Melo's touch

The only time to eat diet food is while you are waiting for the steak to cook. — Julia Child

Growing up I was a voracious meat eater, and Melo’s was my personal choice to soothe that appetite. Established by Carmelo “Melo” Santiago in 1988, the restaurateur introduced America’s finest beef to the Philippines and also serves what connoisseurs call “the best beef in the world,” Wagyu. Melo’s is best known for its combination of fine food, excellent service, and unique ambiance in its restaurants A restaurant full of class, the immaculate dining experience is always indelible and the food wholesome. The varied menu is neatly organized, making for easy ordering. Food-wise, this establishment serves up nicely executed dishes with clean, fresh flavors. Beautifully presented, the dishes are elegant, balanced, refined, and most importantly, in generous portions. It’s been quite a while since my last visit, but fortunately a steak appreciation class brought me back to one of my favorite establishments, and it surely did not disappoint.

One of the most often questions asked is, what is Wagyu? Wagyu simply means “Japanese cattle,” and produces intense marbling but a high percentage of oleaginous, or unsaturated, fat that is flavorful, very tender, and melts in the mouth. Highly prized, the meat quality is scored by the beef’s color, brightness, marbling, firmness, and texture, which is also called “fat score” among meat connoisseurs and anything between eight to 12 is top-notch. In Australia, Wagyu embryos are implanted in Black Angus surrogate mothers and the calves are grazed in rich, grassy fields for a year before being exported. In Japan, music and massage treatment are given to keep the muscles relaxed as stress can produce tougher meat.

Angus is a type of cattle that originated in Scotland and was transported to the United States. The quality of meat is highly sought after and in 1978, the American Angus Association created the Certified Angus Beef brand, which must conform to strict criteria before it is graded and given a certification by the USDA.

As the various meats were presented to us, all eyes were on the various cuts. Upon closer look it became apparent that it was even more enticing and mouthwatering. I patiently waited as the waiter jotted down my personal preference on how the steak would be cooked. At Melo’s, the personal experience is extended to another level as your order is stored in their database for your next visit. As the steaks were served, one couldn’t find any flaw or fault, as each titillating mouthful brought a noticeable buzz among guests at the event. We also sipped top-quality wines to complement the various signature dishes. Tailored steak from the steak expert, Melo’s is worth all the fuss with plenty of gourmet goodies to cast a spell on your taste buds.

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Melo’s is located in Makati, Alabang, Taguig and Quezon City.

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‘My Sunday’s Best Recipe’ Contest

Fry day: The new Philips AirFryer fries foods with 80 percent less fat.

Make everybody’s weekend extra-special with your extraordinary recipe. Work your magic in the kitchen and get a chance to win exciting cash prizes and special gift packs, plus a chance to meet your favorite celebrity chefs. San Miguel Great Food Club is giving away P25,000 in cash, P5,000 worth of San Miguel Purefoods products, special gift packs from our sponsors, and a whole lot more.

Share with us your original recipe using selected San Miguel Purefoods products and take a video of the procedure, which will give you a chance to become the next cooking superstar. The “My Sunday’s Best Recipe” contest is open to all legal residents of the Philippines, 18 years old and above. Interested participants may submit their entries at www.mygreatfood.com no later than Monday, August 22.

The Top 10 cooking videos will be posted on www.mygreatfood.com for online voting. The Top 5 videos with the most number of votes will participate in an exclusive cook-off activity! Renowned culinary experts will decide who among the five contestants has the best-tasting recipe and will take home the grand prize. Plus, one lucky member who voted for the grand prize winner will receive P5,000 in cash.

For details on the contest’s mechanics, visit Error! Hyperlink reference not valid..