Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Top Meats & a Taste of Australia, Chef Greg Farnan, Gobo Upstairs, KL

Words: Samantha Urlwin   Photos: Monica Tindall

The Traders Hotel KL is a landmark hotel with a stunning view of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers and KLCC Park.  It is, in fact, one of the favourite places to take friends and family for a lovely meal and to take in the view.

Last night I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Gobo Upstairs Lounge and Grill. They’re showcasing Grant Burge wines paired with Australian meat and fish with Guest Chef, Greg Farnan for a limited time, from October 10th through 15th, 2016.  I’d been looking forward to this meal all weekend; everything on the menu sounded delicious.

Greg Farnan is the Head Chef/Group Operations Manager, BWG Steakhouse, The Old Brewery & Riverside Brewhouse.  As Western Australia’s leading exponent of the ‘great steakhouse experience, he’s passionate about beef and is particularly proud of his signature Tomahawk Steak.  He’s traveled extensively throughout Asia, Europe, the UK, the USA and all over Australia, learning everything he can about food, especially meat, various herbs,  spices, and different styles of cooking.  The result is pure artistry…

The Lounge and Grill itself is modern and elegant, such contemporary surroundings make you want to linger for hours over a glass of wine, with smooth jazz playing in the background. Menu options range from a two (RM135), three (RM165) or four (RM190) course meal or a six course wine dinner (RM350).  An a la carte menu is also available.

Our meal started with an appetizer of Grass-fed Angus Beef Tartare with quail egg and grilled ciabatta. The beef tartare was melt-in-your-mouth delicious and paired beautifully with a glass of Grant Burge Pinot Noir Chardonnay.  The Pinot Noir Chardonnay is a richly flavoured sparkling wine that has hints of stone fruit and a superb, crisp finish.

Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Grant Burge Pinot Noir Chardonnay
Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Grass-fed Angus Beef Tartare

Following the beef tartare was a delectable Lamb Sirloin Carpaccio with pickled beetroot, king mushroom and a citrus and coriander broth. Accompanied by a glass of Grant Burge Summers Chardonnay 2013, this was a truly divine experience! The presentation was lovely and the flavours complemented one another beautifully.  The lamb carpaccio and Summers Chardonnay were each delicious on their own but, once paired, soared to new heights.  The wine has aromas of citrus, peach and nectarine, a creamy texture and excellent flavour.

Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Grant Burge Summers Chardonnay 2013
Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Lamb Sirloin Carpaccio

The third course was a delicious Australian Rainbow Trout with blistered corn, jalapeño salsa, charred lime and confit heirloom tomatoes, served with a glass of Grant Burge Holy Trinity Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre 2011.  While the ingredients all had very distinct flavours, the dish had a delicate feel and the flavours married beautifully. Once again, the wine pairing was spot on; with flavours of plums, berries, chai tea and fruitcake.

Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Grant Burge The Holy Trinity Grenach Shiraz Mouvedre 2011
Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Australian Rainbow Trout

Next, the pièce de résistance and Chef Farnan’s specialty; the Black Angus Tomahawk, served with duck fat chips, béarnaise sauce and bone marrow with sides of grilled asparagus, a rocket and heirloom beetroot salad and assorted salts and mustards. The Tomahawk, weighing an average of 1.8kg, is a rib-eye or scotch fillet on the bone and comes from Wagyu beef.  Each Tomahawk is presented to guests and hand-carved at the table.  It was cooked to perfection and was melt-in-your-mouth delicious! The pairing mate, Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz 2008, named after Grant Burge’s great grandfather Meshach William Burge, is sourced from old vines (some close to 100 years old) and has aromas of dark chocolate, berry coulis, leather and cinnamon. Combined, the wine and the steak made an extraordinary match.

Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Chef Greg Farnan and the Tomahawk
Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Greg and the Tomahawk
Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Black Angus Tomahawk

While I didn’t think I’d have room for anymore, I couldn’t resist the last course of Baked Australian Brie with quince paste and apple crisp. Wonderfully creamy and rich, it was served with a Grant Burge 10 Year Old Tawny; a richly flavoured wine, the palate is sweet and mellow but finishes quite dry.

Review of Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Baked Australian Brie with Grant Burge 10 Year Old Tawny

I’m sure I won’t need to eat for at least a week after such a wonderful and decadent meal. Chef Farnan did a fantastic job and the wine pairings were exquisite! The union of beautiful wines from the Grant Burge winery in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, paired with amazing fresh food and meat from Australia made for a truly memorable feast. From beginning to end, the meal was flawless!  Don’t miss out, make your reservation now!

Reasons to visit: a unique opportunity to sample chef Greg Farnan’s superb preparation of top quality Aussie meats. If you’re a wine drinker, the pairing too is very well done.

Gobo Upstairs Lounge and Grill
Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur City Centre
50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
(60 3) 2332 9910
[email protected]

8 Comments

  1. Your first photo as well as the lamb dish are making me hungry! It is a good thing I will be eating supper in a couple of hours. 🙂 The Australian rainbow trout also looks very good! I like the look of the Beef Angus but I have not eaten beef in more than a year, as every time I ate it, either I would get an attack of gout or just feel “yuck”. So I stick to chicken, lamb, pork and fish, as these choices are better for me, leaving me feeling satisfied but not stuffed. However, it does help that I don’t “pig out”.

    The baked Brie plate in your last photo looks tantalizing as well! 🙂

  2. I still do not dare to eat beef tartare!
    Which is rather odd cos I had tried raw octopus in Korea before… 😉

    • Have you tried beef carpaccio? It’s a good way to initiate yourself into raw meats before moving onto the tartare. 🙂

  3. Look at all these meats! Yums!!!

  4. Tomahawk looks good, the beef sure looks perfectly done.

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