My Charcoal Bar & Restaurant @ Medan Damansara (CLOSED)

January 22, 2015

5880

*** NOTE: THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED ***

Don’t let the unpretentious and simplistic entrance to My Charcoal fool you. Once in, you will find yourself in a cosy and contemporary bar and restaurant with warm mood lighting that features an extensive selection of alcohol and great food. It’s a great place to unwind and relax with friends, where conversations could still be take place without loud music.

Esteemed guests usually receive a welcome drink on the house. Even if you are not a drinker like me, you’d find the easy-drinking Gaymers Cider an absolute delight – smooth, crisp, slightly sweet with a refreshing aroma of pear.

My Charcoal’s food menu (nett prices) consists of a wide variety of mostly Asian fusion BBQ dishes, meticulously charcoal-grilled by their vastly experienced in-house chef – Mr. Jana. The BBQ Beef Strip Salad @ RM38 is simple yet scrumptious in a mix of plum and white wine dressing. A hint of lemongrass gives it a subtle citrus flavour that accentuates the overall freshness.

I am not exaggerating at all when I say that the satay here is one of the best I’ve had. You could see the amount of care taken while preparing these traditional meat skewers, as they were grilled to a succulent, juicy perfection with minimal burnt areas. The accompanying spicy peanut sauce was great as well and served while it was still smoking hot. My favorite was the lamb satay, it was simply delicious. RM25 for a mix platter of chicken, beef and lamb satay.

Chinese roast pork lovers will surely appreciate My Charcoal’s alternative take on this classic Cantonese dish. Instead of roasting it in a standing oven, the thin slices of pork belly are slow grilled over charcoal until the skin turns crusty with a crackling bite. It might appear fatty and all but they’re a guilty pleasure worth indulging in. In moderation, of course.

Now, what would a bar and BBQ joint be without ribs? At RM68, the hefty price tag might be the only deterrent for ordering the BBQ Baby Back Ribs, served on a bed of potato wedges, mixed salad and apple sauce. A unique rub of spices and the chef’s homemade Piri Piri sauce gives the ribs a lip-smacking, smoky spicy flavour – best enjoyed with hands. It’s a nice change from the usual sweet BBQ version offered by most of the restaurants in town.

The lamb soup @ RM20 was slow cooked for at least 10 hours until the meat was fall off the bone tender. Nothing will warm your tummy better than this hearty and peppery soup.

While not equally as flavourful, the Chilli Pork Meatballs with Kidney Bean Stew @ RM18 is worth trying especially if you’re a spicy food lover. The meatballs really packed a punch of spiciness that could be too strong for some.

The Grilled Pork Platter (pork sausages, back bacon and honey glazed ham) @ RM42 is generously portioned and could be shared among three or more. There’s nothing really special about this except for the Piri Piri Sauce, which was an excellent dip to go with all the meat.

A good number of seafood dishes also appear on the menu including some premium items such as abalone and cod. We tried the BBQ Prawns @ RM48 which are basically tiger prawns wrapped in streaky bacon and served with a light lemongrass dressing. Overall it was alright, it could have been a lot better if the prawns were fresher.

For dessert, we were served a Panna Cotta that had a firm yet jiggly texture when nudged – just like how it should be. It was definitely enjoyable and marked a great end to a memorable evening of good food, coupled with a nice ambience and attentive service from the crew.

Currently, My Charcoal Bar & Restaurant is still in its “soft opening” stage and they target to be officially open somewhere in the coming month. I am glad to be one of the earliest invited guests to experience the restaurant. However, walk-in guests are still welcomed but as usual, do call ahead to avoid any disappointments.