Calvin’s Hub

I don’t exactly know where to start here but for my 30th birthday, being a steak lover, I decided to try some Wagyu beef. I asked friends and most of them pointed me to House of Wagyu and we ended up in their Podium branch.

When we got inside, the manager greeted us and I already admitted to him that it would be our first time to try Wagyu so we need some background info on their beef. He graciously answered all our questions.

He explained that their Wagyu beef are bred from Australia instead of the original in Kobe, Japan. They serve grade 6 and grade 8 Wagyu beef which is graded by a 12-point marbling-score scale. The highest grade, 12, indicates that the beef is 90% fat and 10% meat.

We ordered some drinks (fresh watermelon and strawberry juice – P130 each) first while the manager showed us their choice cuts. Didn’t really listen much because I usually go for the fatty Rib Eye.

If you want juicy fats that are evenly spread, choose Rib Eye. Don’t worry, Wagyu beef contains unsaturated fats similar to olive oil. If you want lean meat, go for the sirloin. New York Strip is sliced like pork chop where the fat is located on one side.

Here’s the Wagyu Beef portion (they serve other food) of the menu by the way.

We chose the grade 6 Rib Eye (350g for P2295) which has less marbling than a grade 8 but much cheaper. The waiter asked us if we want to cook our steak over a stone grill. We don’t want to deal with the smoke so we just told them to medium cook it inside the kitchen and have it split into two plates.

They served us the typical bread and butter while preparing the soup.

Our order comes a cream of onion soup which was their soup of the day. It was delicious but I didn’t finish it because cream-based soup usually fill my stomach pretty quickly.

The waiters are very mindful of their guests. They don’t have the steak cooked unless you’re done with the soup/appetizer or when you instruct them to.

Finally, our main attraction. The food that we’re waiting for.

The steak comes with a soup of the day and your choice of side dish (rice, mashed potatoes or fries). The serving doesn’t look big but the side dish is unlimited. Yup, the waiter will always ask you if you want more rice, mashed potatoes, etc. Hehehe.

And for the moment of truth… I sliced a piece with a little bit of fat…

Mmmmmm. Heaven. It was a Cooking Master Boy experience where all the dragons and koi fishes exploded in my mouth. It was so soft, juicy and tasty that I couldn’t compare it with other prime beef. It’s like eating steak delicately and with finesse. And the marbling… sinfully delicious.

It was cooked just the way I wanted, cooked on the outside and pink on the inside. Kudos to the chef!

And the damage it did to my pocket? It’s Php3,166 for a meal for two but it was well worth it! If you’re a steak lover like me, I highly suggest trying out Wagyu beef even for just once.

“Sa sobrang sarap, laking tuwa ko nung may natinga ako pag-uwi ng bahay.”

Now you know what to say if a balikbayan relative is going to treat the family for dinner (or lunch) and asks you where’s a delicious place to eat.

House of Wagyu
5F The Podium
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila

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Filed under: Food