In seach of budget steaks for P400 or less

By Jason Drilon
Photo by Christian Regis

Admittedly, when it comes to steak, nothing beats a good, thick cut of wagyu or angus-grade beef. But savoring premium meats means you have to pay through the nose. And if you are a semi-frugal foodie like me, shelling out upwards of P2,000 for a steak dinner simply cannot be a regular thing.

So where does one go for a decently priced beef fix? There are plenty to choose from within the metro. Some budget steak joints like House of Minis and Sizzling Plate have been around for years, while recent players like Steak MD and Hot Rocks are attracting a new generation of carnivores-on-a-budget. They offer classic cuts from T-bone to ribeye at a more affordable P99 to P400.

What goes into a budget steak then? For one thing, all the beef is sourced locally, mostly from Batangas. And we all know what Batangas-grade beef can be like: sinewy and tough like leather. In spite of these limitations, quite a few restaurants actually manage to serve relatively tender and tasty steak dishes.

Prep methods vary per restaurant, but some common characteristics arise: Cuts, for example, are quite thin. Paula Escobar, owner of Borromeo Steakhouse in Quezon City, says some restaurants slice as much as six (maybe more) pieces of steak from a kilo of local ribeye. That gives you an average of 167 grams per steak–and that’s not much steak to begin with. To further tenderize the beef, it is pounded thin and marinated in spices (most likely some sugar, vinegar or calamansi and a bit of soy sauce, though some places like Steak MD use dry rubs to flavor their meat) for several days. Some season the meat only upon order. Also the use of homemade gravy is prevalent. Escobar says that Filipinos are more attuned to concentrated flavor and saltiness, citing adobo as example. Several restaurants practically drown their offerings in gravy, leaving the meat more of a texture rather than the main focus of the meal. And almost always, the steaks are well done. This can be attributed to their thinness, but a dining companion explained that in general, Filipinos seem to prefer food “cooked to the bone.” This is presumably to get rid of any food-borne pathogens that may have attached themselves in storage and preparation of the dish. Escobar comments that she rarely has customers who order steak that is rare to medium.

Each restaurant has its own style on sidings. Some serve complete meals with fixings and a soft drink. With Filipinos, rice is a constant, while other places add mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables into the mix. But the main focus here is the meat. For some, it’s enough to see a large steak on a plate, though 1/4 inch thin. Others insist on larger, thicker cuts.

Also, each steak joint has its own “house favorite” steak, usually a toss-up between a T-bone or a ribeye, as with Everything at Steak in San Juan. Borromeo Steakhouse’s bestseller is the Jumbo Steak, a 330-gram striploin, which at P315 provides good value and is most definitely a meal in itself. Ultimately, though, it’s up to the diner to choose the best piece of meat to suit his or her appetite.

There is no set demographic to the budget carnivore. The only constant is that the diner is most probably in search of a hearty meal. And in making the rounds of some restaurants, you see a good mix of students, businessmen, families and even the SUV-with-hagad types. Steak does not discriminate. Escobar confesses that her restaurant has a huge show biz following, as ABS-CBN is only a street away.

A few things to remember when going to these restaurants: with the budget price comes budget ambiance. These restaurants are rarely air-conditioned and most likely are concrete and formica boxes fitted out with cheap tables, monobloc chairs and requisite flimsy cutlery. After all, that’s what steak on the cheap is all about: meat without the trimmings.

Tender tips:

Borromeo Steakhouse’s Paula Escobar gives a few tips on getting and preparing meat at home or for your business:

1) Find a good meat supplier. You can get great, tender local cuts of meat IF you know where to look. According to Escobar, supermarket meat is quite expensive , so you must be willing to ferret out a supplier — even if it means going to the local markets.

2) To save costs, buy steak in bulk (most likely in 1-kilo slabs) and have it trimmed down to size.

3) Before freezing, wrap each steak in plastic wrap so the individual steaks don’t stick to each other. Nothing spoils prep more than trying to pry steaks that are glued together.

4) Grilled steak is always the best, and not only because of those visually appealing grill marks. Pan-frying should be reserved for dishes like salpicao.

Published in the November-December 2007 issue of F&B World Magazine