Make no misteaks at Melo's

MANILA, Philippines - They’re all successful in their respective careers. But when the time was ripe to join their dad in running the family business, all four of them agreed in a heartbeat.

“Steak-out sisters” Cristina S. Rivera, Carmina S. Mesias, Caron S. Macasaet, and Camille Santiago, daughters of restaurateur Carmelo “Melo” Santiago and Purita Santiago, are bringing their own style, personality and flavor to the table — still with the foundation that their father Melo built.

Cristina, who graduated from the California School of Culinary Arts, now handles Melo’s Jupiter Street and Sgt. Esguerra branches with merged pastry outlets — the pastries she makes herself; Carmina, who used to work for Sir Francis Drake in San Francisco, now handles the branch at The Fort; Caron, a computer arts graduate from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, is in charge of the Westgate branch and handles the marketing and advertising of Melo’s; while Camille, an HRM degree holder from De La Salle University College of St. Benilde, handles the back office.

“Melo’s is under new management which is us, but we still have the highest regard for what our father has built over the years. Because everything we know about the business, we learned from him,” notes Caron.

The Prize at Steak

The effective distribution of tasks and the well-executed management of the four sisters are what make Melo’s stand out as one culinary entity that caters to people from all walks of life.

The family that steaks together, stays together: Melo’s founder Carmelo “Melo” Santiago with wife Purita Santiago and children Camille Santiago, Cristina Rivera, Caron Santiago-Macasaet, JG Santiago, and Carmina Santiago-Mesias

“Each one of us has a different job in keeping this business running. But what makes Melo’s timeless is that we are rooted in what we are most famous for— personalized steak service and a mastered craft of grilling first-class beef (Angus and Wagyu) to mouthwatering perfection,” enthuses Caron. Her husband Paul Macasaet is also active at Melo’s.

Popularly known as the “Home of Certified Angus Beef” with the famous rib eye steak cart being wheeled to a customer’s table so they may choose the desired thickness of their steak before it’s grilled to perfection, Melo’s tempts steak lovers even more with its grade-8 Wagyu steak, which guarantees lean meat gustatory bliss.

The Wagyu steak cart was introduced at Melo’s in 2007. Wagyu beef is popularly known in Japan as Kobe. With a heftier cut and a higher grade, diners with big appetites can now enjoy their steak to the fullest.

“The Wagyu grade system is a scale of one to 12,” explains Cristina. “The higher the grade means you get more marbling, which makes the meat tender, juicy and flavorful. But the most commonly used are from grades one to 10. At Melo’s, the highest grade we offer is eight, which is just perfect for steaks.”

Wagyu grades 9 to 12 have a buttery texture. It’s too oily and not fun to eat anymore. It’s like taking a tablespoonful of butter.

“The meat is usually cut into thin slices and is best for yakiniku and shabu-shabu,” she adds.

At Melo’s, each steak on the menu has been carefully selected to let diners enjoy Wagyu beef at its best. Choose from the rib eye (grade 4), rib eye with bone (grade 6), tenderloin (grade 6), striploin (grade 8), T-bone (grade 6) and porterhouse (grade 6). Prices range from P2,500 to P2,900 per order.

“We want diners to know what they’re actually buying. We don’t just tag it as Wagyu to jack up prices or to attract diners. Some restaurants serve grade 1 Wagyu beef but the price is the same as that of a grade 4,” explains Paul.

The rib eye steak has a yummy mix of lean meat and fat. It’s tender and has a velvety texture. The Wagyu striploin is full-flavored and juicy, while the T-bone and porterhouse have a similar cut with a T-shaped bone connecting two delectable meat portions. It’s like having two steaks in one serving. Porterhouse includes the top loin and tenderloin.

The tenderloin, on the other hand, is the most expensive because it is thicker and leaner. It’s so tender you won’t need a knife to eat it.

Melo’s is the first and I think the only steak house in the country, which advertises the grades of its meat.

“Aside from these best-sellers, we now serve our monthly special. Our chefs whip up a featured dish every month to excite our regular clients even more,” notes Cristina.

As with most steak houses, diners have the choice as to how they want their steaks cooked: rare, medium rare, or well-done. However, Caron recommends medium-rare because the juices are locked in the beef.

Cristina’s sweet treats, on the other hand, are the best way to cap a Melo’s meal.

Melo’s meets ‘Ironman’

Thank goodness for the steak out sisters’ enterprising spirit, Melo’s now caters. For two consecutive years, Melo’s catered to the Cobra Ironman competition since its start last year.

“Catering for Ironman is a real challenge. It was a learning experience for all of us. It strengthened our passion to give quality service no matter the time constraint,” notes Cristina.

They’re tough: Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines champion Pete Jacobs flanked by Melo’s Caron S. Macasaet, Camille Santiago, and Cristina S. Rivera

With thousands to serve and no time to spare, Cristina, Caron and Camille proved their versatility and timeless expertise in satisfying their guests. Even the best names in the realm of triathlon couldn’t resist the mouthwatering array of food served the premium steakhouse. Ironman world champions Cameron Brown and Chris McCormack gave in to the tempting protein-packed meals the Melo’s team served.

“It was an honor to witness these world-class athletes doing what they did best, then later, enjoying our food,” Cristina says with a grin.

Pete Jacobs of Sydney, Australia, won the triathlon, beating last year’s champion Terenzo Bozzone of New Zealand, who came in second.

“This experience made us realize even more how much we enjoy what we do,” Rivera adds. “And we are not about to stop because the race is still on.”

Now, with four sisters standing as the second generation of Melo’s, the legacy of serving first-class and personalized steaks since 1988 lives on.

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Melo’s Home of Certified Angus Beef and Authentic Wagyu Beef has branches at Jupiter St. in Makati City and Sgt. Esguerra St., QC. Westgate, Alabang; and at The Fort in Taguig.