July 2008
The first thing that grabs you about Prime is its elegant modern décor, oversized tables and its wide open kitchen with an uninterrupted view of chefs hard at work. Attention to detail is a key element at ‘Prime’ evident by the house made bread and butter selection served to you the moment you plonk yourself down. Beef is a serious subject matter here with a selection of steaks from Australia, Japan, Argentina and US and what impressed me the most was the fact that you can order your steak based on cut, weight and number of days it’s been aged. For non-bovine eaters there’s also an extensive selection of appetizers, soups and salads with poultry and seafood dishes.
Opting for a mix of traditional steak restaurant fare, my partner and I ordered the apple wood smoked Norwegian salmon (RM45) and the truffle ravioli, mushroom fricassee (RM50). Of the two, the salmon dish stood out with the freshly smoked slices infused just right. The ravioli was a decent enough with pasta parcels packed with truffles and served with a creamy sauce. And then came the steaks.
Feeling slightly stuffed it was a wise move to order the 8oz selection of ribeye (RM95) and centre cut filet mignon (RM165). Both steaks were 200-day grain fed Black Angus and came with caramelised balsamic-shallot jus and cracked peppercorn sauces. The ribeye, which under the strict advice of the maître d’ was served medium rare was tender and grilled almost to perfection. The filet mignon was tender and full of flavour and juicy enough even though it was ordered medium well . Both steaks came with side orders of Truffle mashed potato, Wild green asparagus and Idaho steak fries (RM15 each) which complimented the meal quite well.
We left ‘Prime’ stuffed and satisfied and with total agreement that it was clearly head and shoulders above some of the other steak restaurants in the city. We do however have to stress that quality does come at a price and ‘Prime’ is clearly a place only fit for special occasions or if you have deep pockets. A full meal at ‘Prime’ for two can set you back up to RM400 which is high but certainly worth it, especially when it comes to quality steaks. Bart August
Awards
PRIME was shortlisted Best for Meat in the Time Out KL Food Awards 2012 and 2013. It was voted Best Fine Dining in 2012 and was specially commended in the same category in 2009. The restaurant won Best for Steak in 2010 and 2011. Our food awards are 100% voted for by the people of KL. This way, we guarantee that popularity and consistent performance are rewarded.
Food 40 is our monthly, definitive guide for where to eat in the Klang Valley. No entry into the Food 40 has provided any Time Out team member with a free meal or other incentive. If you have eaten somewhere that you think should rank amongst KL's top 40, email us and we'll check it out: editor@timeoutkl.com.