THE GREAT STEAKHOUSE: HOUSE OF WAGYU

           Like the majority of people around the world, I enjoy a good steak. But I must admit, I am not a Steak snob. I only have two simple rules when eating steak. The first being, that the said piece of meat must contain fat. The more the merrier. It just makes the meat juicer for me. I don't know the science of it, but the bottom line is, I like my steak with a lot of fat. 

        The second rule, is that my steak shouldn't be tough. A steak that lacks of fat would be forgivable, for as long as its meat is tender enough, so i'm not picking off meat bits from in between my teeth afterwards.

       So my entire life, I've gone around with those two simple rules for eating steak.. I need fat, and it needs to be tender. 

       As it turns out, everything I knew about steak was wrong.  

      So I was about to get an education in the subject of steak at where else? 

      The House of Wagyu.

      House of Wagyu is a throwback to the great steakhouses of old. The place may have had a dated feel to it, but that is exactly what endeared me to it. House of Wagyu reminded me of those times when I was a kid and my dad would take the entire family out to dinner for special occasions. He would choose a really snazzy place, with piped in Sinatra music, a very dapper Maitre 'd handing you an over-sized, leather hardbound menu with classic entrees to choose from.    

       
        This big basket of sliced Baguettes were my best friend for the early part of evening, mainly because the appetizers consisted of salads and other seafood that I unfortunately don't eat. I seriously must have finished 2 baskets worth, with Mrs. Tales from The Tummy and I fighting over the third.  

SALADS

   Yet another meal that began with a slew of salads, beginning with House of Wagyu's Traditional Ceasar Salad (P245). Rina liked it's simplicity, but then again, you put cheese on anything, and Rina goes crazy for it. 

     Rina then feasted on the Mediterranean Salad (P295), made with crisp lettuce, Sun Dried Tomatoes, black olives, Feta Cheese and Proscuitto. 

       Her favorite though, was the Scallop and Shrimp Salad (P395). A pile of fresh greens, peppered with chunks of Diced Mango and juicy Shrimps, drizzled with Strawberry Vinaigrette, crowned by a helping of Seared Scallops. 

STARTERS

     I never cared much for carrots, but this Cream of Carrot Soup (P150) was spectacular. It had a light sweetness that went well with its creamy thickness, with toasted crouton giving an added dimension of texture. If all carrot dishes tasted like this, I'd be saying "What's up, Doc?" more often. 

         I wasn't a big fan of the Pan Con Tomato (P250). I have an aversion to anything with Anchovy, as well as tomatoes. But once again, it was covered in melted cheese, making it A-OK in Rina's (cheese covered) book.

        Continuing Rina's love for all things cheese was the Oysters Rockefeller (P450). The juicy oyster was topped with spinach, cheese, and bits of crumbled bacon, and baked to a nice golden hue, which Rina enjoyed a hint of squeezed lime. 

       For the final appetizer of the evening, we were served House of Wagyu's Gambas (P275), much to the elation of Rina. Shrimps sauteed in Olive Oil and minced garlic, and topped with chili for an extra kick of heat.

ENTREES

      In the (unlikely) event you find yourself at House of Wagyu and you don't eat beef, you will be happy to know that there are Seafood dishes, as well as non-red meat dishes that you may order. 

       One of those dishes is the Seabass in Aluminum Foil (P1,150). a  stunning fillet wrapped in aluminum foil, and steamed in its own juices, together with potatoes, carrots, chopped mushrooms, and baby corn. A squeeze of lemon adds even more zest to the dish.

THE STEAKS

        A chiller is situated by the entrance, showcasing the many cuts of steaks that you may choose from. 

         Now that the undercards were over and done with, it was time for the main event. To give us a little teaser, and in true, classic, Steakhouse fashion, they rolled out the slab of Ribeye in a trolley, to showcase the stunning marbling on the steak.

         The steaks that you order are raw, but rubbed with a bit of pepper for a bit of seasoning. It is served on heated stone slabs that are sprinkled with rock salt, which melds into the meat as it cooks, allowing the natural flavor of the beef to shine. 

        Though the wait staff will gladly help you in the cooking of the steaks to the temperature that you want, the fun in dining at House Of Wagyu is cooking it yourself!

     The first steak they brought to our table was the Grade 8 Top Sirloin (P1,600 for 220g/ P2,550/350g). It had a nice peppering of fat in it to ensure the meat would be incredibly moist, but nowhere near enough for me. 

       My least favorite cut of steak is tenderloin. I really don't understand why would anyone order a piece of steak devoid of any trace of fat. However, the Grade 8 Tenderloin (P3,050 for 220g, P4,750 for 350g) of House of Wagyu changed my outlook on that. This is tenderloin at its finest state. It was moist and melted in my mouth with every bite. 

       When I was younger and living in Cebu and my dad would take us out for a steak, it was the Porterhouse that we all had our eyes on. That was the Mack Daddy of the menu, and the steak with the most fat. Seeing the Grade 8 Porterhouse (P3,750 for 750g) took me to that happy time and place. But I kid you not, I had never had a porterhouse steak as tender as this, ever in my life. 

         My fascination with the Porterhouse Steak ended the moment I discovered the cut of steak knwon as the "Ribeye". The Grade 6 Ribeye (P2,150 for 220g/P3,350 for 350g/P4,650 for 500g) is the greatest piece of steak I have ever eaten in my entire life. The marbling was spectacular, with every bite giving you a bit of fat. This is the kind of steak that a criminal asks for before heading off to the electric chair.

           In case you were wondering, House of Wagyu uses Quality Wagyu Beef flown in from Australia

      The best thing about the evening (apart from the steaks, of course), was the fact that the waiter placed the Ribeye right in front of me! (Of course it helped, when they put the tenderloin down first, i had them move it to the side hehe)

DESSERT

       After flooring us with their world class selection of steaks, House of Wagyu then served up some classic desserts served on their frozen stone slabs for us to try.

            I really enjoyed the Poached Pears ala Mode (P270). The poached pears had a combination of sweet and lightly tart, which was balanced nicely by the vanilla ice cream. After Rina caught me eating yet another mouthful, my only explanation was, "The doctor told me I should eat more fruits!".  

     As I usually do, I found the Flourless Chocolate Cake (P270) a bit on the bitter side, but Rina, who is fond of dark chocolate found it just right. The creamy Vanilla ice cream admittedly did help the bitterness from becoming too overwhelming.  

        Though it was rather delicious, I found the Cheesecake (P270) a tad bit on the citric side for me. The Cheesecake itself had a lemon-y tinge to it, and the mixed berry compote further enhanced it.

  The Creme Brulee (P250) was the perfect ending to our phenomenal meal. It had a wonderful creaminess to it, and the top "crust", torched to golden perfection. 

      See the smile on my face? That is a smile of a very satisfied Picky Eater. 

    In terms of price, yes, it is rather steep, but I guarantee you that the quality you get in return will undoubtedly be excellent. It's up to you to decide if it's worth it. 

     All I can say is, I've been a blogger for over four years now, and I must say that our steak dinner at House of Wagyu was up there with one of the best meals I've ever had.

P.S.

Wouldn't it be nice if someone did a GC giveaway for House of Wagyu? :)

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