by KL Lifestyle "Dining Ideas May",
May, 2019
Words By Jacqueline Benita Paul Photos By Joanna Saw
Truth be told, Joanna and I are fussy customers when it comes to steak. At times it is too thick, too thin, undercooked or overcooked so, at some point, we gave up. Though, when I heard the world’s best steak, Rubia Gallega (or Galician Blond Beef), has made its way to Vantador, I decided to make an exception. The big deal about this raved bovine meat goes beyond its Spanish origins. Unlike your usual steak from cows slaughtered after one or two years, the Rubia Gallega comes from cows that are slaughtered between 8 and 15 years and the produce is enormous, with almost 500 kg of meat.
But we didn’t haul ourselves to the busy streets of Desa Sri Hartamas just for the steak of it. As the sister outlet of Eatalia and Naughty Babe Dirty Duck, we were curious to peruse the culinary offerings of this steakhouse and how it would fare in the Hartamas food scene.
The interior set a rustic, nostalgic and vintage tone with an unmissable elegance. Upon entering, the tables already had a tasteful setting for a classy evening with a dark and intimate ambience, perfect for a night of romance, with your favourite slab of meat. Vantador doesn’t just serve dry-aged meat as the menu offers wet-aged steaks where you can choose the thickness of the cuts of one or two inches.
First to arrive at our table was the Seafood Ceviche. Sous vide Spanish octopus, tiger prawn and fresh red snapper retained the natural sweetness of the protein with an umami finish. This palatable dish was served with a lemon avocado dressing and sprinkles of red chilli to bring some heat to the creamy sauce.
The only thing that could rival our love for good steak was bone marrow. And with the Rubia Gallega Bone Marrow, the colossal portion was hedonism at its finest. It was almost akin to a creme brulee but the layers of sweetness and savoury coincided and paired with the firm brioche, it was wiped out of our table in no time.
Finally, we got to the star dish, the Rubia Gallega. The steak was dry aged for 30 days to tenderise the meat and stabilize the intense flavour. Living up to its reputation for complex flavours, the meat had a blue cheese taste profile. It was intense and exciting to experience the strength of the flavour though we had only consumed a small piece. The steak is served medium rare which is great for when you are sharing. The charred top with a pinkish middle is firmer than a wagyu which means you can enjoy the flavours longer.
Vantador – The Dry-Aged Steak Boutique 38 Jalan 25/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas 50480 Kuala Lumpur +60 3 6211 5588 www.facebook.com/vantador
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