A Cut Above the Rest with Maria’s SteakCafe at 1POWERHOUSE

By Dale B • 17 Nov 2023 in JUICE Cuba

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“If you’re stressed, it’s fine dining we suggest!” Truer words have not been spoken, especially by an anthropomorphic candlestick. With the year coming to a close, JUICE recommends our readers treat themselves to an attainable flight of fancy.

Images via Says, Mashable Southeast Asia, and Maria’s SteakCafe.

Those living in the Klang Valley will undoubtedly know the name Maria’s SteakCafe, with the restaurant being a fixture in Bangsar and Suria KLCC. As the name suggests, they serve up some of the best steaks in Malaysia, along with a whole assortment of Western dishes.

Their latest outlet is located on the 30th floor of 1POWERHOUSE in Bandar Utama, with the restaurant overlooking the landscapes of Taman Tun and the wider PJ area. JUICE was invited to the restaurant to try out some of the best that Maria’s has to offer, let’s check them out.

Appealing Appetisers

Our meal began with the Japanese Scallop with Tomato Salsa, with the scallop seared to perfection and having a great chew to it all. The more tangy tomato salsa complemented the slightly sweet taste of the scallop. Overall, a great start to any meal.

Next came the Caesar Salad, a common entry in Western-style menus, but we’re happy to say that Maria’s SteakCafe pulled it off. One can never go wrong with romaine lettuce, dressing, and croutons, and the leafy greens help prepare you for the red meats waiting to be served.

For a real treat, we tried out the Sturia Caviar, a real indulgence for most of us and really should be tried at least once in your lifetime. The briny roe tastes just like the ocean and is served with crackers and creme fraiche.

While this combo is a perfectly good way to eat caviar, we soon found out that pairing a tiny dollop of it with each bite of our red meat entrees to be a delectable treat as well. If you’re celebrating a particularly special occasion, caviar is the way to go.

Meaty Main Courses

The pièce de résistance of this meal was the Australian Wagyu Tomahawk, a dry-aged cut of beef that showcases Maria’s SteakCafe’s expertise. Marbled and seasoned to perfection, this is one of the best steaks they have to offer.

Couple with that is the New Zealand Lamb Cutlet, succulently grilled and will have you eating off the bone with your fingers. The lamb’s more pronounced gamey taste also contrasts with the milder tomahawk flavour, so having them together is the way to go.

Next, we have another Malaysian favourite, Spaghetti Seafood Aglio Olio, a dish that is simple to create but hard to perfect. Maria’s loads up their version with a generous assortment of prawns, squid, salmon, and a giant mussel on top.

It may not be the showstopping entree that the tomahawk steak and lamb cutlets are, but for our review, it was a pretty good palette cleanser with familiar flavours. We can’t stress enough how good biting into a steak with a tinge of caviar is, so the olio was a good pull back down to planet Earth.

Sticking the Landing

For dessert, we had Prune Cake which may not be to this writer’s taste, but our fellow diners thoroughly enjoyed especially with how close Christmas is. Fruit cakes can be a hit or a miss, but Maria’s prune cake keeps it simple by omitting raisins, cherries, and the like.

Maria’s SteakCafe also has an assortment of cocktails for diners to pair their meals with, from the gin-infused Apple Treacle and a cocktail that has Oolong tea as its star ingredient. There are 10 cocktails to choose from, and you can’t go wrong with either of them.

Overall, we had a great time at Maria’s SteakCafe with its array of meaty entrees, indulgent appetisers, and the ambience of the restaurant. We definitely recommend going on a date here on a clear night and enjoying a fancy meal with a view.

Besides that, Maria’s SteakCafe is also running an exciting November promotion, where dine-in customers will be entitled to enjoy a free flow of wine with the purchase of any Wagyu steak at Maria’s SteakCafe!