KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — The smoky aroma is the first thing that hits you. Then the stunning char, the browning that is known in the culinary world as the Maillard reaction, that promises a mouthful of flavours.
Slicing into the steak, you see the gleaming pink that announces a perfect medium rare; no unforgivable well done meat wasted here.
You take a bite and it’s the taste that astounds you; richer, more decadent somehow, more... buttery?
Welcome to the Maillard Grill in Damansara Heights, where the steaks are “butter-aged” and promise to give diners something new to chew on.
Maillard Grill is the brainchild of Tan Boon Wy and several of his business partners. Tan has worked in the finance industry, and is currently the CEO of Wy and Co, an F&B (food and beverage) group that has managed brands such as Eight Ounce Coffee, Tapestry, PS150 and Tickets Bar since 2013.
Tan shares, “The idea to build Maillard Grill has been playing in our minds since a year ago. Damansara Heights has always been a hidden gem for good quality food.
"However, back then there was hardly any place that served a mean steak and we knew we didn’t want to go the route of serving just any other steaks. We wanted something different and unique.”
After brain-storming, the team thought of butter-aged steaks, which is considered a new alternative to standard processes of ageing meat in the market such as dry, wet and even wax ageing.
But what on earth is butter ageing?
Tan explains, “Everyone knows that butter makes food better. What most people don’t know is that butter-ageing steaks bring out more flavours than dry-ageing meat. The sunshine-bright unsalted butter acts as a barrier and the juices remain locked in while the natural enzymes break down fibres to create a more tender texture.”
Encased in a butter “shell” for over four weeks, the meaty flavours purportedly intensify and a richer, more buttery profile is the result.
Tan adds, “Butter ageing is a neutral approach of ageing: it produces less wastage and unlike dry-ageing, the meat’s edges are not affected.”
For a whole year, the Maillard Grill crew experimented with different kinds of meat, cuts and the process of butter-ageing. According to Tan, the process of butter-ageing requires lots of patience and diligence, not too different from, say, nurturing a sourdough starter.
He proudly notes, “Safe to say, Maillard Grill is the first restaurant in Kuala Lumpur that does butter-ageing steaks. We also brought in the Mibrasa Oven, specially sourced from Spain. The red beast is the heart and soul of Maillard Grill, whereby 90 per cent of the menu is grilled and smoked by this oven.”
Maillard Grill is also committed to sourcing the freshest ingredients available, which in itself isn’t exactly unusual; plenty of other restaurants already do this.
What sets the steakhouse apart is how the founders support our local farming communities by showcasing the amazing produce that Malaysia has to offer.
Tan says, “We source our greens from Cameron Highlands, seafood from Sabah, charcoal from Taiping and we use rambutan wood from Ipoh. We believe in cultivating a healthy relationship on our tables and for the community.”
Such a Malaysia-centric approach to sourcing results in a discernibly more flavourful finish to cuts such as the tomahawk, T-bone and Diamantina ribeye. Succulent meat for carnivorous locavores, as it were.
The “local first” aspect can also be seen in non-beef dishes such as the grilled Ipoh Spring Chicken marinated with herbs and perfumed by smoked peppers and burnt lemons; and the spicy Arrabbiata; this pasta dish features king prawns from Sabah, oven-dried tomatoes and a healthy showering of Pecorino Romano.
Other components of the menu aren’t neglected either. There are starters such as Two Colour Cabbage, the charred leaves doused with confit garlic and basil oil, and sides like the Triple Cooked Fries, with an option to accentuate the aroma with truffle oil.
Despite being spearheaded by an experienced hand at F&B, Maillard Grill isn’t immune to the current economic climate. Tan shares, “In the past few months, we navigated through a series of challenges such as inflationary pressures, price changes, severe labour shortage and even occasional product shortages.”
Tough times call for creative measures rather than cutting corners. Tan says, “We have been working hard on locally sourcing ingredients. We’re also trying different alternatives to reduce wastage such as repurposing and reusing ingredients.”
Whether you’re piqued by the thought of tasting grilled meat that has been aged in a more luxurious fashion or keen on supporting local producers, Maillard Grill seems to have got you covered and then some. Medium-rare steak, smoky char and a buttery finish — it’s sheer indulgence!
Maillard GrillG05, Ground Floor, Republik, Jalan Medan Setia 1, Bukit Damansara, KLOpen Tue-Sun 6pm – 12am (Mon closed)Tel: 03-7622 8770Web: maillardgrill.asia
