Marble 8 at Menara Petronas 3: A New Perspective

This review is brought to you in part by Marble 8.

The life of one of Malaysia’s most celebrated steakhouses can be divided into two eras – before and after the big move. Before, the standalone restaurant Marble 8 boasted multiple floors, a hip bar, wide-open spaces, and even a private garden that segued into impressive ground-level views of KLCC and the Petronas Towers. Opened in 2014 under The Marini’s Group brand, it was destination dining at its most elegant.

Earlier this year, however, the entire operation closed up shop and moved a few hundred metres northeast and 56 floors up, now occupying space on the floor one level down from the group’s flagship venture, Marini’s on 57. It’s an altogether more intimate space than before, and we loved it. As you arrive at ground level, you’re directed to the sixth-floor ‘Sky Lobby’ of Petronas Tower 3, and from there, you must change lifts and go through a mild security check, divesting your person of metal objects and walking through a detector. It’s a bit odd to do this as a precursor to dinner, but I suppose these are the times in which we live.

A speedy ride up to the 56th floor and we were welcomed cordially by the Marble 8 team, and the first impression upon walking into the dining room was simply, “Wow!” All of the understated elegance and luxury of the old Marble 8, fit into a more intimate space and punctuated with breathtaking views of the KL cityscape. Gone is the trendy bar; head upstairs to Marini’s for that. Here, dark woods and leather underscore the class and sophistication of the restaurant, and if there was any lingering doubt as to the luxury aims of the venue, a quick scan of the menu quickly clears it up.

Marble 8 is not a budget-friendly restaurant at all and makes no apologies for it. The view, the ambiance, the knowledge and training of the staff, and the highest quality of food and beverage all point to founder Modesto Marini’s signature trait: no compromise. Substantial cuts of the finest quality Australian Wagyu and Black Angus beef rest comfortably in the on-site dry aging cellar (or ‘ageing’ if you prefer), a range of stunning wines is displayed in the glass cellar, and at every turn, diners are keenly aware that the prices they’re paying are well-represented in the sheer quality of everything in sight.

A primer on aged beef

One of Marble 8’s most impressive claims to fame is not only that it even offers dry-aged beef – indeed, few restaurants do – but that they age the meat themselves in a state-of-the-art aging cellar in full view of guests. Virtually all beef is aged, as there is a significant improvement in taste and tenderness when it’s aged for at least a week or so. However, the vast majority of beef is ‘wet-aged’ and rests in its own juices. Most of this beef is vacuum-sealed, and though this type of aging is far, far more common, it’s seldom discussed or referenced. This is basically the default method of aging beef. Wet aging is relatively fast, it’s cheap, and it results in a more tender product for the grill. Marble 8 offers a lovely range of wet-aged cuts of beef, both Black Angus and Wagyu.

Dry aging, on the other hand, is entirely different, and it’s important to know about it before ordering one of the dry-aged steaks from the Marble 8 grill, because not only is the process itself different, the end product is considerably different, as well. The more you know, therefore, the more you’ll appreciate the steak you are served.

Dry aging exposes the beef directly to a controlled environment – temperature, humidity, atmospheric composition. The in-house aging cellar at Marble 8 utilises blocks of Himalayan salt to complement a carefully calibrated blend of temperature and humidity. As the meat is slowly dry-aged, the flavour is concentrated and altered from the process of enzymatic breakdown, oxidation, and moisture loss. So while both forms of aging increase the beef’s tenderness, only dry aging significantly enhances and intensifies the flavour. As the beef is dry-aged, there is moisture loss (and resultant shrinkage), and a tough ‘rind’ develops on the meat, which is trimmed away prior to preparation. For this reason, you’ll never see small, single-serve steaks in Marble 8’s dry aging cellar – there would only be a sliver of edible meat left! Only whole, large cuts of meat are suitable for dry aging.

How long should the beef be aged? Well, this can vary, but at Marble 8, their impressive cuts of beef are aged for a minimum of 21 days, regardless of the method. The dry-aged beef achieves its maximum tenderness somewhere between 14 and 28 days; further aging has a negligible effect on tenderness, but aging up to 45 days can really intensify the flavour in a complex way. Aging far beyond 45 days has mixed reviews – much like whisky, older won’t necessarily mean better, but it will always mean costlier. As whisky evaporates from the barrel during aging, so too does beef continue to shrink during longer dry-aging, resulting in less product to sell – thus, more expensive. Marble 8 generally ages their beef to a maximum of around 40 days. This results in maximum tenderness, and a wonderful complexity of flavours. But it’s an altogether different experience than the more traditional wet-aged steak.

The meal

First, we should point out that even though Marble 8 is a renowned steakhouse, there is more available on their menu than just beef, including pasta dishes, chicken, Norwegian salmon, and other seafood. In fact, there are even dishes that would satisfy a strict vegetarian – we recommend the house-made Papardelle Pasta with Mushrooms and Truffle Sauce (RM88). But if it’s a top-quality steak you’re after, expertly aged and prepared, this is your place.

Following the delivery of a basket of excellent breads and dips, we received a little gift from the chef, a grilled Wagyu mini-burger on a charcoal bun. Just two quick bites, this amuse bouche tantalised the palate and primed us for more culinary treats ahead. We ordered first from the Starters menu, selecting a trio of dishes. First up was the Hokkaido Scallop Carpaccio (RM98), artfully presented with tiny dollops of hollandaise and ponzu dressing and punctuated with Sevruga caviar and edible flowers.

Fresh, delicious, and probably our favourite dish of the three. (On a separate caviar note, Marble 8 also offers a selection of premium Oscietra and Beluga caviar sourced from sustainably farmed sturgeon fish, luxuriously served with the appropriate mother-of-pearl spoons, and complemented by crispy breads, condiments, and a choice of either Beluga Vodka or G.H. Mumm Champagne. The highest-grade Beluga caviar is offered in different serving sizes, but all of them work out to about RM40 per gram, right up to the 250g serving, priced at RM10,000.)

We also sampled the Wagyu Beef Tartare (RM158) and Liver Duo (RM158), the latter of which featured a pan-seared duck liver foie gras encircled with a goose liver pâté atop cinnamon biscuits. While both were excellent, we couldn’t help but wonder if the tartare wouldn’t have been better-received had it been a departure from the venue’s steak theme and served as a more familiar tuna dish. That said, it takes a serious measure of culinary skill and knowledge to produce a proper beef tartare that’s both tasty and safe to eat, and Marble 8 – unsurprisingly – pulled it off masterfully, the fresh, chilled Wagyu beef accented beautifully with shaved medallions of black truffle.

On to Marble 8’s signature offerings, from the grill, we chose the wet-aged, 800g Black Angus T-Bone (RM333), a cut which comprises both the tenderloin and the sirloin cuts and incorporates only a small amount of fat, but enough to deliver a mouthwatering flavour. This steak elicited actual gasps when it landed on our table – absolutely beautiful and cooked to sheer perfection. The chef then very kindly cut apart and sliced the steak for us and it tasted every bit as good as it looked. Highly recommended and easily enough to feed two greedy carnivores.

The dry-aged selection was the Tenderloin on the Bone (RM390, 350g). A prized cut valued for its tenderness and leanness, it’s uncommon to see tenderloin with the bone attached. With an appearance and mouthfeel completely different from the wet-aged steak, the tenderloin was very enjoyable. The flavours were complex, with a uniquely underlying earthiness. Tender and rich, this was a steak to be savoured and pondered.

A small symphony of accoutrements were served on the plate – various mustards and a duet of salts (sea and Himalayan). For me, only the salt was necessary for the wet-aged steak, and nothing at all for the dry. On a return visit, if selecting a dry-aged steak, I think I would opt for the 380-g Sirloin on the Bone (RM238), as I would be keen to see how the medium fat covering of the sirloin cut would compare to the ultra-lean tenderloin when dry-aged.

Sides are available at an extra cost, with the Creamy Mash with Truffle Butter (RM18) and Green Asparagus with Egg Mimosa and Shaved Parmesan (RM26) being superb standouts.

An extensive wine list is, of course, offered, carefully curated by both the founder, Modesto Marini, and excellent in-house sommelier Peter Teng, who can capably guide your selection should you find it necessary.

A range of tempting desserts is offered; we chose the Madagascar Vanilla Crème Brûlée with Caramel Ice Cream (RM38) and found it to be satisfactory, though we felt it would have benefitted from a shallower dish and the placement of the cookie and ice cream on the side rather than directly on the sugar crust – others may find the blend of textures, temperatures, and flavours quite appealing, however.

At the same price point, a perhaps more rewarding choice would have been the French classic Crêpe Suzette, flambéed tableside and served with Orange and Fresh Berries. Of course, you’ll never go wrong in any Marini’s Group restaurant ordering an Italian dessert, and here, the standout must be the Affogato Gelato with Kahlua Espresso and White Chocolate Crunch (RM38).

Bottom line: If your bank account is robust enough, you’ll enjoy a peerless dinner at Marble 8. The ambiance and sterling views serve as a perfect setting for the exemplary food and on-point service here. Private rooms are available in varying sizes.

In addition to à la carte dinners, Marble 8 also offers a number of set dinners (RM288 to RM388) and their ‘Elite Gourmand’ lunch sets, as well (RM78, 3-course; RM118, 4-course), which is a great way to introduce yourself to Marble 8’s quality, even if you don’t have a few thousand ringgit to spare on an order of Beluga caviar!

Location & Details

Address: Level 56, Menara 3 PETRONAS, Persiaran KLCC, 50088 Kuala Lumpur
Hours: Daily, 12pm to 2:30pm and 7pm to 11pm
Tel: +603 2386 6030 (Reservations advised)
Find: View directory for Marble 8 here.