Jake’s Charbroil Steaks
21, Jalan Setiapuspa,
Medan Damansara, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (03) 2141 5290
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat — Lunch,
noon-3.00pm; dinner, 6.00pm-11.00pm,Sunday — dinner only, 6.30pm-10pm
Jake’s Charbroil is one of the few venerable places in the Klang Valley for steaks, but is it just nostalgia or is the food there really good?
The Ship, Victoria Station and Jake’s Charbroil Steaks are the three grand old dames of steakhouses in KL, in my humble opinion.
I have many fond memories of visiting these restaurants with my family when I was younger because dining here was considered a rare treat in our middle-income lives. (Of course, Coliseum would be on the list too, if you consider less formal settings.)
Somehow, through the years, the lapse between visits grew longer and longer, mostly due to my being distracted by all the new restaurants opening around town. At the back of my mind, though, I wondered if the quality of these classic steak places had held up over the years. So, when I had to entertain a friend from out of town (who really likes steak), I decided to take the opportunity to revisit Jake’s.
While the restaurant is fairly easy to find, parking in this area at peak hours can be a hassle. There, is however, a jockey service at Jake’s for a reasonable rate of RM5, so it’s fairly convenient. Inside, the decor is quite kitschy, with the whole Wild Wild West feel running deep and all the waiters dressed according to the theme.
As for the menu, there is a wide array of different cuts and grades of beef, ranging from the affordable to the more expensive options like Wagyu, Kobe and Black Angus. Of course, there are also non-beef options like lamb, chicken and fish.
While waiting for our food, we played “Guess the Celeb” game with all the photos around our booth, noting that even our famed Malaysian Angkasawan (Astronaut) had dined here at some point. Service was prompt, and we started off dinner with a selection of appetisers — the Hungarian Beef Goulash (RM 10.90++), Beef Nachos (RM 22.90++) and Potato Skins (RM 9.90++ for 2 pieces).
Hearty soup:The Hungarian Beef Goulash.I enjoyed the hearty soup as it had a medium consistency, with a nice meaty flavour complemented by the taste of tomatoes and spices. The crunchy nachos topped with minced beef, melted cheese and a dollop of chilli sauce were also delicious, but do be careful because the chilli is quite spicy. I like it, though, because it adds a nice kick.
As for the potato skins, they were also crunchy and almost paper thin, topped with a generous amount of cheese and loaded with cubes of capsicum, beef bacon and onions. They are nice if you like the natural sweetness of very lightly cooked onions — there were a LOT of them in each bite.
Of course, the main highlights at Jake’s are the steaks, and that night we all tried the Australian Rib Eye, 200g (RM 58.90++). This comes with sides of boiled vegetables, corn on a cob and a fluffy baked potato. You have a choice of three sauces. We chose the mushroom sauce and black pepper sauce.
So how was the steak?
Well, I thought it looked really good — perfectly grilled with its seared criss-cross griddle marks. Taste-wise, it did not disappoint either, with its moist texture and nice pinkness in the middle (as we chose to have it done medium). I would have preferred if the accompanying sauces were a bit more flavourful, but they did well to complement and not overwhelm the natural flavour of the steak.
As for desserts, they don’t have an extensive selection. We ended up ordering almost everything they had, to share — the Cheesecake (RM12.90++), Pecan Pie (RM12.90++) and Nut Brittle (RM12.90++).
While the other two desserts weren’t bad, what really stood out for me was the Nut Brittle. I admit, when I saw it, I thought, “Good grief. What kind of presentation is this? Looks like broken bits of brittle carelessly thrown onto a plate!”
However, one bite of it, and I didn’t care anymore. Loved it! It was wonderfully crunchy, with a lovely salty yet sweet caramel flavour that was well balanced by the chunky cashew nut pieces. Overall, a simple dessert that will have you licking your fingers afterwards.
Ok. So the furniture and decor might be a little worse for wear, but I think the charm of Jake’s is that it is simple and straightforward, evocative of the simple joys of the past, when things seemed so much less complicated.
Anyway, just so you know: They also have a newer outlet located in Star Hill, if you want a fancier ambience.
Write the writer at http://www.memoirsofachocoholic.com/
