Steak 'em up!

Upon the invitation of Dondon Monteverde, my friend and I went to Gustavus ignorant about steaks. We left the place burping all the way home, knowing a bit more about steaks.

Dondon owns Gustavus (which had its soft opening on Dec. 16 last year; formal opening set anytime now) with friends James Yap, Dingdong Dantes, Mike Gayoso, Frederick Go, Oliver Dy, AF Binaza and Ross Misa.

Located at the ground floor of F&M Lopez Building at 109 C. Palanca Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City, Gustavus serves the best steak in town — “USDA Certified Angus Beef,” stressed Oliver — and its target, according to Mike, “is people who love good food and are happy to pay for it.”

Every now and then, James’ wife Kris Aquino and her friends, or Dingdong and his girlfriend Marian Rivera (who are now in Spain to visit Marian’s father), would drop by for a serving of USDA Prime Beef (billed as “The Reason for Gustavus”): Ribeye at P1,633 (10 oz./284g, P1,955 (12 oz./340g) and P2,611 (16 oz./454g); Tenderloin at P1,117 (6 oz./170g), P1,492 (8 oz./227g) and P1,866 (10 oz./284g); and Striploin at P1,400 (8 oz./227g), P1,750 (10 oz./284g) and P2,095 (12 oz./340g).

How did the place get its name?

The idea came from Oliver whose steak-loving family is an importer of Swift meat products, especially prime beef from the US.

“When we decided to put up Gustavus,” said Oliver, “I did a research. I found out that Swift, after whom his product was named, is surnamed Gustavus.”

Mike was working as head of Business Development and Operations at a Spanish restaurant also in Makati City when Oliver, accompanied by Dondon, came and asked Mike to taste “USDA Certified Angus Beef” steak and Mike exclaimed eureka! “Iba ang taste,” said Mike. “Soft and tender, as if it melts in your mouth.” That was in September last year. Mike has left the Spanish resto and joined his friends in putting up Gustavus.

As they’d say, the taste of the pudding is in the eating, so Dondon, Mike and Oliver (the five other owners were not present) requested chef David Griffiths to whip up some “samples.” A chef for 27 years, Griffiths is Scottish-Canadian who has worked at Four Seasons Vancouver and Delta Vancouver Suites in Canada, and was executive chef of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club before he came to the Philippines — to stay, it turned out.

And so, my friend and I, we who were steak-”ignorant,” had a crash course in loving steak, gorging on the “samples” that included other tummy-filling goodies: New England-Style Clam Chowder (with Smoky Bacon and Garlic Crouton, P265 per order), Braised Chicken with Mushroom (P450), Grilled Gustavus Glazed Pork Chop (with Cabbage Vegetable Wrap & Herb Buttered Potatoes, P470), Tempura Soft Shell Crab (with a Thai Mango Salad & Chili Tomato Remoulade, P260), Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass Fillet (Garlic Buttered Noodles, Pearl Vegetables with Lemon Butter Sauce, P790) and, the “tour de force,” Ribeye and Striploin (among Gustavus’ best-sellers).

Gustavus is true to its blurb: Nothing But Prime.

“The next time you come,” Dondon reminded us, “bring a bigger appetite.”

(Note: Wanna try Gustavus? Call Mike Gayoso at landline 813-0475 at his Globe Duo 5029102.)