Las Vacas, Yap Kwan Seng & MyBurgerlab, Seapark

Las Vacas was never in need of the 'third time's the charm' rule. Its outlets in Kelana Jaya and Mont Kiara were immediate hits, but every empire must keep expanding; the beef specialist's latest branch at Yap Kwan Seng could become its biggest triumph.

This is Las Vacas largest eatery, offering indoor and alfresco tables. Signaling surefire success, every table inside was booked by 6:30 on opening evening. Beware, latecomers who sit outdoors: mosquitoes might plague those fearless or foolish enough to wear shorts here.

The concept is clear: meat is the main event, but this branch boasts Las Vacas' widest menu, encompassing everything from beef croquettes to beef bruschetta.

Wagyu Karubi (RM35+), boneless spare ribs that score for succulence.

Pan-sauteed beef wraps, coating roasted vine tomatoes (RM18+). Everything we ordered here was flavorful, but there's a problem: Las Vacas seems to rely too heavily on sauces and pepper.

Ox tongue, thinly sliced and grilled, then drizzled with wasabi mayonnaise (RM45++). Many will like this, but we long for the simplicity of a Korean barbecue version, where the meat shines unadorned. Still, that's a matter of preference.

Angus grass-fed rib-eye (RM78+ for 300 grams), cooked a little too much past medium-rare, but still acceptable. Blessedly, the credit card facilities here are working already, curbing a repeat of what we encountered at Las Vacas Mont Kiara two years ago.

The meat might be halal, but we're thankful that wine is sold here, by both the bottle and glass.

We wanted to try Las Vacas' RM120, 250-gram-patty Wagyu burger, but it was unavailable during our visit. A beef-lover nevertheless can't surrender so feebly, so we drove more than a dozen kilometers from Yap Kwan Seng to Petaling Jaya's Sea Park ...

... returning to MyBurgerLab, where some of the Klang Valley's tastiest beef burgers can be had. No, they're not Wagyu-grade, but they're still wonderful.
Main entry on MyBurgerLab @ Sea Park: July 11, 2012.

MyBurgerLab might be PJ's busiest eatery this week, thanks to a largely college-age crowd; it opens at 5pm (except on its Monday rest day), but it sometimes finishes its entire stock of some 150 burgers by 9pm, two hours before it's supposed to close.

Brace yourself for a bit of a wait at peak hours. It might take thirty minutes, but hey, folks who want burgers in a hurry have numerous other options.

We tried a trio of MyBurgerLab's charcoal-bun bovine beauties, including "The Hangover" (RM16), topped with hash brown, maple syrup and shiitake and enoki mushrooms. Satisfyingly hearty, but when we contemplated this burger's name, we wondered whether we were the restaurant's only patrons legally old enough to drink.

Say Cheese 2 (RM17), with a double patty and double slices of sharp cheddar for (wait for it) double the pleasure!

A Beautiful Mess (RM18), the most expensive and expansive burger here, with a smashed patty partnered with a portobello mushroom and sunny-side-up. Impossible to eat like a gentleman, but it's one fine mess.

MyBurgerLab is a pork-free eatery that serves no liquor, but burgers taste better with booze, so ask the friendly service team here for a disposable Pepsi cup and pour some red wine into it. Or maybe not _ we gulped this without permission, for which we are deeply ashamed.

Las Vacas (taking over Tony Roma's location),
Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kuala Lumpur.
MyBurgerLab,
14, Jalan 21/22, Sea Park, Petaling Jaya.
Both Las Vacas and MyBurgerLab close on Mondays (note: that's today!)