High-quality and reasonably priced steak is not easy to come by here in the Philippines. With some establishments, you’re being charged for the location, the ambiance, the chef attached to the place, or a plethora of other factors that jack up the price of the plate you’ll have served to you. That’s just a fact on how the market works. So, it piqued my interest when I heard that the seven-year old online "go-to" for frozen meat cuts, Steak.PH, had opened a brick and mortar establishment called The Steak Market Deli & Tasting Room.
Mayet and Alex Tiaoqui opened The Steak Market in the last quarter of 2023, and they were happy to report that it has been doing very well since opening. A good number of their regular online clients are overjoyed that, rather than grilling at home, they now have the opportunity to enjoy the Steak.PH cuts in an informal, neighborhood setting. This has made this East Capitol Drive steak eatery the ultimate "meat-ing" place in the vicinity.
Yes, it’s an unassuming "hole in the wall" on East Capitol Drive, possibly betrayed by the aroma of grilling that goes on beyond the doors. I brought two of my three sons for a holiday lunch just last week, and there were high expectations—expectations that were wonderfully met, leading them to promise enthusiastically to mention the venue to their friends and to return.
At The Steak Market, the system is simple: one chooses their preferred cut of meat from the freezer, and for a nominal fee, the steak is grilled for you and served with beans and corn. Additionally, customers can add sides such as Caesar Salad, French Fries, Steak Rice (plain or flavored), or Mushroom Soup. Although basic, these dishes are well-prepared and served with a flourish. A selection of sauces for your meat is also available, and we particularly enjoyed their chimichurri.
To vary the meat we sampled, we opted for the New York Striploin, the T-Bone, and the Prime Grade Angus Ribeye. Without a doubt, the Prime Grade Angus Ribeye was the lunch’s big winner. We requested it to be cooked to a medium-rare perfection, and the slab of meat was wonderfully pink, still retaining some ideal juiciness, and tender but not overly soft.
The Striploin came with little bits of fat festooned on top of the cut, and I found this really interesting - the kitchen aware of the fatty nature of the cut, and how to maximize this feature. I had a bowl of French Fries with the steak and they were crinkle cut, and expertly fried.
My eldest son declared his T-Bone as having passed with flying colors. Grilled to perfection, he liked the fact that there was still bite and texture in the cut, and that the meat juices were flowing in a good way.
And I just want to mention that the Salpicao we were served as an appetizer, was one of the best versions of Salpicao I’ve had. We had the Salpicao and their Salad - a humongous slab of bacon served with the Salad.
Alex was ready to say that they aren’t the exclusive distributors of the Angus that they carry. But he does curate their cuts of meat, and has the seven years of the online business experience to bank on in making their selection the best possible, given the cost parameters they want to maintain. It’s about democratizing the quality steak experience, providing it with a minimum of frills and helping keep the price reasonable - so more can enjoy it.
Given how popular this neighborhood "meat-ing place" has become, the plan is to stick to this template. Small establishments that are easy to control, become a place to stock their meat, and offer to grill them for you. The Steak Market is a veritable godsend for us carnivores, and meat-lovers; come join the fun!