A restaurant with real character _ the food is executed with flair, while the service team is confident & cheery, but what people might love the most about Ril's @ The Warehouse is its evocative, hidden-secret setting: a Chinatown shop-house molded into a soaring space that marries old-world elegance with industrial edginess. This is one of 2011's best new outlets.
Brilliant bread rolls _ fresh, fragrant & filled with caramelized onions, we believe. Accompanied by soft, smooth butter that's super-simple to spread. Our only fear: these are so dense & heavy, customers could end up stuffed before the main gastronomic event.
Gemas Gold bone-in rib steak _ much heftier than it looks in this photo. There's no mention of Wagyu, Kobe or 1824 on Ril's menu, though on the bright side, that eases the pressure on our wallets. The chef's recommendation on this recent evening was Gemas beef, which comes from cattle sourced from Australia but reared in Negri Sembilan.
A 750-gram behemoth for two. Ril's menu describes it well: "cooked at the most intense heat to create a seared black crust with melting, medium-rare meat within." We'll add that it oozes with bold, concentrated flavor. No sauces required, though garlic jus is the house specialty.
Apple crumble _ one fine, hot mess, matched with The Last Polka's gula melaka ice cream & a luxurious hibiscus jam. Creativity is crucial to Ril's recipes: the menu might seem littered with familiar fare (tuna tartare, chicken casserole, sticky toffee pudding), but what elevates everything is impeccable preparation & the use of wild-card accompaniments.
Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec, Mendoza, 2007.
For earlier entry on Ril's crazysexycool cocktails: September 29.
Ril's only opens in the evening, unlike The Warehouse's cafe downstairs, but it boasts a bar with happy hours starting at 5 p.m. Two-for-one cocktails & free steak sandwiches before 7 p.m.
Still a calm refuge for now, since Ril's only began operations this week, but that could change.
Finally, who is Ril? That would be Khairil Ibrahim. And what about the rest of the food here? Well, another entry awaits, without a doubt.
Ril's Steakhouse.
The Warehouse Gallery & Cafe,
Jalan Tun H.S. Lee, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2022-0528.
So is it the best in KL? If yes, we're heading over there soon since hubby loves beef and a good steak :)
ReplyDeleteSuperb...superb...I m really glad I bought their groupon...
ReplyDeleteGonna match tat steak with their intriguing chicken casserole n fondant with Last Polka's salted gula melaka :D
Baby Sumo: heheh, well, it's the best steak we managed to have in September. but nah, I can't genuinely call it the best beef in KL. Prime and Mandarin Grill are still ahead :D
ReplyDeleteUlric: I hope the ribeye for the Groupon deal will satisfy you, even though it's a different cut! the chicken casserole is a main course too, so you'll need a hefty appetite! =)
Nope....I think I will go 4 d New York strip instead :)
ReplyDeleteDun worry...we will definitely gobble everything up :D
Ulric: yay, i hope you enjoy every morsel and moment of your meal here =)
ReplyDeletewow, nice using local produce!
ReplyDeletemichelle: heheh, yeah, fresher than air-flown beef, in that sense :D
ReplyDeleteWahhh that one huge beef ! and for once it was only ONE main course for your dinner! :P
ReplyDeleterebecca: heh, and for customers with even bigger appetites, they also offer porterhouse steaks that are 1 kilogram for two people and 1.5 kilos for three :D
ReplyDeletekudos for using local produce, and of that quality too!
ReplyDeletei presume that this is pork-free or halal-certified restaurant as they use the same Gemas bred beef same as Meat Works, interested to try
ReplyDeleteMmmmm yummmm. Can eat here if I work late hours! (beats eating crappy stale biscuits!)
ReplyDeleteluckily it's not pork or else I have to find a way to navigate through the traffic jam to get here :P
ReplyDeleteJoe: yeah, though they also serve Australian air-flown beef (angus, I think) for customers who want it :D
ReplyDeleteDeenz: it's pork-free, though I think they have no halal certification for the restaurant, since alcohol is served. The beef is definitely halal though =)
Lemongrass: stale biscuits should be banished to the dustbin! Yeah, you could head here, since the last orders for the kitchen are at about 1030pm, while the bar stays open till midnight :D
Leo: heheh, traffic here seems OK nowadays, even during the evening rush hour. Maybe puduraya is less crazy-busy now =)
I should pop by after work too. Since I work quite nearby...
ReplyDeleteBeef looks perfectly medium rare. I like! :)
bangsar-babe: oh yeah, the motto of this restaurant is "steak done right." they assure customers they take their beef very seriously, heh :D
ReplyDeleteIt looks beautiful, this steakhouse, it does. I'm certain no customers will have a beef with their beef, given their motto. Hehe.
ReplyDeleteKenny: heheh, I wish I could also promise you that you'd have a team of beefcakes attending to you as your waiters here. Heaven knows how much you love your eye candy :D
ReplyDeletethis is a nice place. I like the simple deco but with good food!
ReplyDeleteEiling: yep, it'd be a pleasant place for both group dinners and intimate dates :D
ReplyDeleteoooh wow...abit slow into reading the posts...but this place looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteQwazymonkey: oh yeah, I rarely venture into the Chinatown district for food, since I'm so lost in this part of town, but this outlet is worth the effort! :D
ReplyDeleteLooks heavenly! Price scale for 2 to dine + wine?
ReplyDeleteUnknown: i think it'd be best to budget about RM100-150 per person =)
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy my eye candy but who says they gotta be beefcakes leh? ;)
ReplyDeletekenny: i'm betting you prefer the beefcake sort to the chicken-legged variety! :D
ReplyDelete