NEW MENU CUTS IT AT MEATOLOGY

By now, most beef lovers should be familiar with the pricey tomahawk steak. To quote the Gentlemint blog, tomahawk steak is a cut of ribeye with an extra long rib bone resembling an axe hence the name. At Meatology, pork lovers will go wild over the signature Hog-mahawk on Fire (RM67.80 for 600g). 

It's a fleshy bone-in cut similar to tomahawk minus the long rib bone. Marinated in beer, the hefty cut of pork is flambé to order and served with truffle blue cheese sauce. After sampling the toothsomely tender meat, I daresay this speciality is a rocking show-stopper. Add some aromatic, creamy and subtly sharp cheesy sauce to it and be transported to seventh heaven.

Pix courtesy of Meatology

Fresh from devoting her efforts into a second "Her World Cookbook 2017:The Rice Pot" project, Chef Yenni Law somehow managed to find time to compose a new menu for Meatology amidst her stupendously hectic schedule.

So when invited by the hands-on, enterprising chef cum restaurateurto review the new Meatology menu, who can pass up such an irresistible offer? That was how we found ourselves kicking back with glasses of Pineapple Mojito (RM26) while Chef Yenni cooked up a storm for us in the kitchen. The cool, refreshing cocktail whetted our appetite for the big feast ahead of us.

A festive air prevailed upon us when the restaurant’s new salad, Yee Sang 365 (RM32.80) appeared. It was a decidedly lavish version with a heap of mixed lettuce surrounded by clumps of fried pork crackling, sliced octopus and tuna, jellyfish strips, green apple and cucumber julienne. This labour of love naturally went down a storm with us thanks to the myriad of palate-pleasing textures and flavours.

Known for her fondness of surprising Meatology diners with something unexpected, Yenni's hankering for the humble cockles inspired her to create Cockles in a Bottle (RM24.80). Except for 'tai chow' restos, it is rare for modern restaurants serving Western-style dishes to serve cockles but Yenni has no qualms about dishing up the mollusks. A stickler for details, the chef even goes to the extent of handpicking and cleaning every cockle with a toothbrush manually before cooking.

“The cockles are blanched for 2 minutes in boiling water then dipped into an ice bath,” said Yenni. “Then I cook them with gochujang (Korean chilli paste) and some seasoning.”

Served in a glass jar with a screw-on lid, the cockles remained juicy and well coated with the tantalising sauce. We had a field day, making quick work of the yummy morsels.

Some key staples like Meatology’s famous house speciality of Poison Pork (RM28.80) have been retained so regulars need not fret. We can assure you the improved version is even more delectable -- it's hard to fault a dish laden with crunchy pork cracklings, caramelised house roasted pork and bacon, garlic pips, and fresh cherry tomatoes. Occasional bursts of chilli heat help to blunt the dish's fatty richness so this is a surefire winner all the way.

Pâté de foie (RM29.80) is a gourmet delicacy which may be an acquired taste for some but in French culinary, a chef worth his or her salt takes great pride in making this speciality. If you are partial to liver and innards, dive right into the dense, velveteen texture of Meatology's duck pâté. Spread generously onto sliced toasts and enjoy!

When I was growing up, wild boar curry was a rare but welcome treat. The meat is distinctly different from that of pork and us Chinese love it curried. Chef Yenni went a step further and used her signature wild boar curry as pizza topping. We were initially skeptical about pairing curry and cheese but after sampling a slice of the Wild Boar Curry Pizza (RM29.80), our misgivings proved unfounded. Lush and creamy rich, the zingy topping scored the thumbs up from us.

In case you have pals in tow who happen to be vegetarians, they can join in the feasting with Champion (RM25.80). We heartily wished more meatless offerings can follow in the splendid taste of that vegetarian mash with chunky mushroom sauce, fresh arugula leaves and half a century egg. 

Another popular mainstay, Spanish Neck on Fire (above pix, RM58.80) has also been tweaked by the chef for better flavour profile. The art of flambé always generates dramatic excitement when dining at Meatology so when you want to impress that special someone or celebrate a momentous occasion, we suggest ordering this! Complemented by rosemary red wine sauce on the side, the juicy flambé Spanish pork neck was an apt reminder how Meatology kept regular diners returning for such deftly prepared meaty delights.

Truffle butter mash and French ceps mushroom jus provided ample textural contrasts to the meltingly tender Wagyu Skirt (RM87.80, 220g). Although skirt steak is considered a secondary cut, the medium rare steak with a marbling score of 8 was utterly sublime for its eating quality.

Those who eschew beef may wish to try the Lamb Loin (RM58.80, 350g). Again, the good meat barely needed any frills but folks more used to saucy accompaniments may want to enioy it with the two house mushroom and mint sauces.

Few restaurants nowadays have the inclination to make real meatballs. Well, Yenni is the exception rather than the rule and us diners are better off for it. Her latest entrant of Baked Spaghetti Meatballs (RM43.80) was raveworthy thanks to the delicious meatballs of real beef mince. Embedded into a cast iron skillet of ultra-cheesy spagbol, this classic comfort food will have pasta fans beating a path to Meatology.

The tireless chef even spent time experimenting with dessert. As a durian fanatic, I was all for the Durian Custard Affogato (RM16.80) despite my earlier skepticism. Yenni somehow succeeded in balancing smooth espresso, Kahlua and a dollop of house churned durian ice cream. It was a distinctive treat artfully combining some strong flavours yet the enticing creation left us with a most pleasant albeit mildly sweet buzz.

 

Sweet-toothed diners will love eating Meatology's luscious Raspberry Dream Pie (RM16.80) since it's more akin to an ice cream cake than an actual pie. A somewhat indulgent treat that packed house-churned raspberry ripple ice cream with some cream cheese mixture atop buttery digestive crumb base, take this as Chef Yenni Law's invitation to savour life's deliciousness in her glorious new offerings at Meatology.

For reservations, call Meatology, tel: 03 7727 4426. Address: 16, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL. Open Mon-Sat from 3.30pm to 2am.