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| The Pig and Palm: Wagyu steak |
In an earlier post, I shared that Crispy Pata will be part of my Last Meal List. Another dish that I would also include is Steak.
The first time I ever had a proper beef steak dinner was when I was around 5 or 6 years old. And when I say "proper" — I mean the works. I was with my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins. We were served with a creamy soup, followed by a Caesar salad with crunchy croutons, and then finally the main dish --- a whole steak plate just for me. My aunt had to slice the meat for me, and the first bite, which I distinctly remember, the steak was juicy, soft, and all beef flavor. I've always remembered that food memory because of that experience. It's all embedded in my core memory.
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| Texas Roadhouse Sirloin |
At that time, I didn't know what the name of that steak restaurant was. Years later, my parents and I were talking and I told them of this dining experience. My Dad said that that restaurant could have been Mario's in Tomas Morato because it was very well-known for their steaks.
My family loves to eat steak, except for my Mom, who prefers a different style of cooking for beef. It's become a part of our New Year's Eve Media Noche to have steak as part of our dinner table. Santis Delicatessen in Timog Avenue has become a go-to steak store. It's a little bit expensive but definitely worth it. The different steak cuts guarantee a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
If Santis is for special occasions, Landers or Marketplace offers good choices of beef as well for everyday cooking. In Cebu, there are now specialty stores that offer that delicatessen experience.
I haven't mastered the perfect way of cooking steak. So I end up eating them in restaurants. I normally order the dry-aged ones in my favorite Korean barbecue place and they're cooked over the grill. The Pig & Palm's Wagyu Striploin and Wagyu Ribeye are a delight, and as expected from a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant.
Another unforgettable experience that I have when it comes to steak was when I attended a special dinner hosted by Anzani Restaurant, the Australian Trade Commission, and Meat and Livestock Australia. One of the main courses was the Cape Grim grass-fed Beef Tenderloin Truffle. It was grilled pink or medium-rare. It was one of the best steak dinners I've had.
Marco Polo Hotel's Blu Bar & Grill is also known for their steaks. One of the things that I'm planning to do is have their Churrasco Nights and get my fill of beef.
One of my current steak places in Cebu is Yappari Steak. They have affordable steak options and what I like about the restaurant is you can cook it according to your liking.
Cooking steak is a challenge. You have to master the perfect temperature for that perfect doneness. Different beef cuts will also entail different temperatures. And depending on the diner, no one has agreed on what is the best way to eat a steak. Some say that rare is the best, others medium-rare or medium-well, but never well-done. I even read in one of Jeffrey Archer's novels about a character who asked how the quality of the steak was—and if it's of excellent quality, just have it passed over the light of a candle. I can't imagine eating steak that way.
I'm a steak aficionado and I can have it everyday. And that's also my reason why I would have it on my Last Meal list.
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| Yappari Steak on Lava Stone |
#TheVisualTraveler
#Steak
#Beef
#Cebu
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