Steak to One
Quezon Memorial Circle, Diliman, Quezon City
Contact: 282-0279
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
IMAGE TJ Tantiangco
(SPOT.ph) Quezon Memorial Circle has a fair number of attractions on its grounds and a modest selection of eating places, and Steak to One is yet another reason to come to the park.
IMAGE TJ Tantiangco
IMAGE TJ Tantiangco
IMAGE TJ Tantiangco
It’s located just a quick walk from Circle of Fun and tucked behind a number of outdoor eating places, but you can’t miss it; there are temporary signs saying “Steak to One this way” pointing you in the right direction.
In any case, the glass-enclosed restaurant stands out, being one of the few places in this part of the park that offers indoor dining and air-conditioning. And as it turns out, the food makes it pretty special, too.
Steak to One opened in October 2016, and since then, it’s already gained quite a following, with students and office workers streaming in for hefty, affordable meals. According to owner Rachel Imperial, the restaurant was a couple of years in the making. She thought about what kind of restaurant to put up and eventually decided to go with a steak house, given that her mother also has a meat shop.
Figuring out the menu came easily enough to Rachel, a Hotel and Restaurant Management graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, and the recipes for every item on the menu all come from her family’s collection. Her mother Cecile Imperial is the one behind the neighboring Ces’ Garden Cuisine, which has been around for 28 years, so cooking pretty much runs in their blood.
Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Kani and Mango Salad
Fish and Chips
Shrimp Scampi
The food choices are exactly what you’d expect in a family restaurant, and there’s something for everyone. You can start your meal with the Creamy Pumpkin Soup (P65) or the Kani and Mango Salad (P145), which is large enough to be a meal in itself. Their appetizers include Fish and Chips (P170) and even Poutine (P140), which is a pretty rare find in the area. You can also get your pasta fix here: the Shrimp Scampi (P165) has a generous helping of shrimp spooned on top of lightly oiled pasta with garlic. We initially thought the pasta was handmade but as Rachel said, it’s all in the way you cook it.
Baked Salmon Head
Those who are avoiding meat wouldn’t feel left out at Steak to One. For Lent, they have dishes such as six pieces of Baked Cheesy Shrimp (P320), Sinigang Salmon Head (P280), Sole Fillet with Lemon Butter Sauce (P280), and Grilled Tanigue Steak (P280). The Baked Salmon Head (P280) is a regular fixture on the menu.
Porterhouse
T-Bone
But it’s the steak that’s really the star of the show. According to Rachel, they stick to one principle when it comes to making a great steak, and that’s the use of quality meat. Their meat is sourced from Tagaytay, and with that, they offer four types of steak: Ribeye (P260), Porterhouse (P280), T-Bone (P168), and Filet Mignon (P280), all cooked to tender perfection. You can have your steak with two sides (they have java, steamed, and garlic rice, and coleslaw, mashed potato, mixed veggies, and roasted baby potatoes) and mushroom gravy, pepper gravy, or chimichurri sauce, which adds a refreshing, herby tanginess to balance all the grilled goodness, and deserves to be sold on its own to the public.
After Lent, they’re expanding their steak options to include Wagyu; the Filet Mignon will be available for P999, the Porterhouse for P680, and the Prime Rib for P780.
Butterbeer
Iced Tea
Affogato
The after-work evening crowd would also enjoy unwinding with any of their huge selection of drinks. They offer cocktails and flavored beer, which includes a grown-up version of Butterbeer (P88) made with pale beer, cream, and butterscotch. It doesn’t look like they’ll be offering drinks late into the night because they’re only open until 10 p.m.
And if you’re in the park for a morning run, you can stop by at 10 a.m. for their Breakfast Platter (P399), where you can choose five of their breakfast items and either coffee, house-blend iced tea, or hot chocolate, each with a free single refill. An on-site omelette station may also be in the offing.
They’re planning to have weekend roasts just outside the restaurant, which would no doubt make it easier for newcomers to follow their nose to all those tasty dishes. At the moment, they’re still tweaking the menu and may just offer more items soon, but as it is, Steak to One has plenty of choices to keep people wanting more.
Photos by TJ Tantiangco