(AUTHOR'S NOTE: This review was originally published in December 2013. Unfortunately, this branch of Everything At Steak has been closed for four years now.)
Located just a short distance from the Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan known for its budget-friendly finds, at the side of Camp General Rafael Crame, is Annapolis Street. Today's review features a restaurant along this stretch known for its budget-friendly menu items: Everything At Steak.
I first ate here around 2012 with some friends from the church choir I was a member of. It was around late in the evening yet there were a few customers, so the atmosphere was more relaxed. The second time I ate here a year after during lunch time, which meant more diners in a packed space (up to the point of hearing the conversations at the other table.) The best time to visit Everything At Steak would be around 1:00 or 2:00 in the afternoon, as the lunch hour is done by that time. It was also situated quite far from the MRT3 Santolan-Annapolis station if you go by foot, but I didn't mind as I preferred to work up an appetite that way.
Everything At Steak serves a wide variety of grilled fare such as T-bone steak, salmon fillet, and chicken paired with different sidings. Keeping up with the theme of reminiscence, I ordered the Grilled Less-Bones Chicken for lunch - the same order I chose during my earlier trip. It was served on a large plate with white rice, gravy, and a siding of your choice. The first thing I noticed was that they left the chicken skin on, which might not sit well with those watching what they eat. The marinade, if there was any, made little to no impression at the first bite. I chose garlic rice as my siding, giving me two cups of rice at the onset. The grilled chicken paired well with the mushroom gravy that came with my order -- and I even had more than enough protein to boot!
To wash down my meal, I ordered their Iced Tea -- one of the cheapest around at P30 per glass. You can choose from strawberry or the more popular lemon -- but sadly, there's no bottomless option for drinks here.
No meal is complete without dessert, and Mom's Homemade Apple Crumble surely delivers. It consisted of apples stewed in cinnamon with a later of sweet crumbs above it, finally topped with vanilla ice cream. The warm apple crumble blending with the vanilla ice cream was truly a sweet treat, with the tart apples balancing everything out. Definitely worth it! (If you ask me though, this would be best with a nice cup of hot coffee.)
All in all, I surely enjoyed both my trips to Everything At Steak. This would be one good place to bring your special someone for a date. A budget-friendly restaurant like this in the heart of the metro made me want to return again. But alas, Everything At Steak closed its doors for good in 2016. Nevertheless, nothing bad in reminiscing, right?
Until my next review, bon appetit.