I’m an amateur steak eater, but I’m into steak these days because it is a very good source of protein for building muscles. I’m also doing a series on the Best Steak places around Metro Manila. (For steak lovers out there, please let me know your favorite steak places that we should consider in this series.)
145o Fahrenheit Prime Steaks & Seafood is becoming the standard for steaks in the Quezon City area. Located in the busy Il Terrazzo Mall near ABS-CBN, most of the foodies I’ve met raved about their steaks. People are especially raving about their signature 145o Tomahawk Chop – US Angus 46 Oz (P3,900 +10% sc), which is good for sharing with up to 4 people. The restaurant is named after the temperature required for cooking steaks slowly to medium rare perfection.
Appetizers & Salad, Soup, Others | Meat & Poultry, Sauces, Fish & Shellfish | Free Range Dutch Holstein Steak, Beverage
You have three kinds of meat to choose from for your steak — Prime US Angus, US Wagyu or the Free Range Dutch Holstein. The 145o Tomahawk Chop, Prime US Angus Short Ribs and US Wagyu Striploin Roast are good to share — always the best choice in terms of value for money. Most of the salads and pasta are good to share also, so this is an ideal dining place for Sunday family get-togethers or barkada celebrations.
Fresh Orange Strawberry Fruit Juice (P95 +10% sc).
Their fresh fruit juices are really good and healthy. 🙂
Aidan wanted to join me in my dinner meeting with Zhar and Rodney, who interviewed me about Food Blogging and Our Awesome Planet for a class project. It was tough bringing a hyperactive kid, especially to a dinner meeting.
Here are the tricks I learned over the years on how to keep kids entertained and behaved:
1. Keep talking to them and giving them attention from time to time. They hate being ignored.
2. Feed them throughout the meal. Start immediately with bread and juice.
3. Ask for pencils/crayons and paper so that they can channel their creative energies to doodling.
4. We would often promise good dessert for good behavior. This usually works.
5. It is very important to give them a background of what the meeting will be about. Don’t forget to introduce them properly to your friends.
Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have other tricks. 🙂
Mushroom Ragu (P190 +10% sc).
Zhar ordered this — I’ll let her comment on it. 🙂
Aidan loves chicken and spaghetti, so we ordered this pasta. It was served in a big bowl (meant to be shared). It was simple, just OK. I believe you can easily recreate this at home.
Manhattan Cut/ US Wagyu 10 Oz. (P1,800 +10% sc).
Rodney ordered the Manhattan Wagyu Cut. He enjoyed this steak better than the Wagyu Stone Grill steak.
Norwegian Salmon/ Clam Chowder Sauce (P580 +10% sc).
Zhar ordered this. Again, I’ll let her comment on it. 🙂
New York Steak/ US Wagyu 10 Oz. (P2,200 +10% sc).
I ordered the US Wagyu instead of the Prime US Angus. I’m starting to learn that I should order the Prime US Angus steaks instead. Although the US/Australian Wagyu is soft and you can easily slice it, it lacks taste in the meat itself. I’m starting to think that “Wagyu” is just another marketing trick.
For steak lovers out there, any perspective on Prime US Angus vs. US/Australian Wagyu? What do you prefer? Also, I’m not sure about the corn-fed Free Range Dutch Holstein steak. Would you recommend it?
Wagyu Rice Pilaf (P120 +10% sc).
The Wagyu rice was a bit bland (even with the small pieces of Wagyu meat).
Rich dark chocolate desserts are offered after the meal. I prefer the FYI (For Your Indulgence) Frozen Yogurt for dessert, which you can find just outside the restaurant.
Thanks to Zhar and Rodney Dizon for the lovely Sunday evening! 🙂
Upper Ground Floor, Il Terrazzo
#35 Tomas Morato corner Scout Madrinan, Quezon City
Telephone: +632 703-2725, 332-1954
Here is a photo of the Il Terrazzo mall, which would be hard to miss when you are passing by Tomas Morato in between the Rotunda and ABS-CBN.
P.S. I’m also checking out Merkato and Zucchini’s steaks, which people keep raving about…
I just had the corn-fed Free Range Dutch Holstein rib eye steak last night which the waiter described as “beyond-prime”. It was seasoned really well and was delicious. I did not use any of the accompanying sauce which I find is a great test to see if the steak is really good or not. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. The squash soup and house salad that came with the steak were surprisingly good as well.
Waaah ang sarap nung Norwegian Salmon/ Clam Chowder Sauce… Hungry now. Sana makakain din ako dyan o anywhere similar. Hehe. 🙂
A friend has also recommended this restaurant. although its gotten mixed reviews, would surely want to try it still.
On the issue of US Angus vs. Aussie Wagyu, I’d go for the Angus, no doubt. Like you said, its just more flavorful and has that “meatiness” that is essential in a good steak.
For steak, I would recommend the following: I’m Angus’ Ribe-eye, Mamou’s Rib-eye (get the twin size: its juicier) and La Tienda’s chuleton.
PSP. I try to get my niece to talk with my friends but she can’t tear herself away from her PSP.
I like House of Mini’s, good value. My client said that Steaktown’s is better.
Hi Anton! Thanks for the kiddie tip, but I dont think it will work with my 1 year old son. Me and my husband love dining out, but we usually eat alternately (one preoccupies the baby while the other eats) How do you and Rache do it? Ever since our son was old enough to sit on his own we haven’t eaten anywhere together with the toddler. I always bring a bagful of his toys and doodles but he gets bored easily. Any advice? Now for the steak…. i recommend Borromeo steaks, yummy AND cheap. how about guillevers? Melos? but my current fave steak house is house of wagyu. pricey but its a good treat once in a while. more power to you.
It is actually tough to be with a toddler specially we go out without a yaya most of the time. It is still work in progress and we try to talk to Aidan now about what he thinks about the food. We make sure that we have a lot of tricks on our sleeves like doing magic show, analyzing the food, ask them for what they want to order specially their favorites.
Where is Borromeo Steaks?
Yes I’m still learning how to deal with a toddler while eating out. Its tough ’cause we chose not to have a yaya and the toddler doesnt have the patience to sit in one place for 5 minutes. If you’d look in my bag all baby stuff na, i tossed out my make up kit LoL. Re: Borromeo steaks is located at Sct. Borromeo street near Il Terrazo. I would like to request that you do a blog on child/toddler friendly places to eat, my family will surely appreciate it (especially me!) thanks again Anton.
looks like the “manhattan cut” is what’s called the rump roast portion in new york city.
Hi Anton.You might want to try Zucchini’s steak, located at 20 Sct. Tuason cor. Sct. Castor QC (infront of Max’s Roces). My husband and I love their steaks!
Hi Ingrid,
Sige, I've been wondering doing a piece on child/toddler friendly places to eat…. kulang pa ako ng list kasi most of the restaurant do not consider it.
Anton
Hi Anton, The Steakroom (http://www.steakroom.com) is one of the best steak houses we’ve been to in Manila. Steaks are thick (just the way steaks should be) so you really get to enjoy the meat in its juices. It’s a bit steep but if you love your steak as we do, it’s worth a try.
At the risk of overgeneralizing, on the issue of US v. Aussie wagyu:
Aussie wagyu I find is more flavorful than US origin wagyu. My speculation as to why is because aussie beef (at least those which I’ve tasted) has tended to be grass fed, which leads to a beefier leaner steak. In regular aussie steak cuts – even fattier ribeye (also called scotch fillet in Aussie land) – this can lead to a gamey, almost livery taste. Some like it, me not much. US beef by contrast tends to be creamier, milder – perhaps due to greater reliance on grain for feeding. If flavor were the only consideration, I would take US beef over Aussie beef anytime. However, when we get to wagyu, I prefer Aussie, the US wagyu can be bland, whereas the gaminess of aussie beef steak is muted when it comes to wagyu. Japanese prime graded beef is another thing altogether.
I don’t find much difference between angus and non-angus US beef of the same grade, though when angus shows up at retail from my experience it tends to be only in the highest USDA grades (prime and choice).
US Prime, whether angus or not, when dry aged properly, I would take over Aussie wagyu.
As a caveat, nowadays, whether marketing driven or not, I’ve noticed a trend to greater specificity in labeling / branding as to origin or producer, and this can be seen as regards beef both in the US and Australia. Where the branding represents a real difference in the breed and raising of the steer, my generalizations above might not apply. By way of example, I’ve had aussie porterhouse – “rangers valley” that used to be sold at Santis – that tasted like US Prime.
Thanks for this perspective Nico! I've always wondered about Aussie Wagyu vs. US Wagyu. I need to know more about my steaks 🙂
anton
Hi Anton,
Thanks so much for the company last Sunday. Rod and I truly enjoyed your company as well as your son Aidan. I loved the mushroom soup, its filling, a bit rich. My salmon is like any other salmon out there hehehe….
Hope to see you again sometime!!
For me, by far the gold standard in steaks is still Prince Albert inside Hotel Intercon. The tenderness of the meat almost melts in your mouth and the flavor is preserved by their cooking process. The ribeye at Antonio’s is also very well prepared with the sauce properly bringing out the flavor of the meat. For value for money, the now closed Bianca’s Cafe and Vinotek at Yakal used to sell a 12 oz Angus ribeye for under Php900! They also pan sear the steak instead of grilling which I prefer. I sometimes taste a burnt flavor on grilled steaks. MyAngus has opened in place of Bianca’s but I have not had the chance to try it yet. I remember Je Suis Gourmand’s Angus ribeye also sells for under 1k but the steak isn’t cooked as well.
Does the place deserve all the hype? Did our meal rank among the top? I say yes and no to both questions. When 145° Fahrenheit Prime Steaks & Seafood hits the high notes, they do so in the biggest manner. However, a couple of low points with some mediocre dishes prevent it from being one of the best. That said, you can’t go wrong with their bread and butter — the steak — which is a must-try for all carnivorous foodies.
My review here.
I’ve only tried Malcom’s place and Wagyu Stone Grill for Wagyu beef and I would say I like the steak at Malcolm’s better than Stone Grill which I find a bit bland. I have yet to try Melo’s because they serve Aussie Wagyu.
Hi, Anton.
Try:
1) Mamou’s (Serendra) dry aged prime angus rib-eye. <- my top pick… very sinful to eat!
2) Myron's rib-eye (Powerplant, Greenbelt)
3) Duo's rib-eye (Serendra)
4) Texas Roadhouse Grill (Serendra) rib-eye
*Always rib-eye; and our stakes are well done. I usually order (if available) the smallest or mid-size steaks for I find them more tasty.
When you go back to the States, try Black Angus Steakhouse. The steak will melt in your mouth. 🙂 promise!
I've read your review on House of Wagyu, I'm yet to try this… it's a bit pricey. My fiance & I don't usually share our steaks. So, we're saving this maybe for a special occasion. hehe. And we're really curious on how far different the experience will be when eating Wagyu beef. 🙂
Enjoy!
There used to be a house in one of the Scout streets near ABS-CBN back in the late 80’s that served grilled steak ( charcoal grilled). They had this huge grill in the garden and several picnic tables scattered around the main house. Drinks were just 1 liter coke bottles shared among you. The set up was very simple but food was really good. I wonder if it is still there ?
hi anton!
aside from the steak…
i really enjoyed the fragrant crabcakes in 145F 🙂
Hi Anton!
Ditto on Mamou’s Angus Rib-eye steak! My other favorite is Gaudi’s Chuleton which is prime rib. When you’re in Tagaytay and don’t feel like going to Antonio’s (which I really feel regressed in terms of service), try Discovery Counrty Suite’s Cafe Verbena. I was surprized at how good the rib-eye was 🙂
Snackeroo na try nyo na ba? yung sa may corner J Jimenez st sa Kamuning? Flame Grilled T-Bone / Porter House steaks with gravy and hot sauce. 😀
I haven't try it… how to I go there from Edsa?
Thanks for confirming the choices, Alexis!
Did you remember the name, Hazel?
OK great! I'll feature Mamou then 🙂
hi! steak is my life! haha. my all time fave is mario’s. the prices don’t hurt the wallet too much but still you get great tasting steaks! you should also try melo’s and tony roma’s. pricey but yummy!!
also santis delicatessen steaks! 🙂
i’ve been here a couple of times. their steaks are really tender but, the taste is a bit bland without the sauce/condiments and a bit pricey. but i like the ambience. have you tried steak plus along timog besides jay j? they got some good steaks at reasonable prices too.
Pretty good steaks, pasta and shakes(juice?) But my choice for the best steak experience are RED in Shangrilla makati and The Fireplace sa Hyatt they serve the best potato gratin in the whole world!!(same flr as lili) Try it Sir Blogger.
Thanks
Haven’t been to 145º yet but other places I could recommend (not sure if you’ve reviewed them):
Wagyu (The Podium)
The Swiss Inn — not really just a steak place but good steak (Makati– forgot the street)
steak was not tasty despite its prime grade. and your no choice side of creamed corn was awe full as well.
my worst steak dining experience in the PI 🙁
Hi Anton,
I’d recommend:
1. Elbert’s Steak Room in Makati
2. Wagyu Stone Grill
3. 22 Prime in Discovery Suites Ortigas they’d even let you choose your preferred knife =)
4. Wagyu Teppan at Inagiku or Senju – part of their weekend lunch buffet so you can eat as much wagyu as you can! =)
For value of money steaks:
1. Gulliver’s at the top floor of Aberdeen Court in Quezon Ave and in Makati Avenue (I think Great Eastern hotel now) – and yes this resto serves good steak and a lot of artistas eat here.
2. Bugsy’s – huge USDA steak for only 600.