Dry-aging beef is very time consuming and expensive, of course. During this process, the beef is hung in special temperature-controlled cabinets for 25-30 days. During this time, the beef will slowly dry out, resulting in meats which are superior in taste and tenderness. In the dry aging process, natural enzymes breaking up connective tissues result in juices absorbed by the meat, thus enhancing and tenderizing the cuts.
At Beato, their dry-aged beef steaks are processed inhouse in their customised aging cabinet. Once you are seated, a board with chalk-written available cuts for the day is brought to tableside for your selection. Oh by the way, Danny Choi the owner informed that “Beato” meant “blessed” in Italian.
While waiting for the steaks, we helped ourselves to warm rustic buns smeared with butter and the house-made olive tapenade.
Those addictive buns and their Bruschetta (RM15) were quick to tempt our appetite. Colourful cherry tomatoes and cream cheese adorned a thick slice of crusty bread drizzled with tangy balsamic vinegar and honey – it’s a bruschetta that’s simple but oh-so-satisfying.
I liked the Baked Salmon with Smoked Salmon Salad for its appetising presentation and light flavours. The baked salmon fillet was cooked just nice with the centres still pink and sweet. The smoked salmon, on the other hand was succulent and retained its natural sweetness well. Mixing these with the crisp greens and caramelised onion rings with a dash of the zesty vinaigrette dressing was more than enough to perk up our senses.
Aged for 25 days, our medium rare serving of 775g T-bone Porterhouse (RM38/100g) was adorned with grilled caramelised garlic and a lemon wedge. A good steak is minimalist in its marination and this Porterhouse was only given a shake of salt and black pepper. The natural juices of the meat flavoured it exquisitely. The strip and fillet sides of the t-bone had a slight difference in texture but both were almost equally tender. Dijon, wholegrain mustard and horseradish dips were provided for those who prefer some taste enhancement.
The smaller cut of 344g Ribeye was beautifully marbled and the medium-rare piece was glistening with fragrant melted fats when sliced. The delicious bovine flavours had me closing my eyes to totally savour them. Unless you are sharing, this cut is more manageable than the T-bone.
Assorted side dishes of grilled asparagus (RM14), corn (RM8), zucchini (RM9), sauteed mushroomS (RM15), sweet potato fries (RM14) or mashed potato (RM14) are available for your selection.
For those who are not partial towards beef, there’s chicken, lamb and fish to choose from. The Lamb Rack (RM59) was particularly impressive. The crunchy crust was made from breadcrumbs, walnuts, whole-grain mustard and bound with honey. Once sliced, the juicy pink centres beckoned and each mouthful of the tender lamb was sublime.
Half a Roast Chicken (RM39), smeared with garlic marinade and served with grilled vegetables by the side was another a good choice. The meat was juicy, even the breast part and overall, it was a very decent roast chicken!
We rounded off the meal with Dried Fruits (RM19) and a couple of chocolate desserts. With a dry-aging cabinet in-house, it’s simple to dry some fruits in them. So we had dehydrated strawberries, kiwifruit and pineapple in a pretty pile – their flavours were more intense.
Their Chocolate Lava (RM11) and Chocolate Mousse (RM18) would make chocolate lovers swoon. The mousse was incredibly smooth and velvety. The Chocolate Lava did not disappoint – loved the warm lava oozing out from the cake!
BEATO Publlika
D2-G3-9 Solaris Dutamas
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-6206-2405
Bangsar:
24-1 Jalan Telawi 3
Bangsar Baru
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2202-2405
Business hours: 5pm to 12am; weekend 12pm to 12am