Steak to one at L'entrecote

At L’entrecote in Burgos Circle, you can have anything you like as long as it’s salad, steak and fries. Here, the steak is served with a Secret Herb Butter Sauce that tastes so much better than gravy — the thick, brown liquid Pinoys oh so love. Have your chunk of meat the way you like it: rare, medium or well done. And once you’ve made up your mind, steak to it because you’re definitely in for a gustatory treat.

L’entrecote is a dining concept (with just steaks and frites on the menu), which started in Geneva, Switzerland in the 1940s. It became so popular that in 1960, Paul Gineste de Saurs, a French guy who needed an outlet for his wines, brought the concept to Paris and opened Le Relais de Venise-L’entrecote in 17th arrondissement near Porte Maillot.

Commander-in-chef: Swiss chef Martin Kaspar brings the l’entrecote dining concept to the Philippines.

“Paul wanted a restaurant where he can basically sell his wine produce, which goes well with steaks. Soon, l’entrecots became an institution in France,” explains L’entrecote owner, chef Martin Kaspar, who has worked for various hotel chains in the country since the ’90s.

L’entrecote is spreading around the world and chef Martin is proud to say that he has brought the concept to the Philippines.

For starters, we ordered pissaladiere, a pizza-like dish made in southern France, around Nice and Marseilles. No tomatoes and cheese are used. The dough, which is thicker than that of a classic Italian pizza, is topped with sautéed onions, black olives, garlic and anchovies. The sweetness of the onions goes well with the saltiness of anchovies and olives. It was so good we downed the plate in less than five minutes.

Steak it Away

Holier than dough: The pissaladiere topped with sautéed onions and anchovies

If it’s your first time at L’entrecote, it’s best to order the Menu L’entrecote, a complete meal for only P880+. The meal starts with mixed green salad tossed in well-seasoned mustard vinaigrette with walnuts. The tartness teases your taste buds even more.

 Served on a metal plate, the seven-ounce sirloin steak is drenched in a special Secret Herb Butter Sauce, again not the usual gravy, that’s guaranteed to whet your appetite. The sirloin steak is a delicious piece of meat, beautifully cooked and seasoned with salt and pepper. What gives its distinct taste is chef Martin’s signature Secret Herb Sauce, which seals all the flavors.

“And since the sauce is a ‘secret,’ none of my chefs know how to do it. I prepare it myself,” shares Swiss chef Martin Kaspar, L’entrecote owner.

Healthy greens: The walnut salad with mustard vinaigrette dressing

“Our menu is very limited like any other l’entrecotes in Europe. We started with actually just the salad, steaks, and fries with a couple of desserts, But now, we elaborated the menu a bit and added foie gras, fondue cheese bites, choices of certified Angus prime steak as well as the sweet, tasty local lobster.” Every Thursday, diners can have the classic cheese fondue.

For hardcore steak fans, there’s the Tomahawk Steak, which is 22-oz. and is good enough to share.

“We also thought of highlighting Philippine produce when it comes to meat products. The cattle is fed with pineapples. It has high-grade fat and very good quality. We offer beef cuts from Bukidnon. It’s like the Wagyu you get from Australia,” he explains.

More than Meats the eye

In love with lobster: Grilled lobster with spinach and Secret Herb Butter Sauce

Barely a year old, L’entrecote already has a regular following — business executives and yuppies on weekdays, and families on weekends — who just can’t wait to get their well-sharpened knives cut through the tender and juicy meat like a hot knife through softened butter. Also, who can resist the unlimited servings of crunchy shoestring fries, which reminds one of PikNik? The kids will surely love it!

Vegetarian diners are welcome at L’entrecote. Martin whips up a vegetarian menu to please their palates. For P790, diners can feast on walnut salad, unlimited fries, a selection of cheeses and dessert of your choice. You can also opt for the Cheesy Filo — cheesy eggplant and zucchini baked in crispy filo pastry on tomato-thyme dressing with house salad — for P425.

“With vegetables you can do a lot of things. We have a special menu that runs for about two months to give regular diners more reasons to dine here. But the star of the menu is still the l’entrecote,” adds Martin.

 

Married to Michelle Aragon, a Filipina, for 17 years now, chef Martin has learned to love kare-kare and considers adobo as his favorite Pinoy food.

“When I was still working in Swissotel in Australia, I worked with Filipinos and I cooked adobo for them. I think in every country you visit, there are food items you’ll love and there are those that won’t tickle your palate that much. For example, in Switzerland, we have raclette cheese, which is so intense that not a lot of people like it. Here, you have bagoong. I love bagoong with green mangoes,” Martin shares.

And since Filipinos are carnivorous by nature, the Swiss chef is positive that Pinoys will embrace the l’entrecote concept the way Europeans do.

“At L’entrecote, we take pride in serving quality steaks and fries that are prepared to perfection. We also offer unique wine selectons you can’t find in most restaurants. The wine really brings out the flavor of the steaks,” he adds.

Cake it away: L’entrecote raspberry and walnut iced Vacherin cake

For Father’s Day, L’entrecote gives one free l’entrecote menu for Dad who dines with a party of six. So if golf clubs or running shoes don’t work with Dad anymore, bring him to L’entrecote. As they say, the way to a man’s heart is through a good steak.

* * *

L’entrecote is at Unit A, Bellagio 2 Burgos Circle, Forbes Rd., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For reservations, call 856-4858