Gobo Upstairs @ Traders Hotel KL

We pay Gobo Upstairs a visit, in search of the ultimate steak..

There are some steaks that are a pleasure to eat.

They need nothing more than a little salt and pepper to bring out their beefy goodness, and adding anything more, would be a travesty.

This special cut, that I am talking about, should be flame grilled, and served with as little fuss as possible.

Its slab of meat should be dense yet tender, and it should be sliced thinly against the grain and served juicy and rare, or at least medium-rare. Well-done steak is sad, dry and rubbery, and we can have none of that.

And at Gobo Upstairs, steaks are the name of the game…

For some cooked-to-perfection, quality aged beef that’s best eaten in the company of friends and family, hit Gobo Upstairs manned by nimble, young waiters who are attentive and ready to serve you as best they can, the entire night. What brings all these elements together is affordability and size – the steaks at Gobo Upstairs are of a generous proportion and aptly priced. They are ideal for feeding 2 persons comfortably, or if you’re ravenous, you could finish it all off on your own, just like hubby did.

Though the restaurant is big on beef, it’s not to say that they don’t serve other forms of meat as well. Choose from Australian black angus, master kobe, wagyu and even organic beef.. or if steak is not your thing, then go for the lamb, cod, salmon, chicken or king prawns. There are also vegetarian options for those who do not eat meat.

To start with, the waiter serves us some homemade baked breads that are warm and crusty on the outside, yet soft on the inside, served with some unsalted buter. The bread was delicious but we would have preferred salted butter to go with it. Then comes the amuse bouche served in tiny glass jars that makes for a cute, modern presentation of the chef’s taste-bud teaser.

amuse bouche – Celeraic dip with toasted bread crouton

The predominant celery flavour of the amuse bouche was what intrigued us. It was made into a creamy, chilled paste that went well with the toasted crouton.

Most of the tables for couples, are strategically located by the windows, so that you get a romantic view of the KLCC skyline and the park below.. very nice!

Live kitchen action.. watching the chefs flambé our steaks with great gusto was pretty entertaining

mushroom soup – with forest mushrooms and croutons RM24

Our mushroom soup was nicely whisked, light, yet full of flavor which made a nice change from soups that are so heavy with cream it makes you want to gag. It had a good balance of flavors.

New Zealand Ohau River Pinot Noir 2009

grilled asparagus, oak smoked duck, parmesan cheese mesclun greens RM32

Then came our appetizer of grilled asparagus, oak smoked duck and mesclun greens with parmesan cheese. We didn’t care much for the duck, which was a little tough, and the parmesan cheese was overpowering and didn’t really blend well with the entire dish. We would have liked a lighter dressing for the salad for sure.

After that, we were served our mains of steaks, and surf and turf. The grilled black angus ribeye was a joy to eat. Lightly seasoned with minimal gravy served on the side, this would be one dish that purist meat-eaters would enjoy. The king prawn was massive, succulent and fresh. Our hearty mains came with some additional sides of truffle mashed potato, silver dollar mushrooms glazed beef jus and wilted baby spinach with garlic chips, all priced at RM14 each.

more steaks getting flame grilled

Gobo Signatures: grilled black angus ribeye with king prawn and served on the side, bordelaise sauce RM155

Oh, I do love a good steak and at Gobo Upstairs, they deliver. Ribeye is certainly my favourite cut of steak as it has just the right amount of fat in it. I rather dislike lean steaks. This one came charred on the outside, with a warm, succulent, juicy pink center. And it was rare enough that my steak practically “moo-ed” when I stuck a fork in it.. Now that’s a steak!

We finished off with warm chocolate lava cake with cherry compote and vanilla ice cream dessert which was delicious and wonderfully plated. We were also rather impressed with the wine list – we had the New Zealand Pinot Noir and the Domaine Chandon Chardonnay. Most wines by the glass are reasonably priced too, at around RM25 per glass.

Warm Chocolate Lava with Cherry Compote and Vanilla ice cream

Ah, yes, they certainly know their way around a cow at this chic restaurant, touted for perfectly cooked aged steaks and stellar wines. Solicitous service and sleek decor add to the overall special experience and not to mention the fine finale of dessert that will leave a pleasant memory that’s unforgettably sweet. Gobo Upstairs comes highly recommended in our books.

swanky deco

the restaurant with a view.. Gobo Upstairs is one of the best places in KL for a relaxing, top quality meal!

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