Each bite was part of an elaborate story. The crackling introduced the rich flavors of the pork belly with a satisfying and captivating crunch. The loin was tender and carried the narrative from taste bud to taste bud. My slice of porchetta reached a poetic climax when loin and pork belly met mid-chew and I melted into the experience.
Standing before me, beaming with pride, was José, my narrator of texture and taste, my poet of the grill.
“Is it okay, edible?” he asked. He smiled knowingly.
Lost for words to describe it, I stumbled out, “It’s great. It’s amazing.”
I looked to the lady and gentleman to my left. He was nodding. She was smiling. They looked as though they were following the same line, in the same paragraph, on the same page.
Someone behind me immediately ordered two plates of the pork. José directed them to the Myanmar Meat Club table and returned both dutifully and happily to his grill. There were many more stories to tell and they required him to tend to the flames.
A unique new culinary experience is coming to Yangon.
Myanmar Meat Club is born from the love of great cooking techniques and quality meat, not as a product, but as an experience. Marbled Black Company founder Htoo Maung and Brazilian foodie and grill perfectionist José Ricardo Silva mix passion and expertise to introduce Yangon to the culture of barbecue.
José found his passion for cooking early in life. “I started cooking when I was around twelve years old,” he said, reminiscing, and like many great cooks, his inspiration was his family.
“My father came from a farm, my brother is a professional butcher and a barbecue master, and that’s where everything came together. I used to help my brother slaughter the cows on our farm. Once we were just finished I would have a red piece of fresh steak cooked on the grill.”
Htoo Maung’s family also played an important role in his love for great food. His family in Hong Kong and Singapore own their own fine food companies, building in him a love for quality.
Although quality is important when talking meat, Htoo Maung wants the focus of Myanmar Meat Club to be on the laid back atmosphere of a cookout, amazing flavor of the cuts, and the time spent with family and friends.
At their launch event on December 14th and 15th at Yangon Zay, the pair served 450-day GF Australian wagyu rump, pork belly, pork chops, homemade sausage, and chicken wings. Everything on the menu delighted the senses and went easy on the wallet.
Myanmar Meat Club is making its entrance into Yangon like a friend coming over for dinner. It’s sauntering in, saying hello, grabbing a beer, and sharing stories by the grill.
Keep an eye out for the Myanmar Meat Club. And if you see them, say hello, enjoy their cooking, and appreciate the culture of barbecue.
