Cowrie Grill, The Manila Hotel’s signature steak destination, which relocated to Greenhills, thrives amid the evolving landscape of new steak concepts, overcomes pandemic challenges, and caters to a fresh wave of steak enthusiasts. We celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary with an unforgettable all-you-can-eat steak experience that we still enthusiastically share with friends. It offered excellent value for money, as every dish we enjoyed was of high quality, and the table-side service enhanced our overall experience.
Here are tips for planning your own Cowrie Grill Eat All You Can Steak celebration:
ABOUT COWRIE GRILL
Cowrie Grill, the iconic steak grill restaurant of The Manila Hotel (established from 1977-2011), moved to Promenade 3, Missouri Street, Greenhills, San Juan in 2013. (Please don’t confuse this with the Golden Cowrie Filipino Kitchen in Cebu or Cowboy Grill in Malate.)
COWRIE GRILL by The Manila Hotel
📍G/F, Promenade 3, Greenhills Shopping Center, Promenade Mall, Greenhills, San Juan
⏰ Operating Hours is from 11:30 AM to 9PM daily
☎️ +632 8477-6385 or via Viber at 0977 641 8815 (message only)
📩 r.cowriegrill@themanilahotel.com
👔 Smart Casual (Housewear, undershirts, revealing outfits and slippers are discouraged.)
∞ Cowrie Grill
∞ @mycowriegrill
🌏 https://www.manila-hotel.com.ph/dining/cowrie-grill/
More than a decade later, it maintains a loyal clientele, outlasting its contemporaries by consistently delivering classic steak flavors and experiences with hotel-level service amidst the restaurant’s lavish display of original cowrie shells cast in a soft amber glow.
Cowrie Grill Menu:
• Our Signature Sets, Seafood Sets
• Wagyu Set, Eat All You Can Set
• Starters, Soups and Salads, Pasta, Steaks and Chops
• Wagyu A4, Signature Dishes, Seafood Selection
• Burger and Sandwiches, Sides, Cheese and Sweet Indulgence
EAT ALL YOU CAN MENU: ₱2,900 nett per person
We relished the steak experience during a double date with our business partners, who reminisced about their Cowrie Grill date years ago. They still recall the table-side preparation of the Caesar salad, the quality of the steaks, and the Baked Alaska dessert. Ensure you reserve the booth tables for a romantic, cozy dining experience with your special someone.
UNLIMITED STARTERS
The meal begins with your first serving of soup and a plate featuring a sampling of appetizers.
French Onion Soup,
Mushroom Soup
Soup of the Day: Lobster Bisque
The highlight was the French Onion soup topped with a layer of Gruyere cheese and a soaked baguette. I couldn’t resist ordering a second bowl of mushroom soup with truffle foam and dipped baguette. The Lobster bisque was rich, allowing the flavors of the ocean and essence of the crustacean to shine through.
Truffled Bruschetta with Anchovy
Arancino (Risotto Ball)
Involtino di Salmone Con Caprino
Tramezzino with Parma Ham,
Arugula Tomato
It was good to know that you can order as many servings of the salmon or the arancino, but realistically, one plate of the appetizer sampler is sufficient. You can appreciate a variety of textures and flavors, and they all pair well with the soup. Our favorite was the salmon, and although you can indulge and order more, mentally you would prefer to reserve your appetite for the main courses.
We were salivating with the preparation of the Caesar salad table side from scratch which starts with mashing the anchovy with the fresh garlic and seeing how the extra virgin olive oil emulsified into the Caesar salad dressing in a wooden bowl.
Caesar Salad
The romaine lettuce was evenly coated with the sauce, and you can enjoy it topped with bacon, Parmesan cheese, and croutons. One table-side service is good for 10 portions, and they will prepare just enough for your group. Instead of doing the entire preparation a second time, make sure to instruct the service to prepare an extra portion for a second serving.
(We were tempted to request the table-side Caesar salad preparation again, but nakakahiya)
Caprese
You can also request the caprese salad with mozzarella and tomato for added variety.
MAIN COURSE
MAIN COURSE (Please select two items, max of two portions)
For the main course, I initially thought (similar to the appetizers) that they would serve smaller portions, and you could order more if desired. However, they serve the steak in a full 280g portion, and you are allowed to order a second main course with grilled prawn, sea bass, or a second round of steak.
I savored the steak with a Chilean Cab Sauv, which cut through the meaty flavors and added a different dimension to the experience.
Angus Beef Rib
Grilled Prawns
Chilean Sea Bass
Essentially, you have the choice of Double Beef, Surf & Turf, or All Seafood mains.
Double Angus Beef Rib (280g x 2)
My son Aidan dared to order the double Angus Beef Rib steak but was satisfied with just one (and they allow taking the second steak for take-home).
UNLIMITED SIDES
French Fries
Hassleback Potato
Mashed Potato
Basmati Rice,
Steamed White Rice
Mushroom Risotto
Mixed Mushrooms
Pasta of the Day
Yes, it comes with unlimited sides as well, but we barely touched them. However, we liked the mushroom risotto and the 3-cheese pasta. You can order a plate of each side, including all-you-can-eat rice.
The Surf & Turf was perfect, featuring 280g of beef, three pieces of grilled prawns, and a side of garlic, tomato, broccoli, and slices of carrots.
Mushroom Sauce
Bearnaise Sauce
Peppercorn Sauce
The steak was flavorful on its own and did not really require an additional serving of sauce. Hope they offer options like artisanal salt or chimichurri that would complement the steak well.
All Seafood
Rache opted for an all-seafood plate, and the sea bass was cooked medium and satisfying.
UNLIMITED DESSERT
UNLIMITED DESSERT
Opera Cake
Pistachio Cale
Cheesecake
Ice Cream
Coffee or lea
Chocolate Crinkles
The cakes is rich with hotel-like quality, and you can request a variety of slices to share.
The crinkles are classic, chewy, with a soft middle, and they pair well with coffee.
You can order only one serving of iced or hot tea or coffee to accompany the meal.
(Sana unlimited na rin or have an option for a second serving of drinks)
Another classic served table-side is the flambeed Baked Alaska.
Baked Alaska (₱420)
Strawberry and Vanilla Ice Cream, Sponge Cake
It’s akin to a stuffed ice cream cake with toasted meringue. This is a separate item from the eat-all-you-can package, but it adds variety and theatrical value.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, we appreciate the value-for-money portions of steak, which stand well on their own without the need for sauce. When you order the double beef (560g), you are paying ₱518 per 100g, and you can enjoy unlimited starters, sides, and desserts for free.
We love the Eat All You Can concept, and I would gladly partake in it again for lunch, allowing for a leisurely 3-4 hours with family and friends. The classics have regained relevance, and the discerning palate recognizes and values quality. We relished the table-side preparation of the Caesar Salad and the flambeed Baked Alaska.
Most importantly, we had the pleasure of celebrating our anniversary and sharing this delightful experience with Ahiya, Raymond, Din, and Abby.
Congratulations to Cowrie Grill for over a decade of success, consistently serving discerning families and introducing the steak experience to the next generation!
COWRIE GRILL by The Manila Hotel
📍G/F, Promenade 3, Greenhills Shopping Center, Promenade Mall, Greenhills, San Juan
⏰ Operating Hours is from 11:30 AM to 9PM daily
☎️ +632 8477-6385 or via Viber at 0977 641 8815 (message only)
📩 r.cowriegrill@themanilahotel.com
👔 Smart Casual (Housewear, undershirts, revealing outfits and slippers are discouraged.)
∞ Cowrie Grill
∞ @mycowriegrill
🌏 https://www.manila-hotel.com.ph/dining/cowrie-grill/
Live an Awesome Life with Christ,
Founder & Digital Creator, Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: Thank you to The Manila Hotel team for the experience! I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. Yes, they allow take out for the left overs if any.