Burnin' Pit @ Desa Sri Hartamas

It has been a while since I last met my makan buddies for dinner at Makoto...and we found ourselves in the same area again but at Burnin' Pit @ Desa Sri Hartamas this time.  I've been wanting to visit Burnin' Pit for some time since being attracted by photos of delicious-looking barbecued meats (as well as seeing my blogger friend enjoying meals there).

When I think of Burnin' Pit, for some reason, the Ring of Fire tune gets played in my head...lol! ;D

I fell into a burnin' pit ring of fire

I went down, down, down and the flames went higher

And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire, the ring of fire..........

Anyway.....Burnin' Pit is well-known for delivering good ol' Southern American barbecue meats cooked low and slow in a custom-built smoker (like those delicious-looking Texas barbecue we see on TV).

Our meal began with the Birria Tacos @ RM28 which is supposedly a Mexican crispy (red) taco stuffed with cheesy shredded beef.  It was served with a (birria taco) sauce which is a rich, savoury red broth (made with blended tomatoes, onions, garlic, dried Mexican chillies and spices).  Of course I wouldn't know if it was made with Mexican chillies (like ancho and guajillo) but they say it's not birria if you don't use Mexican dried chillies...haha!

Well, Mexican dried chillies or not, the sauce was absolutely delicious eaten with a spoonful or two over the filling of shredded beef.  The tacos were absolutely crispy as well making the experience a double dose of happiness.  I think I've only eaten non-crispy tacos thus far...and a crispy one definitely trumps a soft, pliable corn or flour tortilla! ^_~

I also ordered one other dish for sharing, the Philly Cheese Sandwich @ RM32 (or Philly Cheesesteak as it's commonly known) with pulled Angus beef shreds, sauteed red and green peppers, caramelised onions and cheddar cheese on a ciabatta served with a side of fries.

This was another good dish...and I was even ok with the cheddar cheese (which was white, not yellow). Worthy of mention was the side of skin-on fries which were extremely fluffy and crisp.  If I had known how good the fries were, I would have ordered an extra side of fries.

We could not order too many pre-main dishes as I know our main platter of The Austin @ RM368 would be massive...and I was really taken aback as to how substantial the platter was.  It got oohs and aahs when it was served...and I can certainly understand why...it was a showstopper! :O

It came with Smoked Lamb Ribs (750g), Smoked Angus Beef Brisket (400g), Quarter Smoked Chicken, Chicken Sausages (4 pcs) with sides of Mac & Cheese, Southern Slaw, Homemade Beans and Brioche Buns (I ordered an extra Brioche Bun @ RM3.50 since there were five of us).

Let's start with the good...and the best thing on the platter, the Smoked Angus Beef Brisket as it was so tender that the knife cut through it like butter and the slow-smoked brisket practically disintegrated in my mouth.  Even after each of us had a slice, there were still 2 large pieces left.  Only downside was you have to eat the beef brisket while it's still warm coz once it's cold, I could detect a hint of gaminess in the beef (which others might not experience) and though it was very negligible, it brought down the pleasantness of the brisket (for me).

The Quarter Smoked Chicken (we chose jerk seasoning coz peri-peri sounds so familiar like Nando's...lol) was tender, a little smoky and tasty enough though the meat was a little dry as we were unfortunate enough to get the wing section (and not the drumstick/thigh section) of the quarter.

The Chicken Sausages turned out surprisingly decent as I found myself enjoying them (not sure if they're housemade, most probably not).

The Smoked Lamb Ribs, which also happens to be the biggest portion on the platter, was the biggest disappointment.  Perhaps "disappointment" is too mild a word...it was a total disaster!  It looked way better than it tasted.  The lamb was so gamey (and there were also lots of fatty parts), it was inedible (I could smell the gaminess even before eating...and when I tried a small piece, no bigger than an inch, I wanted to spit it out).  The gamey taste and smell lingered in my mouth...it was really off-putting! >_<  Even the espresso rub we went with could not mask the gaminess of the lamb!  Even my friends who enjoy lamb found it gamey (and they couldn't stomach more than one bite), so it was practically left untouched...and uneaten.

As for the sides, I didn't care for their Homemade Beans and thought the Southern Slaw was a bit too limp (missing that fresh, crunchy factor) and wished it was served cold to give a bit more freshness that was so needed when you're eating a meat-heavy platter.  Luckily, there were some vinegared jalapenos to offer some respite.  I didn't have any Mac & Cheese as it's too heavy a side dish when you already have lots of meat.  I think they need to rethink their sides (of beans and mac & cheese) as I'd prefer to see something lighter and fresher to cut through the heaviness of the meats.

I ordered extra sides of Grilled Corn on the Cob with Coconut Milk @ RM9 (two portions) and they were well grilled and and tasty enough though I can't say I tasted much of the creamy coconut milk.

The other extra side was the Grilled Vegetables @ RM9 with grilled carrots, green & yellow zucchinis and red bell peppers.  These were smokey and good.

As we knew we would be adjourning for drinks later, we asked for water to be served...only to find out that it's chargeable! :O  Oh well, the 3 bottles of Spritzer distilled water cost RM9 (RM3 a bottle).  There were two bottles of BBQ sauce available on the table for those who need extra sauce.

We ended up at Cellar Eighteen again...and had the same bottle of red wine that we enjoyed so much the previous time.  It was a wonderful end to our otherwise heavy makan session.

Before I end, I feel I need to make a comment about the service.  The service was actually alright right up to near closing time (and that's 10 pm on weekends and 12 am on weekdays)...rather weird, if you ask me, to stay open longer on weekdays than weekends!!  Anyway, I was surprised when I was presented with the bill (coz I didn't ask for it) when I came back from the washroom (this was around 9.30 pm).  I guess they were getting ready to close...but still it wasn't the right thing to do (in my opinion) coz it came out like we were gestured to leave.  We ended up staying another 20 mins or so past 10 pm coz one of my friends was having an "episode" in the washroom (there was one other table still occupied then).  Lo and behold, past 10 pm, they started stacking chairs on the vacated tables and mopping the floor! O_o  I felt very uncomfortable (it was like they were "chasing" us away) that we decided to wait outside for our friend.  Although I'm aware that it's also not right to stay past their closing time, sometimes when you're having a good time, you can lose track of time but (in this case) we were waiting on our friend.  This reminded me (for comparison) of my wonderful experience at Meat Feds when we stayed beyond their closing hours but was greeted with "no problem, it's fine" when I apologised for overstaying...this is what excellent service is all about! ;)

My Personal Opinion

So, does Burnin' Pit warrant a return visit?  Maybe...though it's a YES to their Birria Tacos (especially), Philly cheese sandwich, fries and maybe the beef brisket.

It's a definite NO...to The Austin platter (or The Kansas which also includes the lamb ribs) as the gamey lamb, unfortunately, was not a hunk, a hunk of burning love (like Elvis Presley was in his older days...lol).  In fact, it was so gamey (that you can smell it a mile away) and inedible (that even lamb lovers couldn't stomach)...and the platter comes with a whopping 750g of it! >_<

In the end, even without partaking in the lamb, we were too stuffed, so clearly the platter was too much for our party-of-five to handle (Did I order too much?  Not, right?).  I thought if phonghongbakes's party-of-three (who incidentally also had a much more positive experience than us) can devour the platter, it shouldn't be a problem for the five of us.  But I guess I was wrong (now I'm really in awe at how much food they can handle especially when one of them is an 80+ year old lady).  For us, there were leftovers of everything (all the lamb ribs, of course + beef brisket and even smoked chicken), corn, grilled vegetables, mac & cheese, slaw and beans)...but no regrets ordering the first two dishes for sharing though since they turned out to be the better things we ate that night. ^_~

Burnin' Pit

No 24 Jalan 24/70A

Desa Sri Hartamas

50480 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 013-399 3920

Martha's Kitchen @ Desa Sri Hartamas

Martha's Kitchen @ Desa Sri Hartamas has been a well-known staple for authentic Spanish cuisine here in KL for a good many years.  After all, they received the RFS (Restaurants from Spain) certification from their Spanish government for both their outlets in Desa Sri Hartamas as well as LaLaport in Bukit Bintang.

The place has garnered good reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.  Seeing that my blogger friends had visited this place many times (check them out here, here, here and here.....and also here), it's quite obvious they enjoyed the food.  So, when the opportunity arised, I finally gave it a go just to see how the food stacks up to the other Spanish restaurants that I've tried. 

We got there at dinner time and was surprised to find the place in full swing (even on a weekday night).  First thing I noticed was that the place was rather noisy.  It had little to no noise reduction, so probably not the best option if you're looking for a quiet conversation for date nights.  Then again it might be seeing that you'll have to sit very close to your date to have a proper conversation...lol.

Even with terrible accoustics (not something I expected from a restaurant of this calibre), the place seems popular for eating and drinking with friends and buddies for a fun night out.  The din does get better as the evening wore on when the crowd dwindled down and dispersed.  The interior is comfortable and spacious with both indoor and outdoor seating...and an open kitchen concept.  I especially loved the twinkling ceiling lights.

When we talk about European cuisine, Spanish food ranks among my top favourites...and that of one of my friends too (after we were introduced to the cuisine when we tried it for the first time together).  Tapas is probably the most well-known of Spanish cuisine...and they're made up of small plates of food (hot or cold) that can be shared or combined to make a full meal.  We started with the Boquerones en Vinagre @ RM27 made up of Spanish anchovies marinated in vinegar, garlic, parsley (or chives) and extra virgin olive oil served with green olives and some crusty bread.

This is a dish I'm always tempted to order (when I see it on the menu) since I enjoy fresh, unadulterated flavours (and my friend enjoys them too after being introduced to it).  These fresh, raw, cured, anchovy fillets are tender, juicy and delicate in flavour.

But I detected a spicy (not chilli-spicy) aftertaste when I took a bite of this one.  I thought it was ginger initially (but then ginger is not a Spanish thing) before realising it was the pungency of the raw garlic.  The over harshness of the garlic did ruin the taste of the delicate vinegar-cured fresh anchovies somewhat for me as the taste of the garlic was overpowering.  The one I had at Mercat with roasted red peppers and aioli tasted a lot better.

Our next appetiser was the Champinones con Jamon Iberico @ RM26 which is a tapa of pan-fried mushrooms with garlic and jamon iberico served with more bread to mop up the tasty garlic and iberico-infused olive oil.

The large button mushrooms were cooked whole and they were simply juicy...and they look cute as a button too (pun intended...lol).  The chopped up bits of jamon iberico and fried garlic added further savouriness and fragrance to the mushrooms.  Absolutely delicious. ^o^

A popular and must-have tapa among many is the Spicy Patatas Bravas @ RM19 made up of fried potato chunks served with a creamy aioli and their signature spicy tomato sauce (don't worry, it's anything but spicy).

I remembered the one we had at Mercat where the potatoes (and egg) were served as a side dish to the Iberico ribs we had and that one solicitied a "mmmmm" from my friend coz it was the intensity of the potato flavour that wowed us.  The one here turned out ordinary tasting as I didn't get that intense potato flavour I expected, so the price tag didn't seem worth it for a few chunks of potatoes. >_<

I spotted the Iberico Pork Cheeks (or Carrilleras de Cerdo) @ RM39 listed under tapas in the menu and just had to order it as I've this thing for cheeks (beef or pork) stewed in red wine sauce.  I can still remember a sensational one I had at the now defunct Press Room Bistro but that one was beef cheeks.

This one is pork cheeks and if it's Iberico pork, even better.  No fault in the cooking of the pork cheeks until immaculately fork tender...and it was served with mashed potatoes.  However, it ended up to be quite a heavy tapa (it's good enough as a main dish) as the ratio of potatoes to pork cheeks (2 pcs) was a bit too much (+ the potato mash wasn't particularly smooth either).  Perhaps if there were some vegetables (like juicy tomatoes, lightly tart pearl onions, carrots or even some micro greens) to freshen up the plate, it would had been more successful, in my opinion.

The red wine sauce reminded me of something similar I had with the Bouef Burginon at Yeast Bistronomy but that's where the comparison ends.  That red wine reduction sauce left me wanting as the one in Yeast tasted so much better.  Presentation wise, it wasn't much to look at.  Surely for a dish that price, they can put in a little bit more effort to make it look not so dull. >_<

Well, if one is in a Spanish restaurant, paella is a must, right?  So, we ordered the Paella Valenciana @ RM37 and the first thing to note is that it's served on a plate...and not a traditional paella pan.

The paella was served with (yes) a single prawn (albeit a very large one) and a single mussel with an aioli cream and a wedge of lemon.  There were some chunks of chicken, squid and smaller prawns in there too...maybe some cubes of Iberico ham or even pancetta).

I've to give credit to the single large single prawn as it was super fresh and sweet tasting.  However, I was a bit disappointed with the flavour of the paella rice in general.  It didn't have the aroma, smell nor taste of an intense seafood broth that I was looking for.  In fact, it tasted a bit underseasoned (maybe the chef had an off day) but, more importantly, I found the rice grains not moist enough and didn't appear to have absorbed the flavours of a seafood broth.  The lovely cream sauce that was served alongside the paella did help a little in providing some added moistness to the rice.

I thought the Squid Ink Paella @ RM37 served with the same single large prawn and cream was the better tasting of the two. ^.^

At least in this one, the seafood-infused broth comes through a bit more but the rice could still be a little more moist in my opinion.  I detected some smaller pieces of squid in the rice but don't think I tasted anything else in there (it was also difficult to see in the dark of the night + the squid ink was all black...lol).

I think I'm going to sound like a broken record now but, again, the Paella de Marisco (seafood paella) I had at Mercat tasted better and was far more enjoyable than these two we had here (my Spanish food-loving friend thought so too...I didn't have to ask her coz she didn't go mmmmm, not even once).  The key differences for me was that the rice of this one was less moist with a lesser crustacean undertone and not having it served in a traditional cast iron paella pan (although it was cooked in one based on the reviews I read) meant it lost out on the socarrat....and along with it, a bit of that authenticity! ;)

For dessert, we got a piece of....what else...but the Basque Burnt Cheesecake @ RM18 to share.  Would there have been any other conclusion? ;D

My friends love their cheesecakes and it was undoubtedly creamily cheesy but one commented it was too sweet.  I only had one small bite and the sweetness wasn't apparent to me.  So, the eating was left to my other friend.  In the end, this was the first burnt cheesecake that we left unfinished. >.<

A friend had the Red Sangria @ RM23.  The sangria here is very enjoyable, so much so you'd want a few more.  It's one that I can drink (and enjoy drinking) as I find the alcohol content of this red wine more subdued with more fruitiness and sweetness coming through.  The Passion Peach Iced Tea @ RM13 is as refreshing as it looks.

Another friend, who arrived much later, had a glass of red wine, the El Coto Red Rioja @ RM27.  It's always nice to see wine served in a glass imprinted with the restaurant's name.

I couldn't resist finishing my evening with a shot of coffee and got their Cafe con leche (single shot) @ RM13...basically latte-lah but with a more fancy-schmancy Spanish name.  I told my friends the latte art looked like a ram (or a misguided distortion that made it look like a ram)...they looked at me and laughed and thought I had too much to drink (maybe the barista had too much to drink)...lol!  What does it look like to you? ;D

Service was attentive, communicative and friendly as they're well staffed to take care of your needs.  For added service, the restaurant servers will even help you endorse/settle your parking ticket (RM5 for 3 hours or RM10 for more than 3 hours parking) if you park inside the hotel building (The Signature) itself.

My Personal Opinion

Even though some of the food fell a little short, it's still a wonderful place to chill, wine and dine with friends and family (if you can get pass the poor accoustics).  I say that because, if you've not dined at another Spanish restaurant that's better (like I did at Mercat Barcelona where I thought the food was better on many levels except for maybe the ambience), then this place should satisfy your expectations! :P  In fact, their paella is still worthy (and tasty enough) if you've not had a better paella.

Would I visit again?  I wouldn't mind...for a few tapas and drinks with friends...but will go for different tapas other than the ones we ordered (but the mushrooms with jamon iberico, my favourite dish of the night, certainly warrants a repeat order).  The menu at Martha's is more extensive compared to Mercat, so you have a lot more options to choose from (I see at least 30 different tapas listed).

What can I say...if I've not had a stellar experiece at Mercat before this, Martha's would certainly rank right up there among my favourite Spanish restaurants, but since I did, Mercat would be my pick until such time another one comes along to top that.  But Martha's is by all means still worth your consideration for pleasant Spanish food! ^_~

Martha's Kitchen

The Signature Hotel & Serviced Suites

Jalan Sri Hartamas 22

Desa Sri Hartamas

50480 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-6411 0832

Steaks & Lobsters @ Desa Sri Hartamas

Prices of steaks have been on the up and up that affordable (but good) steaks are increasingly difficult to find these days.  So much so that when I'm finally confronted with affordably-priced steaks, I second-guess myself if it's any good.  Of course, the safest bet is to go for wagyu beef but we all know how expensive those can be...haiz! :'(

But if there's a place where I remember having a positive dining experience of affordable (yet good) steaks and good (but not so affordable) lobsters, that would be Steaks & Lobsters @ Desa Sri Hartamas (you can check out my previous posts here and here).  So, another visit was due.  Parking in this area is quite nightmarish and you'd be pleased to know that they now offer free valet services if you dine here.

Well, it's pretty obvious from the name of the place as to what their main specialities here are.  The first difference I noticed was the tank that used to be filled with live lobsters was empty (perhaps the 'stock' was waiting to be replenished) or they don't keep so much live 'stock' these days.

After orders were made, we were served complimentary soft and fluffy bread rolls with house-made cinnamon butter.  Not a big fan of this sweet-flavoured butter which tasted sweet, almost like a kaya, would have preferred just a good, plain butter.

We began our meal with one of our favourite starters of Roasted Garlic Escargots @ RM21 (maybe not the best choice if you're on a date!).  The half dozen baked garden snails immersed in a garlic concasse coulis came with slices of toasted baguette that is the perfect 'vehicle' to mop up the sauce.

I have to say the escargots were a pretty good size, way bigger than most of the ones I've had.  The sauce, on the other hand, wasn't quite garlicky enough for us...it was more creamy and buttery than garlicky.

We decided to go with one of their chef recommended dish of Signature Olio Asari Clams @ RM18 as our next starter as I love clams (+ I've already tried most of their other chef recommended starters).

The asari clams could have been fresher (and presentation better) as there were quite a few with broken shells but the well cooked sauce of garlic and chillies in a seafood broth was very savoury to dip the overly generous slices of toasted baguette in.

The Grain-Fed Ribeye (250g) @ RM79 was my option for the main as my initial pick of Pinnacle Grass-Fed Ribeye (MB 2+) @ RM99 wasn't available that day.

The steak came with sides of soft-sweet roasted pumpkin, onion that was soft and well-charred to bring out its sweetness, slightly spiced and juicy sweetcorn with chilli flecks and fluffy-on-the-inside steak fries that were freshly fried with a nice crisp exterior.

The last time we were here, our wagyu steak was served with a very tasty black pepper sauce (not that it needed any) but we still asked for seconds to dip our fries in.  This time, I noticed that we got a different sauce...it tasted like a mushroom sauce but without the intense and earthy taste of mushrooms (which I would have liked) but a strong taste of probably cream and butter (which I didn't like as much).  I'm not sure if this is now the default sauce (or the black pepper sauce is still an option) as we weren't asked what sauce we wanted.

I was a little disappointed when the ribeye first arrived lacking the looks of that wonderful charring that I adore.  Having said that, my medium-rare ribeye was very tender to the bite with a decent flavour (no complaints on that based on the price).  Anyway, we can't compare this to wagyu beef which is more flavourful...and also more expensive (there were even premium ones offered at close to RM400!).  Of course I would have preferred wagyu (but a more affordable 250g wagyu ribeye MB-7 now costs RM229!)...a 300g piece once cost RM198 (RM150 during promotion) when we had it last.

A server did come by to ask how the steak was and I did mention to him that it was a little fattier than I would have liked.  I think he was a little inexperienced when it comes to customer service by underestimating a customer's knowledge about steaks when he proceeded to bring me an uncooked piece to impress upon me that the ribeye is a fatty cut of meat (I may not be totally knowledgeable about steak cuts but I do have some knowledge).  Of course I'm aware that the ribeye is well-marbled and fatty as it's my favourite cut.  Just that I felt this piece had a little too much fat (there was a huge piece of fat in the centre and also a connective strip of fat surrounding the meat) or maybe the cooking did not render down the fats enough as it was lacking that great sear.

He was also the same server who went on and on explaining about the marble score (to a couple seated next to us) when they enquired about the same Pinnacle Grass-Fed Ribeye I tried to order earlier.  Why he would do that when it wasn't available, I have no idea, and, in the end, that's what the couple decided to order and only then he told them it was not available...like what? >_<   On noticing that I was in conversation with the server, a more senior staff approached us to see if she could assist.  She immediately apologised for the fatty cut and said she can get the kitchen to fire up a new piece for me.  By then, I was already half way through my steak, so I thanked her for the gesture and I told her it wasn't necessary as I wouldn't be able to finish the new piece.

Our other next main, we chose a Surf & Turf combo of Angus Ribeye, Jumbo Shrimps & Baby Scallops @ RM105 that featured a 250g Angus ribeye, five jumbo shrimps and a dozen baby scallops.

The dish was complemented by the same delicious sides.  All the sides are refillable...and we loved them all, especially the sweetcorn, but we didn't need any refills as we couldn't even finish the ones on our plates. Because of the refillable sides (which I forgot all about actually), there's really no necessity to order any starters if you aren't a big-eater (and that would also help in making your meal here even more affordable).

From the looks itself, it was obvious that this piece of grain-fed ribeye achieved a better sear and because charring results in a deeper flavour, it ended up tasting much better than my piece.  It's also pretty obvious that this piece was less fatty.

The jumbo shrimps were sweet-tasting and true to its name in terms of size (understandably they look much smaller since these were totally de-shelled).  Appreciate that they were properly deveined too....and no complaints on the freshness.

But that can't be said of the baby scallops though.  They tasted of the frozen kind with a slight fishy taste (I can do without the baby scallops on the plate).  I'd probably add the word 'tiny' in front of baby scallops to truly describe the size...haha! :D

When we were done with our meal, we were presented with Spanish Churros @ RM26 (by the same male server earlier) and our initial thought was that he got it wrong.  I proceeded to tell him that we didn't order this.  He didn't mention that it was on the house.  It was at that instance that the senior female staff came over to tell us that the dessert was complimentary to make up for the earlier not-so-great cut of meat.  I thanked her for the gesture but told her she shouldn't have as we were so full we could barely eat another mouthful.

I don't want to sound ungrateful as it was a very nice gesture on their part but deep down I couldn't help but wished they had offered me a discount on the steak instead.  The fact that I was trying to refrain from eating sugary treats like this didn't help.  We had to summon all our strength to finish at least half of it, otherwise it wouldn't be very gracious of us.

The cinnamon sugar-dusted churros were served with vanilla ice-cream and a chocolate dip.  I shall refrain from giving my take on this complimentary dish as it'll be rather impolite of me to do so, don't you think? ;P

For drinks, we went with refreshing coolers of Berrylicious @ RM10.90 (a mix of wildberry & lemon) and Honey Twister (of honey & lemon) @ RM10.90 also (and realised when writing this that we had the same drinks the last time). >.<

I was in for a little surprise when we settled the bill as I found a 30% discount given on the steak I ordered. It was really nice of them to offer us both a discount and a free dessert to make up for the less-than-stellar piece of meat (which I wasn't expecting at all).  Thumbs up for their courteous and warm-hearted gesture! ;-)

My Personal Opinion

Even though this dining experience wasn't as solid as my previous visits, they're still in my good books for good and affordable steaks (I'm referring to non-Wagyu steaks, of course).  They have good maybe not-so-affordable lobsters (to some of us at least) but obviously reasonably-priced lobsters by market standards.

I applaud their effort of making sure the customer leaves with a positive dining experience instead of just being profit-focussed.  Not many restaurants are willing to do that these days when faced with a situation like this.  How can one stay disappointed after they give you a discount and a free dessert to make up for that little imperfection...I don't think anyone can.

If you're in the mood for steaks this Christmas, you're in luck as they're offering their wagyu cuts at 50% discount till the end of the year (but be prepared to pay more than RM150 even at half price)...shucks, I went too soon! ;P

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

Wishing everyone...

and a.....

It's the holiday season, so....enjoy, 

I'll see you in 2019

(where a small announcement is forthcoming) ^_~