Tosca presents Grilled Tomahawk Steaks

“6.30pm to 10.30pm starting in July for a limited time only,” I overheard this over bits of conversation during the evening cocktail to bid farewell to General Manager, Simon McGrath, and to welcome his replacement, Daniel Alcaraz.

Grilled Tomahawk Steaks like this are served
at Tosca Trattoria Italiana for a limited time only

It was a casual get-together at the poolside and terrace outside Tosca, mainly of hoteliers and guests who were introduced to the hotel’s new GM. As the crowd thinned, I met Executive Chef Jaffery Othman, who filled me in on the current promotion of Grilled Tomahawk Steaks at Tosca and invited me over to dine.

“So that was what they were talking about…” I thought to myself as I checked my calendar for a suitable date with Chef Jaffery. I know how chef enjoys cooking up something special for guests and I’ve often been the beneficiary of his culinary creations. Then we set a date.

I remember how chef reminded me to come early and I reached Tosca Trattoria Italiana that evening in plenty of time to settle down with a drink. Then wreathed in smiles, Chef Jaffery introduced me to our dinner that night.

It was a 1.5kg on-the-bone Rib Steak with the entire rib bone, French trimmed for the chunk to resemble a traditional North American tomahawk axe!

“Grass-fed Black Angus,” chef said as he whisked the tomahawk steak into the kitchen to grill. That was a lot of meat on a long bone.

Executive Chef Jaffery Othman
serving a Grilled Tomahawk at Tosca

As I was mulling over how we were going to do justice to that generous portion of meat, my dining partner showed up! He was none other than the GM himself, Daniel Alcaraz.

After a long and eventful workday, Daniel was ready for a fortifying meal and we started with the appetizers. I reminded myself about how chef delights himself with feeding me so I paced myself carefully as I helped myself to the antipasto set out on the buffet.

The grilled pumpkin and eggplant among the Tuscan-style grilled vegetables were my all-time favourites but I limited myself to just one piece each. A pinch each of the Classic Niciose Salad, Lamb Salad and Beetroot Salad made up a fair portion while I steered clear of the assorted toasted bruschetta because that would just fill me up.

Just before I sat down, chef asked me if I’m ok with clams. And I replied, “I’m fine with clams.”

So when a freshly-made Italian clam soup was served, Daniel and I agreed that it came with the right kick. The tangy taste of fresh tomatoes combined with the savoury flavour of clams… hmm… I shamelessly used my fingers to remove the clam shells from my bowl and Daniel swiftly passed me a saucer for them.

Check out the juicy slices of Grilled Tomahawk Steaks

Then our main course was ready. Chef Jaffery proudly presented the platter of skillfully Grilled Tomahawk that was “well-rested” before it was served. What a gorgeous chunk!

Chef allowed me to snap my fill of photos before he removed it back to the kitchen to carve and served it again, this time for us to eat.

I recalled how chef pointed out the marbling on the tomahawk steak in its pre-cooked state and I was ready to taste the juicy, tender meat that was full of flavour.

The Grilled Tomahawk was sliced and presented with vegetables like roasted garlic in oil, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted new potatoes and carrots. Two types of gravy were served on the side – black pepper and mushroom – but the meat was so tasty that I didn’t have to add any sauce.

Squeeze a few drops of smoky juice from the caramelised
lemon [Right] onto your steak for a delightful taste

Chef joined us at the table for a bite and for a while there was silence as everyone savoured the steak.

While chewing my juicy steak, I overheard someone speaking again. From the corner of my eye, I spied the wait staff explaining to diners about Tosca’s current promotion, priced from RM399 nett, the Grilled Tomahawk comfortably serves two to three people.

Yes, I agreed that fans of good steak would certainly do justice to this portion of meat.

Then Chef told us that the promotion was clearly gaining popularity as that evening itself, he cooked several orders– including ours – and one was for a room service order!

In the tradition of Chef Jaffery who enjoys feeding me, he also served up a freshly-made pizza topped with smoked salmon and sour cream – to strike a balance with the meat in our meal.

A range of elegant cakes for our dessert

I quietly congratulated myself for pacing myself throughout the meal because the chef disappeared into the kitchen again only to emerge with a platter of delightful desserts.

Since the GM was dining with us, chef took the opportunity to showcase some new varieties of cakes before they were served in the hotel restaurants. 

There was a delicate cheesecake, slices of opera cake and layered yam-cheese cake as well as a smooth panna cotta – all of which tasted just right with a cup of hot decaf coffee.

It was no doubt, a very good meal but my evening was made even better with the privilege to get to know Daniel and to share with him, helpful tips in finding his way around his newly adopted home. It’s just my way of saying, “Welcome to Johor Baru!”

DoubleTree by Hilton JB is at No. 12 Jalan Ngee Heng, 80000 Johor Baru. For reservations at Tosca Trattoria Italiana, Tel: 607 – 268 6868. 

For more promotion details, visit Facebook DoubleTreeJB.