August 30, 2012 at 6:15 pm
Hanging out at Outback Steakhouse reminds me of everything good about a best friend. It isn’t pretentious, doesn’t scream for your attention and doesn’t cheat you of your money. Like any other ‘real’ best friend, I’m comfortable and at ease and every meeting is a joyous occasion.
Perhaps I’m being too whimsical about Outback, but I’m sure Wilson Ng of Places and Foods would agree with me when I say that Outback certainly is a great place to unwind after a long day of work, or in our case, to enjoy ourselves during the weekend. We were lucky enough to be invited to a weekend dinner hosted by Outback Steakhouse South East Asia’s Managing Partner, Mr. Rajiv Bharatiya at Outback Steakhouse, BB Park, as part of the Dining with Moola experience. You can check out what Wilson has to say about his experience at Outback Steakhouse right here.
Now, about Outback Steakhouse. It is located at BB Park, right in the middle of Kuala Lumpur’s retail district, Bukit Bintang. The soothing ambience, especially within the cozy restaurant, helps to invoke a friendly and calm atmosphere, when combined with great food, makes for an outstanding evening. Throw in great company in the form of two bloggers with their wives and a warm host, you’ve got yourself an unforgettable occasion.
Our evening started with an introduction to some of Outback Steakhouse’s lovely appetisers – Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla, Crispy Chicken Salad and Crispy Fried Mushrooms. The Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla is a succulent combination of chicken breast, sautéed mushrooms, beef bacon, melted cheeses stuffed in a grilled flour tortilla. This delightful treat is served with honey mustard sauce. It really does its job as an appetiser as it’s simply so good. The Crispy Chicken Salad’s generous portioning makes it a main course for those who love watching their weight. Fried chicken fingers served over mixed lettuce, with tomatoes, cheese, beef bacon, diced egg, and croutons make this salad a dish that can actually be shared. Best of all, you get to select your own sauce to go with the salad.
We were pampered for choice that evening, having three lovely sauces to choose from – Ranch, Blue Cheese and Thousand Island. Every dressing is custom made by Outback Steakhouse and checked daily for consistency and quality. Each dressing was fantastic, offering pleasant surprises to my sauce weary tastebuds. I loved the blue cheese best, but later developed a liking for the thousand island, which has a slightly spicy tinge to it.
The simplest, yet most elegant appetiser that evening for me was the Crispy Fried Mushrooms. Lightly breaded and then fried till golden brown, these mushrooms taste heavenly with the special spicy ranch dressing that comes with it. It’s no wonder why it’s a favourite among Outback’s regulars.
But of course, what’s a restaurant without its main courses? And for a steakhouse, that means steak. Outback Steakhouse does not disappoint in that category, serving up four cuts of steak – the Outback Special, New York Strip, Victoria’s Filet, and Ribeye. All steaks come with two freshly made sides, and yes, you decide how well you want your steaks done. Outback also offers combination dishes that incorporate its great meats in them, such as the Toowomba Topped Filet, which we had the chance to sample. Sauteed shrimp and button mushrooms are tossed in a tomato cream sauce and served over a seasoned and seared filet. The result? Very happy diners!
For those who aren’t that into steaks, worry not, as Outback also has an extensive range of chicken, fish and lamb dishes. Not only that, the restaurant offers pasta as well. Before you wonder what’s pasta doing in a steakhouse, let me assure you that the Seafood Pasta we tried is not there just to round up the menu, it is a dish worth noting. Shrimp, calamari and fish fillet with fettuccine tossed in Outback’s homemade marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese make it a satisfying meal.
And like any self-respecting steakhouse, Outback Steakhouse serves a mean burger! It’s got a mouthful of a name, but then again, it’s a heck of a mouthful of burger too. Meet the Bloomin’ Steak Sandwich – tender strips of sirloin, sautéed with balsamic glazed onions, melted cheese, tomato and finished off with Outback’s signature Typhoon Bloom petals. And it’s served with tomato mayonnaise and Aussie fries.
After a delightful and filling meal, we ended our evening with smiles and dessert. Deciding to share, we tucked into Outback’s popular Chocolate Thunder from Down Under. Built solidly with a fresh-baked pecan brownie as a base, it is topped with an amazingly generous scoop of rich vanilla ice cream, which is then covered with classic warm chocolate sauce AND another scoop of fresh whipped cream. This dessert is topped with chocolate shavings, ours came topped off with a decadently rich chocolate spire!
So if you are EVER in Bukit Bintang and just feel in need for some great food in a great place, head on to Outback Steakhouse for an unforgettable evening! And yes, they do serve some of the coolest cocktails in town!
This Dining With Moola experience is courtesy of Moola, currently the best-kept secret in town. Be elevated to a totally new and exciting lifestyle when you discover Moola!
Tags: Bukit Bintang, Food Review, Mobile Lifestyle, Moola, Outback Steakhouse, PlacesandFoods.com, Restaurant Review, Steak, Wilson Ng