The beef tenderloin offers tender, succulent meat that is incredibly flavourful. — Photos: ART CHEN/The Star
When Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill first opened in Selangor’s Sunway Resort in mid-2022 (the celebrity chef’s first Malaysian outpost), it was nay impossible to get a reservation for dinner – many tried and were forced to give up for months on end. And people who did have the chance to eat there typically had some serious money to play around with – especially given that standalone meals like Ramsay’s famed beef Wellington cost nearly RM300 a pop!
Now that the hysteria surrounding Ramsay’s first restaurant in Malaysia has died down a little, there is a much better chance of dining at this salubrious eatery and getting more value for your money too. This coincides with the release of the restaurant’s first ever business set lunch, priced at RM188 for two courses and RM228 for three courses.
The new business set lunch at Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill offers diners the opportunity to inject their mid-day meal with a touch of luxury.
The set meals are designed for the corporate mavens who frequently throng the eatery to entertain clients or simply conduct business over lunch. These are also typically individuals who don’t necessarily have much time on their hands. Which is why the set lunch offers quick, hedonistic meals – basically a sample of Ramsay’s famed food, without the price tag or the time required to indulge in these heavy meals.
The meal opens with a selection of homemade breads complemented by an applause-worthy smoked bone marrow butter. The breads are delicious – crusty cores revealing tender innards which only get more delicious once you smear it with lashings of the butter, which has hits of unctuousness and umami in every mouthful. This is an opener fit for the gods and one that really sets the tone for the rest of your lunch.
If you’re opting for the two-course meal, you have an option of either starters and mains or mains and desserts – depending on your appetite for the day.
The aged beef tartare is a true delight for the senses that is delicious from start to finish.
From the starters on offer, definitely opt to try the house favourite Aged Beef Tartare, which is made up of beef fillet, egg yolk confit and gherkin gel with game chips to round out the meal. Stir everything together and mount the beef onto the crispy shards of chips for maximum effect and sit back and allow your palate to indulge in the velveteen tenderness of the beef which is coated in a slick, rich egg veneer complemented by the acerbic quality of the gherkin gel. This is a meal that needs total silence so that you can fully appreciate its mic-dropping qualities.
Another worthy option for starters – especially if you’re looking to amp up the luxury quotient of your meal – is the Butter-Poached Lobster (RM70 supplement). Here, you will discover a fat, fluffy slice of lobster underscored by a rich buttery-ness, offset by the opulence of caviar and a very exotic hearts of palm puree. This does wonders to buoy the meal further.
If you’re after something much lighter to start your meal, try the Chilled Pea Soup, which also features cucumber, mint and smoked ricotta. The soup is a cold, comforting treat that is incredibly light and fresh with zesty undertones woven throughout.
From the mains on offer, the Spicy Mushroom Lasagne is a surprise vegetarian sleeper hit that features oyster and porcini mushrooms, chilli and pecorino cheese straddled between lasagne sheets. While the dish doesn’t sound all that interesting in theory, this is the perfect example of not judging a book by its cover. Because once you take a bite of the lasagne, you’ll be hooked. Each layer uncovers slight fiery undercurrents bolstered by the firm, woody bites of mushroom which hold this entire ensemble together like a master conductor.
Lobster isn’t something you’re likely to have for lunch, but why not when it’s this good?
You can also amp up the carnivorous factor a notch or 10 with the Beef Tenderloin (RM100 supplement). Here, you will discover beef that is perfectly cooked and still pink in the middle juxtaposed against sautéed spinach, winter truffle and truffle jus. Despite all the accoutrements in this star-studded constellation, it is the beef that is the succulent, tenderly yielding star of this show (and well worth the extra dent in your pocket).
If you have room to spare, also look at indulging in some of the sides on offer, like the Pomme Puree (RM40) which is essentially a decadent, putty soft bowl of mashed potatoes with indulgence at its core.
This mango-centric dessert is the gastronomic equivalent of being whisked away on a tropical getaway. — ART CHEN/The Star
From the desserts on offer, there’s plenty to whet the appetite, including the Classic Citrus Tart, which as its name implies is a citrus-laced tart balanced out by the fruity qualities of a raspberry sorbet. The tart is divine – silken smooth with lightly zesty qualities, which are countenanced by the sharp, cold sorbet which gives the meal contrast and equilibrium.
Perhaps the standout dessert on offer is the Knickerbocker Glory, which arrives in a tall sundae glass and is filled to the brim with mango, coconut sorbet and almond flakes in what proves to be a seductively addictive tropical delight that is the perfect sweet treat to cap off an afternoon of pure hedonism.
Overall, the brand new business lunch at Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill offers business and casual diners a sneak peak into what the eatery is capable of churning out, without putting too much of a strain on wallets or requiring the lengthy time investment usually reserved for a meal of this calibre.
It’s also a great introductory meal for people looking to sample some signature dishes here without having to fork out the usual eye-watering prices at this famed joint.
Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill
Lobby Level
Sunway Resort
Persiaran Lagoon
Bandar Sunway
47500 Subang Jaya
Tel: 03-7492 8000
Open daily: 10am to 11pm
