Pepper Lunch is a very popular Japanese-style makan place that has been around for many years. The outlets in Singapore however are not certified Halal.
Well, luckily for us – the outlets in Malaysia are certified Halal!
So the concept is really simple but something that is still so attractive.
You get to cook your own food on a hotplate! I’m not talking about steamboat style or the kind of hotplate that is perpetually hot (like table BBQ). This kind of hotplate is heated up (to 260 degrees!!) so that you can cook the meat to your liking and then after awhile, the cooking stops as the heat stops as well.
If you like your meat medium rare, put it atop the vegetables to stop the cooking but if you’re like me and you like it well done, leave it on the hotplate to cook through all the way to the end.
Check out this promotional video that also plays at the Pepper Lunch outlets. It’s actually like an instructional video that shows how to cook the different menu items they have.
Looks good eh? Looks fun eh? Well it is!
It’s always fun to play a part in cooking your food the way you like.
But they seem to have forgotten one item on the menu which also happens to be my favourite!
Let’s take a look at how the expert does it…
Yummy! Absolutely mouth-watering I say…
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| Ribeye Steak (RM36.80) |
So for those with a bigger appetite for meat (like me) then you should go for the Ribeye Steak.
It comes with a combo which includes rice and veggies so you get a balanced meal. Also includes a side of mashed potatoes (which isn’t really anything special to be honest)
The meat is really really as tender as you would expect and of course, you are responsible for how well you meat is cooked so you can stop at medium rare or medium well if you’d like. I personally always go all the way for well done.
And yes – it really is as big as it looks in the photo.
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| Pepper Steak (RM29.80) |
For those who prefer something a little smaller, go for the Pepper Steak.
This is basically a smaller size piece of meat (which happens to be a Sirloin cut by the way) plus all the additional sides as well.
The meat is still tender and not too bad considering it’s fast food.
But the serving is much smaller compared to the Ribeye so if you’re hungry, we suggest you go big.
Plus, for the minimal price difference, you might as well top-up.
But a word of advice though…
You will have to add these two sauces to your meat while it’s cooking on the hotplate.
Your initial instincts will be to taste them first which is fine because they don’t taste too strong when you taste them on their own.
But when you start putting it on the meat, please don’t overdo it!
Being the hero that I am, I went all out and thought to myself “the more the merrier”.
That was a mistake! Too much will make your dish very very very very very salty so go slow okay!
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| Seafood Aglio Olio (RM18.80) |
No likey the meaty? No problem!
Pepper Lunch also offers alternatives which involves no beef or chicken at all. And one of them is the Seafood Aglio Olio for all you pasta lovers.
When we first saw it, our initial reaction was “Pasta on a hotplate is not a good idea” but we were willing to give it a try so that all our readers have a heads-up!
They give you a small dish of seasoning and olive oil which you are supposed to pour all over your pasta while it cooks on the hotplate and is probably supposed to keep it from burning.
Well it doesn’t really burn but as you can see, it does tend to get a bit dry.
Maybe a little (or a lot) more olive oil would have been helpful?
Come to think of it, maybe you should think twice before having pasta on a hotplate.
Don’t get us wrong. The taste itself was not too bad actually. But the dried up dish wasn’t a hit.
So it’s either you eat really fast before it dries up or maybe ask for extra olive oil.
PS don’t bother asking for Tabasco sauce – they’ve never heard of it.
(Reminder – this is Japanese pasta not Italian pasta)
Adam’s Verdict:
Ribeye Steak 4/5
Maryah’s Verdict:
Ribeye Steak 4/5
Razali’s Verdict:
Seafood Aglio Olio 3.5/5
Azim’s Verdict:
Pepper Steak 4/5
Pepper Lunch is definitely worth a try if you’re in Malaysia. Wonder if they will apply for Halal certification in SG in future maybe?
Pepper Lunch
Pavilion KL
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Level 1, Lot 1.54
Tel: 60 3 21410228
Operating Hours:
10.30am til 10.30pm Daily
