb and its perfect crust rather well.

Time to see Chef Meg’s magic trick up close. The Sabah Coral Grass-aged Beef arrives, and we’re very excited. This is quality Argentine rib-eye: grass-raised, corn-finished, and finally, coral-aged. Unsurprisingly, it’s excellent. Expertly cooked to a tender medium-rare, with just the right amount of crust for texture. 

We compare it to a Wagyu Petite Tender, a 14-day wet-aged Australian wagyu, and can certainly tell the difference. Both steaks are amazing, and there’s just a different dimension to the Coral Grass-aged cut; a unique umami that clearly comes from the salty, mineral-rich seaweed.

(See ‘meat board’ for available cuts and prices daily.)

Of course, quality red meat deserves quality red wine. We have the pleasure of pairing a 2016 Saintes Pierres de Nalys Châteauneuf-du- Pape with our steaks. It’s a rich and intense red, bursting with notes of ripe red fruits with some subtle savoury accents. Or, more simply, it washes down the beef and lamb very well indeed.

For the sake of balance, we try some more vegetarian side dishes. The Broccoli with Beetroot Yoghurt Sauce (RM 18) is an eyebrow-raiser – these are the biggest broccoli trees I’ve ever seen, never mind attempted to eat. These giant local veggies go very well with the beetroot sauce and toasted almonds. Likewise, the fresh and crunchy Asparagus (RM30) is worth ordering for the tangy herb raita. 

Dessert

For dessert, we can’t resist the Devil’s Tongue (RM25). With a name like that, could you? It’s a low-carb dessert made with konjac, passion fruit curd, and toasted hazelnut. It might be low-carb, but it’s still as sweet as it looks and fragrant to boot; pleasant and refreshing, with a little sourness from the passion fruit and crunch from the nuts. It might be a little herbal for some palates, especially for dessert, but it’s always fun to try new things. Right?

Maillard Grill Review

Maillard Grill has earned an enviable reputation for its unique approach to ageing and cooking meat – and in Chef Meg’s capable hands, that looks to remain the case. Even the locally sourced chicken tasted completely different after the expert treatment in the mammoth Mibrasa oven – imagine the magic on the premium cuts of lamb and beef? Other sides and mains are planned and presented with equal care, and there are some delicious options to choose from. And we can’t speak highly enough about the effort to use local, sustainable and organic ingredients as much as possible.

It’s a cosy dining space with a nice indoor or outdoor ambience, friendly service, and a good wine list. And, at the end of your meal, you can venture next door to Tickets Bar (owned by the same group) for an after-dinner cocktail or two. My favourite kind of urban planning.

Reasons to visit Maillard Grill, a steakhouse in Damansara Heights: outstanding meat selection with prime cuts and a unique ageing process; carefully and responsibly sourced local, organic and sustainable ingredients; very pleasant set-up in the trendy Republik plaza, with indoor and outdoor dining options; a variety of classic meat and vegetarian-friendly dishes with interesting accompaniments (like roast lamb with herbs skordalia); friendly and attentive service.

 Maillard Grill, Steakhouse Damansara Heights
G05, Ground Floor, Republik, Jalan Medan Setia 1
Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur
maillardgrill.Asia
+60 3 7622 8770

Maillard Grill Opening Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Thursday: 6–11:30 pm
Friday-Sunday: 4–11:30 pm

Find more steak restaurants here and stay up to date with the happenings around Malaysia here and here.