A new spot allows this passionate chef to up her ‘meaty’ game and deliver a complete customer experience. — Photos: Meat Feds
There is a reason they say “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. It is this spirit of resilience and perseverance that separates the wannabes from the people with true grit and determination.
In Yenni Law’s case, this strength of character has been her guiding force through turbulent times.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Law was forced to close her long-standing restaurant Meatology, which had been a Taman Tun Dr Ismail (in Kuala Lumpur) stalwart for years.
Very soon after that, Law and her business partner Shelly Saw dusted off their losses and began a new chapter when they opened Meat Feds in Taman Paramount, Petaling Jaya, in collaboration with another partner, who had approached them with the opportunity.
While that business venture was fruitful, the partners had differing values when it came to running a restaurant. Eventually, Law and Saw decided to part ways with their partner, and open a new restaurant.
Law is keen to put more focus on training her young team.
They started hunting for a new location for their restaurant. After a lot of futile searches and dead ends, the two finally chanced upon a space in an unassuming part of PJ’s quiet, suburban Section 11 neighbourhood where, as luck would have it, a space became available for rent the very day they drove past!
The new Meat Feds is sandwiched between provision stores and a few Indian restaurants in an area that has an instant off-the-beaten-track charm.
The interior has a minimalist industrial chic feel to it, with tables widely spaced out and lovely green accents courtesy of the chairs in the eatery.
The menu has stayed true to its meat-focused roots and doesn’t veer too sharply away from this, except that Law has introduced a couple of new items on the menu, which will roll out on Feb 26.
Start with the newly-introduced Hannibal Beef Tartare (RM88). This new offering encapsulates the customer experience at the restaurant as it is served and assembled tableside, with Law delivering a flawless Top Chef-worthy performance.
“Going to a restaurant to dine can be very static and monotonous and diners now are looking for something experiential and fun, so we are trying to give them this,” says Law.
The beef tartare is assembled tableside and features supple meat juxtaposed against a motley assortment of other ingredients.
The beef tartare is imbued with a motley assortment of flavouring agents in the form of pickles, lime juice, oil soy sauce, onions, black pepper, Dijon mustard and an egg yolk. Law stirs everything vigorously together, fits it into a mould and plates it up beautifully.
Taste-wise, this is a sublime beef tartare that has soaked up all the flavours of the other ingredients, sort of like a sponge.
As a consequence, the tartare has punch, crunch, dynamism and a touch of acerbity running through its core. Quite simply, it is impossible not to fall in love at first bite.
Another new offering is the Exquisite Liver Gras (RM98) which as its name implies, is made up of French foie gras (goose liver) that has been salted and spiced and then seared to yield a caramelised crust.
The foie gras has been cooked to perfection and is supine and silken with rich bursts of flavour.
The foie gras is superlative – basically a gold standard edition with a core that has a crisp countenance and yet succumbs ever so gently to an interior that is silken soft to the touch with rich umami notes bolstering its addictive quality.
Move on to more substantial meaty fare with the 4 Gyu (RM399), composed of a whopping 500g of beef, divided into four cuts. This tasting platter gives diners the opportunity to compare and contrast different bovine parts and is ideal for sharing among two or three people.
Law’s four options include black Angus flank, wagyu rump MB9, wagyu butcher’s cut MB9 and Angus entrana. The steaks are served alongside nine different kinds of homemade salts, including habanero, smoked salt, French salt, umami, herb, chinois and even a bak kut teh option!
All the steaks at the restaurant are charcoal-grilled to attain a smoking hot disposition as well as that highly-desired char on the surface.
On this platter, each variant offers something different: The black Angus flank (taken from the cow’s abdomen) is a smooth operator with a buttery overcoat and a texture that is velvety smooth and tender, while the wagyu rump (sourced from the inner thigh of the animal) is supple and smooth with more hefty meat overtures that are pleasant on the palate.
The entrana (skirt steak) is the heavyweight option in this ensemble cast, delivering overt beefiness in every mouthful. To round of this all-star cast is the butcher’s cut (taken from the upper belly of the cow), the undisputed “Miss Congeniality” of the group that no one could possibly find fault with because she is so darn good!
Moving on, try the Lamb Rump (RM162) which features 250g of New Zealand rump steak alongside a rambutan and pineapple salsa and a house-made pineapple and mint sauce.
The lamb rump features meat that is char-grilled to perfection and retains tenderness and succulence.
“This is for people who cannot eat beef but would love to. So we curate the lamb and cook it like a steak,” explains Law.
The lamb is spectacularly good – smoky, peaty notes permeate the meat and a crusty carapace gives way to flesh that is pink in the middle and tenderly succulent to the touch. It’s the sort of meal that deserves its own standing ovation.
From the porcine persuasion, look at trying the Spanish Fan Iberico Abanico (RM149). The Abanico is sourced from a part of the Iberico pig that is close to its rib, which is fan-shaped, hence the name.
In this iteration, Law has cooked the pork like a steak, so it is served medium rare.
In the case of Iberico pork, the animal’s feed is closely monitored and it only eats natural ingredients like acorns, wild grass or cereals, so it is completely safe to eat it medium rare.
The meat here is supple and slender with deeply-rooted porcine nuances and undercurrents coursing through its structural foundation. It is pork like you’ve never had it before and honestly, you’ll find it hard to reset your pork radar to the usual settings once your mind has been so thoroughly recalibrated to this stellar offering.
The delicious tiramisu is an alcohol-laden delight.
End your meal on a ridiculously boozy high with the wonders of the Pick Me Up Tiramisu (RM30). This is tiramisu – night-out-on-town edition. You don’t really even need to indulge in an alcoholic drink for the night because this dessert is the gastronomic equivalent of imbibing.
Basically, this variation all the usual suspects you would find in a good tiramisu with the addition of a boat-load of alcohol to enliven your senses. Clearly, Law takes the term “pick-me-up” very seriously.
Moving forward, Law says she is focused on training her young team (most of whom are fresh out of culinary school) and give them the confidence to become adept, able chefs.
“We want to invest in our talents. If any of them are ready and want to open their own outlets, we would definitely invest in them and be there to guide them. That’s our long-term plan,” says Law, smiling.
