Thursday night and there nothing much to do. I decided to cure myself of my steak cravings so I decided to head on to Melo’s Jupiter for a taste of their October Special: eight ounces of Grade 8 Wagyu tenderloin topped with Foie Gras. This is my second time to dine at Melo’s and it was a wonderful experience every time. I guess Wagyu does that to people.

The interior is tastefully red, a color that evokes fire, aggression, passion and, for me, mad hunger. I was so ready to have my Wagyu, I could taste it a mile away. The service is very friendly. None of the snooty treatment you get from most fine dining restaurants. At Melo’s, they make you feel comfortable. They make you feel like you are a guest.

Homemade Chicken Liver Pate

I ordered the October Special and included is the soup, salad (loved this one) and dessert. All for P3,350. Yes, it’s pricey, but compared to other Wagyu restaurants, you wouldn’t get it THIS THICK and THIS JUICY. Plus, there’s the sizable Foie Gras on top. I think it’s reasonable and value for money.

There’s Sonny Anton, musician extraordinaire who provided the soothing background music that made my meal more enjoyable. Hitting the high notes while savoring Foie Gras, ah this is the life.

This onion soup is one of the best I’ve tried. If you’re on a kind of low salt/ low fat diet, just tell the waiter and they will customize the dish for you. At no extra cost.

Love that cheesy center.

The Classic Caesar Salad was truly a delight. There’s a choice between Classic Caesar and Tossed Greens with vinaigrette.

If you can’t eat beef, there’s always seafood favorites like the Chilean Sea Bass. The meat of this fish is so soft and tender, yet you can smell the freshness. It goes with a creamy sauce that you may or may not use. Personally, I prefer it without the sauce. The Sea Bass is so juicy and creamy on its own.

Behold, the October Special.

See the fat in between the meat.

That’s the Foie Gras on top.

This is how Grade 8 Wagyu looks like.

This one is medium rare. I was surprised that the waiter remembered me and my cooking preference. “Sir, medium rare po gusto nyo, di ba?” (Sir, you prefer medium rare, right?)

A truly unforgettable Melo’s dinner.

And the Chocolatta to cap the dinner.

Melo’s is the first restaurant to offer certified Angus beef steaks in the Philippines, at the time when the words “certified Angus beef” were unheard of. Before we can understand the goodness of Melo’s restaurants, we need to understand the beef. So let’s get to the meat of this article.

What does it mean when a steak is made from Certified Angus Beef?

Angus cattle are originally bred in Scotland. They are born and bred to have no horns, thus the term “polled livestock.” There are several reasons why cattle is preferred to have no horns: these horns pose a threat to cattle handlers and the machines used to mark and examine them. Certified Angus beef go the extra mile than just having no horns. Their meat is more marbled and they have less than one inch of fat.

Wagyu beef and Kobe beef

A small confusion in terms, Wagyu refers to the breed of cattle whose meat is greatly marbled while Kobe Beef refers to beef of the Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle. Kobe beef is particularly expensive because the Tajima-ushi cattle is bred only in the Hyogo Prefecture of Japan, the capital of which is Kobe, thus the name. Because Kobe is prohibitively expensive, Wagyu producers in Australia decided to cross-breed the Tajima-ushi breed with good quality local Angus. The result? Beef that is as greatly marbled as Kobe Beef without the Kobe Beef price. Not bad eh?

Melo’s serves some of the best Wagyu steaks in the Metro today. Having been around for a long time, Melo’s Restaurant strives to deliver only the best steak experience for you and your family. Melo’s is located on Jupiter Street, Makat City.

Everything At Steak is a restaurant located along P. Guevara, San Juan, Metro Manila. This restaurant shares space with a Petron gas station so you can’t miss it. So why come here? It’s all about the food and the prices that are sure to delight any food lover.

This is a half rack of Baby Back Ribs. It comes with sides, rice and iced tea, all for P260.00 (US$5.66). Not bad for 2 people with modest appetites. Although the prices have been a result of compromise in accounting, the flavors remain deliciously generous.

There are other items on the menu that you will surely love, like the boneless chicken and the french onion soup.

The service? Though it’s ok, it would be nice if their staff didn’t laugh when fat people enter their restaurant. I actually moved to another restaurant when they did that to me, although I cant really say for sure that they laughing at me. It’s been a while since I got back, but I intend to give it another go.

The fish and chips only sell for P150 (US$3.30)

They are not really big on desserts because the only dessert item on the menu is a Apple Pie Ala Mode. must try!!!

The second leg of Orbit Gum’s food tour led us to Elbert’s Steak Room at the 3rd floor of the Sagittarius Building, along Dela Costa St, Salcedo Village, Makati City. Indeed, this place is one of Manila’s Best Kept Secret Restaurants. A delightful surprise while our party was going into the restaurant was seeing famous food writer Lori Balthazar stepping out. She greeted me and said she was a regular of the Steak Room. Wow! So I told myself if Lori comes here often then that really puts Elbert’s Steak Room at the top of my list!

Checking out their menu, you will see that the food is not cheap. However, I’d say it is reasonable enough considering the quality of the meats and the impeccable service they provide. The interior is cozy and relaxed. Truly a great place for small, intimate dinners, while located strategically in the center of the business district, possibly just a few steps away from your office.

Tonypet has done a great job in making everyone comfortable and at ease. Though in the company of strangers, the food tour winners became instant friends, laughing and sharing smiles, mostly courtesy of Tonypet’s jokes and interesting talks.

Some tried their hand at carving the meat.

And oh what fun they all had!

Chef Adrian Cuenca gave a few words about the US Prime Rib that was to be served. He did encourage us to try eating the steak medium rare because this is the point where the steak is at its most flavorful. I was a little hesitant because I don’t eat meat that is too rare, or still has blood oozing out, but I took Chef Adrian’s word for it and tried it as it was served. He was right! I closed my eyes during the first bite and true enough, the flavors swirled in my mouth bringing about the most exquisite tastes ever to emanate from a piece of steak. Thus my new principle in dining, TRUST THE CHEF’S RECOMMENDATIONS.

Upon settling, they served their own baked bread. Served warm and fresh, it was not a bad start.

Then came the greens. The vinaigrette had sesame oil and lemon juice, which I loved.

Then, the French onion soup.

I just love onions.

Then the “main event”, the steak.

According to one of their waiters, the steam keeps the meat warm while it is uncovered.

See the herbs and spices that they used to flavor the meat.

On my plate, this is how it looked like.

Don’t be fazed with the redness. The texture is soft and the taste is heavenly. A closer look here.

Because Noemi does not eat meat, they brought out their seafood fare, which they specially prepared for customers who are not meat eaters.

Five large prawns smothered in saffron garlic tomato cream sauce. Amazing!

Noemi enjoyed it. It did look yummy. I’d try it if only I weren’t allergic to seafood.

Of course, at the end of every meal, we freshened our breaths with Orbit!

Big thanks to the guys at Elbert’s Steak Room for treating us like royalty. I will see you on my birthday.

See the last leg of this tour in my next post!