Steaks & Lobsters @ Desa Sri Hartamas

The Christmas season is upon us....it's a time for merriment.....a time for giving and receiving......and my pressies (for my dearest friends) are ready and wrapped.

For our pre-Christmas dinner get-together this year, we decided on Steaks & Lobsters @ Desa Sri Hartamas coz what more can be more Christmas-y than steaks and lobsters....plus we really wanted to eat some lobsters!

Steaks & Lobsters, a fairly new addition (about 5 months old) to recent entries of places offering lobsters, I was attracted to the place after reading that they've switched to a prime breed of wild-caught live Boston Lobsters recently.

As we had intentions to proceed to a second place for more food (plus maybe some tipples) after an early dinner, we exercised restraint when ordering (although there were lots more on the menu I wanted to try).  We were served these complimentary bread rolls before the start of our meal.  These rolls, soft and fluffy, came with their house-made cinnamon butter.  The bread rolls were served warm (which I appreciate) and we were off to a great start! 

If you wish to sample a bit of everything (well, almost but-not-quite everything), nothing beats ordering the S&L Four-Sampler Platter @ RM48.  This sampler platter was made up of onion rings, hot BBQ wings, mini lobster & crab cakes and lamb steak & cheese bruschetta.

The battered onion rings were light and crisp although they'd probably offer a bit more bite and juiciness if they were cut slightly thicker.  Served with a marinara & dill tartare, it was enjoyed by the adults and popular with the kids too.

The lamb steak & cheese bruschetta was actually minced lamb (although, from the description, I was expecting lamb strips) but nevertheless still acceptable since this was a sampler platter.  The minced lamb came sitting on top of a crisp piece of charcoal bruschetta and paired with a garlic cheese sauce.

The third item on the sampler platter was the mini lobster & crab cakes that were nicely crumbed and fried, accompanied by a marinara sauce.  Definitely something your young ones will like.

The last sampler item was the hot BBQ wings which had 2 wingettes and 2 drummettes nicely coated in their signature spicy BBQ sauce (quite tolerable and not that spicy).  Crunchy on the outside, moist on the inside with hints of spicy, sweet flavours.  Absolutely finger-licking good and highly recommended.

Everything on this sampler platter is also available separately as a starter on its own (in bigger portions, of course)....the onion rings @ RM18, lamb steak & cheese bruschetta @ RM22, lobster & crab cakes @ RM28 and hot BBQ wings @ RM25.

Our final appetiser was the highly addictive Fried Portobello Fries (6 pcs) @ RM19 that have received many "thumbs up" from blogs.  I concur, a must-order if you love mushrooms (like me).

They were simply battered Portobello mushrooms served with a drizzle of smoky sriracha aioli underneath (and more for dipping).  Again, the batter was incredibly light, the mushrooms not oily and perfectly fried to offer a crunch with a natural sweetness from the large Portobello mushrooms.

As with the name of the restaurant, I'd presume steaks and lobsters would be among their signature mains on offer here but, if you're not into either of these, there are also lamb, chicken, fish and burgers on the menu.  For beef lovers, there are plenty of options here from Aussie grass-fed to grain-fed angus to wagyu and cuts of your choice from sirloin to ribeye, tenderloin to T-Bone (with prices ranging from a modest RM48 to the more expensive cuts at RM189).

But I went for their special promotion of Wagyu MB7 Round Sirloin (300g) @ RM82 served with four side dishes.  I'm not even sure what sauce came with it (probably whole grain mustard?) coz I never ever eat my steaks (certainly not a good piece of steak) with any sauce...I like them naked in all its glory! ;)

The sirloin, with good marbling, was perfectly executed to medium-rare as requested.  The bits of fats provided the steak with moisture...it was tender, it was juicy, it was oh-so-flavourful.

Of course, you can't leave here satisfied without sinking your teeth into some kind of lobster dish.  Lobster preparations available include their signature flaming, cheese baked, grilled or steamed options (RM98 for half, RM195 for whole for the latter three).  Also available, the Boston lobster roll @ RM58 and baby lobster pesto pasta @ RM48 for a more budget-conscious meal. 

We went for a whole lobster and I (unashamedly) asked if we could see our "live friend" (and they kindly obliged) before he (maybe she) meets his death, unselfishly sacrificing himself to satisfy our needs.  The server held the lobster down (in case he wants to make a quick dash for freedom *wink wink* hehe!) and asked if I wanted to hold it.  I said, "No, I don't want to hold it, I want to eat it!"  Although I did touch its whiskers...and they moved...and I swore he rolled his eyes at me.

He's a beauty :)  Sorry, Mr Lobster (you're going up in flames.....shortly)!

Finally, our much-awaited lobster feast made its grand entrance, the Signature Flaming Live Lobster @ RM205 (for whole, RM110 for half) offering a charbroiled lobster flamed and served with homemade aioli.

Both their steaks and lobsters dishes come with four side dishes...yay....and all refillable (at no extra cost)...double yay!! ;D

Coleslaw and Potato Salad with Creamy Avocado

Fresh Greens and Fries

The four side dishes may vary slightly on different days.  Of the four, my favourite was the guacamole inspired potato salad with the luscious avocado.  The fries, freshly fried and crisp, were enjoyable too.  Servers will come round with a 4-in-1 contraption (like those you come across in Banana Leaf Rice restaurants) to repeatedly heap replenishments for you (we had refills of everything except the fresh greens), so you'd be assured of leaving here with your stomachs full and satisfied.

But now, let's get to the "star of the show", shall we?  The lobsters here (usually weigh around 800 - 900g) and the one we had was undisputedly fresh.....its flesh retaining all its natural moisture and juices.  The charred edges brought flavour and smokiness...absolutely 'drop-dead' gorgeous!

Just look at the size of those pincers....and the charring :)  I tend to stay clear of lobsters when I see it on a menu in steakhouses as I find eating a whole lobster way too heavy (from past experience)...but that's probably because I've not come across a really good one yet.  The one here, I can say (with conviction)...I can devour the whole thing by myself! ;p  Again, I was oblivious to the sauce provided, I simply didn't need any as the meat, with its natural sweetness, was juicy and succulent just on its own.

With smiles on our faces, we proceeded to our next venue for more food.....some drinks.......and exchange of gifts!

My Personal Opinion

I don't indulge in lobsters all that much, mainly because it's rich (and the price too) but that was before I savoured the awesome lobsters at Steaks & Lobsters.  The one here was way better than any lobster I had at other steakhouses...Red Lobster included!

Even if you're not a steak or lobster lover, there's enough here to keep you satisfied especially with their good list of delectable appetisers.  I can't wait to come back for their great lobsters, and equally good steaks, or to try some other stuff they have on their menu.  Service is particularly warm and friendly from their young team of servers.

Now that I'm more "open" to having a whole lobster, I wish I had "deeper" and more "open" pockets too! T_T  But, you'd be pleased to know that offpeak.my currently offers a 15% discount (during certain hours) and so, there's no better time than now to hop over to Steaks & Lobsters to try.....well, their steaks and lobsters!

Steaks & Lobsters Restaurant
42 Jalan 24/70A
Desa Sri Hartamas
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 012-743 7167

'Tis the season.....

Have a fun Christmas...and I'll be back next week :)