FT: Maria’s Restaurant and Cafe, Metropolitan Square, Damansara Perdana
The Feedmelah.com team were recently invited to our very first food tasting by Maria’s restaurant, in Damansara Perdana. Having never been to any official food tasting before, we were not sure what to expect and what to do (I even asked Amy, one of the owners, if we had to pay for the food).
We’d actually been told about this place by a fellow blogger, Ken, of Foodpoi.com in a comment he left in a previous post. He told us to head to Maria’s to eat their steak but until I got to Damansara Perdana I had forgotten he had said that.
Maria’s was first established 9 years ago in Greentown Business Centre, Ipoh, by Maria Tan and her late husband Phillip Tan. It became a huge draw for patrons who love Maria’s steaks and signature cakes.
Both shared a passion for good food to eat, and to cook. At a time when Ipoh had little to shout of in terms of fine western restaurants, Maria and Phillip would scour the world in their travels to discover delightful kitchen secrets.
They opened up their Damansara Perdana branch about 2 years ago, which they styled with a country style influence, giving it that slightly ‘homey’ look and feel.
The branch manager, Mary Ann, one of the daughters of the owners, welcomed us when we got to the restaurant and immediately started laying out what she had planned for us to eat. And she had planned ALOT of food. Good thing I can eat alot and so can Steve…
Starters
Caesar's Salad
First up, something light and easy, a simple Caesar’s salad (RM12). Shaved bits of Parmesan, bacon bits (beef), walnuts and croutons with a light dressing.
Pumpkin Soup
Ox Tail Soup
Next up came two thick hearty soup dishes, the pumpkin soup and oxtail soup (RM18) respectively. The pumpkin soup (RM7.50) was freshly made, thick and creamy, which I particularly liked because alot of places I’ve been to serve canned soups and this one was definately freshly made.
Steve and Sue Ann particularly liked the Ox tail soup, asking for them to leave it on the table so that they could munch on the excess meat.
By this point the rich soups were already begining to fill us up but the main meals were yet to come. Mary Ann had chosen 4 main dishes for us to try.
There were only 3 of us eating.
Main Meals
Grilled Salmon Fillet
The first main meal to come was the Grilled Salmon Fillet (RM35) in a tangerine sauce.
Mary Ann was telling us that instead of regular salmon meat, they used sashimi grade salmon (chilled, not frozen) which they cooked medium rare, with the inside of the salmon still very pink. The result was a very soft and almost buttery texture, which blended great with the tangerine sauce.
Black Angus Steak
Wagyu Steak
In quick sucession came both the steak dishes they had made for us, a slab of Black Angus (top) and Wagyu (bottom) steaks respectively. Both steaks look almost identical but they had extremely different tastes.
The Black Angus (RM40/100g) has a more smokey flavour and firmer texture than that of the Wagyu, with the outer sides of the meat tasting a bit more charbroiled.
The Wagyu has a more buttery flavour (due to the marbling of the fat in the meat) and a much softer texture on the inside, almost melting in your mouth.
The cut of Wagyu we had was a grade 5 (grade 9 being the most expensive and the most fat content) which cost RM60/100gm. Mary Ann was telling us that they would have grade 7 Wagyu steaks for their customers soon, which would have been even softer than the one that we ate.
NZ Baby Cutlets
The final dish was NZ Baby Cutlets (RM48), with exactly one piece each for us to pick up by the bone and munch on the soft succulent lamb meat. Nicely seasoned with the same charbroiled taste as the steaks before.
After 3 starters and 4 main meals, we were truely full by now. But there’s always space for dessert right?
Dessert
Blueberry Cheesecake
A slice of Blueberry cheescake (RM7)…
Tiramisu
…and a serving of Tiramisu (RM12).
Both desserts were made by the chef (Mary Ann’s uncle – it’s a family business after all), but be warned, the Tiramisu has quite a ‘kick’ in it due to the alcohol.
All in all, a nice way to finish the meal.
Eating at Maria’s was a treat, especially the steaks, as I had never eaten Black Angus (which tasted great with the seasoning and charbroiled flavor), before with the Wagyu and Salmon dishes having a great melt in your mouth texture. We’d definately go back again.
Maria’s Restaurant and Cafe
C313A, Center Wing, Metropolitan Square,
No 2, Jln PJU 8/1, Bandar Damansara Perdana,
47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Cuisine: Western (Steaks)
Pork Free
Telephone Numbers
Outlet: 03 – 7725 2313
Mary Ann (Manager): 012-5200772
Jane Low (Manager): 012-2977996
Map:
Click to enlarge
* Prices are subject to change, please contact the restaurant for the most current prices.
Related posts:
Rumah Ku Gallery and Cafe – An Assortment of Food in Petaling Jaya Section 11
Tags: black angus, Damansara Perdana, food tasting, marias restaurant, metropolitan square, Petaling Jaya, wagyu steak
Yes, do give Dengkil a shot, the food is really good, and if...
March 6th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Excellent photos!
March 7th, 2009 at 1:46 am
Cheers Jon and thanks for dropping by…
March 8th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Blueberry Cheesecake and tiramisu….. cant get myself off the pics… yum yum…
we just had our invitation review in one of the italian restaurant… their tiramisu just yum yum yum…. and a lot of good desert.
March 8th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
The added benefit of telling people about ur love of food as a food blogger is that sometimes, people come and ask you to eat free food!
I never thought I’d be able to get free food by eating lots of food and telling people about the food.
Wow, that was alot of ‘food’. haha…
March 10th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
those steaks look dam nice..
March 10th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
They taste really good as well..one of the best I’ve had so far..=)
Wagyu steak..mmMMMMmm
March 10th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Dude…the food looks so good. Maria and her gang sure look like they know how to cook up a storm or two. How’s to bringing me there when i’m in town?
March 10th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
The singapore dollar is strong right? haha… ur paying =P and the food was definately good!
March 11th, 2009 at 7:03 am
sue ann is trying to sound like homer…
mmmmmm….. steak (dribble dribble)
March 11th, 2009 at 10:23 am
U”ll sound like homer too if you ate the steak..haha
April 15th, 2009 at 8:56 am
wah…tat food so great! 2day wil go celebrate my gf birthday at maria’s….
April 15th, 2009 at 11:38 am
haha, yay! Wish your gf a happy birthday from us at Feedmelah.. I would personally recommend the wagyu beef if you are looking for steak. You could tell the manager there Mary Ann that you heard of them from feedmelah..:) They will be very happy too. Have a good time!