Karlo Pacana
The Meat House Cebu Restaurant Review
Want to satisfy the inner carnivore in you? If by chance you are in Cebu, then head over to The Meat House in Old Banilad Road.
Why am I not a vegetarian?
Well I guess I’m just paying my respects to my ancestors, the Homo Sapiens, who clawed their way up on top of the food chain to save the entire human race from absolute extinction.
No offense to the vegetarians, but evolution has taught my tiny little brain a particular set of hunting skills, skills way beyond just eating something that I can easily pluck from the ground.
Why should I limit myself now to only eating vegetables when I can just easily choose from an unlimited variety of meat options from the supermarket right next door?
I may die earlier than expected from eating red meat but at least I can say that I have lived a short yet wonderful life. If you share these same sentiments with me, then by all means read on. (head over to The Meat House in Old Banilad Road.)
First Impressions
The restaurant was located on the ground floor of a timeworn building within Ginza Compound alongside other dining and lifestyle destinations. Opening just last month, it had a newly-renovated classic look.
Formerly occupying this space was Black Iron, a bistro known for its burgers. Under new ownership, the branding was reinvented and the existing menu was revamped.
Checking everything listed on the menu, I think I believe an apology is due. Why? Because last time I checked, some soups, salads and pastas that they offer are vegan-friendly. Some examples personally recommended by the chef include Cream of Mushroom, House Salad and Aglio Olio Pasta.
But I think I don’t need to remind you that we’re here because of meat.
Dining Experience
Since it was already past two in the afternoon, I was famished. My stomach growled like a hungry hyena that has not eaten for a week.
Wanting to try the best this place has to offer, we were served the monster-sized Meat House Family Bonding Platter consisting of an imported sausage, monster chop, half chicken, MH ribs and French fries. Guess what? It was only PHP960, quite a bang for the buck.
You know what gives this combo an edge? Their signature barbecue sauce. Trust me on this.
I’d like to let you in on a little secret since you’re still reading up until this very sentence.
Last I heard, the proprietors are planning to execute a promo that challenges their customers to devour everything on the tray in only one minute.
If you can do it, it’s already guaranteed you’ll go home without paying a single peso.
Think I’m exaggerating? I am. But at least you got the idea. I advise you to check their Facebook page from time to time to know their latest updates.
For you to get a better idea of how each of the abovementioned bestsellers tasted like from the perspective of my tastebuds, let’s scrutinize every single one of them, shall we?
• Sausage – You can choose from any of their imported sausages available and if it will be boiled, fried or grilled. What we had was a fried Hungarian sausage and it was alright.
• Monster Chop – It’s a ¾ inch thick 400g grilled chop in butter mustard herb. This is a must-try because the mustard just complements every juicy bite. And when I say it’s thick, it’s thick.
• Lemon Pepper Chicken – Not sure if it was grilled but a friend of mine loved it. Personally, I’m more of a traditional inasal fan.
• Meat House Ribs – Grilled low and slow, it’s indeed fall off the bone tender. This is by far my personal favorite in this restaurant.
If you think we’ve had enough meat for a day, then came the Ribeye Choice at PHP960, still a ¾ inch thick US Ribeye Steak seasoned with Himalayan salt and black pepper. Paired with their homemade mashed potato, corn and vegetables, this dish disappeared in a flash.
Did I forget to mention that they have desserts? Yes, they do. And we got to try all three.
• MH Chocolate Cake at PHP190 – It’s a moist chocolate cake with Belgian chocolate ganache. If you’re looking for something bitter sweet, order this.
• MH Apple Pie at PHP160 – Served warm with vanilla ice cream, it was crunchy and chewy.
• MH Brownie Ala Mode – Who would ever say no to this timeless dessert?
Other interesting dishes we’d love to try on our next visit is their Buffalo Wings at PHP295 (deep fried chicken wings with rose blend spicy sauce with your choice of blue cheese dressing, wasabi cream and honey BBQ sauce) and also their Angus Beef Burger at PHP350 (classic ½ pound burger made from 100% pure and succulent flame-grilled Angus Beef).
Well I guess you don’t need further convincing. So what are you waiting for? Just go already.
The Meat House is located at Ginza Compound, J. Panis St., Cebu City. For reservations, you may call them at (032) 231 9878. For updates, check out their official website.
