Bistecca: Where Fine Steaks are Located

When in Manila and you are looking for a fine place to wine and dine, Bistecca is the place for you. Established in May of 2010, this restaurant takes dining to a whole new level. Bistecca is located in Rockwell, specifically the Joya building, and has a strategic location by being a street across Rockwell Powerplant and a stone’s throw away from the Rockwell-Mandaluyong Bridge.

The light interior design of Bistecca is pleasing to the eyes

The appearance of the restaurant can be summed up in one word: light. The accent of Bistecca’s interior design is pretty light and it can be seen by the white wallpaper and the brightness that the lights give out. One thing my eyes enjoyed inside Bistecca Rockwell would be the chandelier made up of empty wine bottles. While it’s good to point out the light and playful design of Bistecca, one shouldn’t forget its ode to other steakhouses with its leather seats and marbled tables.

The usual fold of bistecca’s table napkin (left) and one of the most interesting chandeliers you’ll see in Manila (right)

Before the meal, we had a time to chat with Joey Esteban, the Managing Owner of Bistecca. He told us that the idea of creating Bistecca came from his trip to Italy. During his trip, he noticed that the diners would share their big pieces of steak instead of eating it alone.

Just some of the fine beverages available at Bistecca

Joey wanted to create a steak-centric restaurant that would get that community feel that he saw in Italy. Thus, Bistecca was born. Known for its fine steaks, Bistecca’s meats are USDA Choice and Prime beef. However, Bistecca’s menu packs more than just steaks and we will dive into that right now.

Scallops Salad

The Scallops Salad was a solid dish to start the festivities. The scallops were tender, a telling sign that it was cooked well. The sauce (Sabayon) was light, foamy, and had that taste that will make you yearn for more of this delectable salad. This salad is something you should try when you step into this fine establishment.

The 3-Layer Caprese

Bistecca’s 3-Layer Caprese was another dish that tickled our collective palates’ fancy. The dish consists of a layered Buffalo Mozzarella, Roma Tomatoes and Arugula with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. As a person who loves his mozzarella, this was a very tasty treat for me. The caprese had this melt-in-your-mouth quality wherein all three parts of it was harmonized to burst a beautiful medley in your mouth. But to put it in layman’s terms, this dish was very tasty and worth-while. The 3-Layer Caprese is another dish that you shouldn’t miss out on.

The Nut Encusted Camembert

Putting Honey on the Cheese

The Nut Encrusted Camembert was the next dish served on our table. The Camembert cheese was served with slices of French bread, berry jam and honey. The cheese itself was already creamy and tasty. However, one should experiment putting the cheese over the bread and pouring either the honey or the jam. The combination of tastes would surely excite your palette as much as it did ours.

Truffle French Fries (left) Mushrooms that goes with the Bistecca 122 Prime (Center) and The Truffle Mac & Cheese

Another Bistecca favorite was the Truffle French Fries. The fries, covered with truffle salt and Parmesan cheese, were thoroughly addicting. I think I’ve gotten a piece of it every other minute, even when the main dish was already served. There’s no doubt that this truffle-flavored dish was one of the highlights of the night.

We dove into yet another truffle-related dish with the Truffle Mac & Cheese. The macaroni dish was not only served with truffles and cheese but also had some bacon and arugula on top. The macaroni’s cheese levels were so high, that this writer approved it. The bacon was crispy and was a solid addition to the macaroni. Truly, this dish proved the theory that (almost) everything tastes better with bacon.

The Trio Tenderloin: Steak Diane, Surf n Turf and The Butter Finish

We were treated to a Trio Tenderloin, one of Bistecca’s new entries, after the starters. The dish has three tenderloin steaks and each of them had their own unique taste: Steak Diane, Surf n Turf and Tenderloin with Butter Finish.

A Closer Look

The Steak Diane was a piece of tenderloin on top of some mashed potatoes. The Steak Diane is topped with light sauce that has a mixture of Brandy, Worcestershire sauce, and others. We enjoyed the light sauce of the Steak Diane as it blended well with the fine meat. The Surf n’ Turf tenderloin had toppings of blue cheese, capers, cream sauce and some prawns. The Surf n’ Turf was creamy and had a subtle cheese taste. The blue cheese taste was there, but it didn’t overpower the meat. The Butter Finish looks simple with its literal ‘buttery’ marinade and some mushrooms on top, but don’t let it fool you. This sirloin just had that tenderness that can melt in your mouth.

Bistecca 122 Prime: The Main Event

Now we will talk about the main event for that evening: Bistecca 122 Prime. This entry consists of one kilo of USDA Prime Bone-in Rib eye roast that can satisfy 2-4 people in one sitting. The big slab of meat is gorgeously cut up into thin slices for the customers to enjoy. The Rib eye is served with either a rosemary or chili oil, depending on which oil the customer wants to put on his plate. Aside from the oil, they can use three types of salt to put on their beef (garlic, truffle and chili salt).

Slicing Up the Steak (Left & Right) and The Different Salts and Oil for the Steak (Center)

A Closer Look

Bistecca 122 Prime: Ready to Eat

Upon first bite, we realized how finely cooked the steak was due to its tenderness and juiciness. The roasted rib eye was mouthwatering and was definitely one of the best steaks this writer has ever eaten in his lifetime. If you are a steak lover and you have the budget for this gigantic steak experience, I urge you to order Bistecca 122 Prime.

S’mores

Yummy!

Bistecca also has some fine desserts, one of them being the S’mores. The marshmallows are placed and heated on this fondue-like container. On the side, the dessert has some graham crackers and Valrhona chocolate. For me, the Valrhona chocolate was amazingly semi-sweet and creamy. The combination of the chocolate and the graham crackers to the marshmallow was such a treat to eat. The whole table had a very good time eating with their dessert and making their own S’mores.

Some Tea and illy Coffee To Cap Off The Night

All in all, our trip to Bistecca was a very memorable experience. From the addicting Truffled French fries to the huge Rib eye, and even the S’mores, it was one fine night of dining that we would surely remember for years to come.

Bistecca’s Signature Steak Sandwich

Before we wrap things up, Bistecca is also cooking up a new lunch dish promo called the Bistecca Signature Steak Sandwich. For the price of 999 php, you’ll be getting a 17’ inch bread with the following tenderloin sandwiches: Surf and Turf, French Dip and Beef BBQ. This promo is only available at Bistecca from Monday to Saturday, 12 Noon to 3 PM.

When in Manila and you would like to experience a special dining experience, go to Bistecca where that and a whole lot more await you and your company. I’d like to thank Mr. Joey Esteban, Miguel Gianan, Lito Caballero and the rest of the Bistecca staff for welcoming us to their lovely establishment. This author would also like to give shout outs to his fellow diners who joined him that wonderful evening to experience the glorious food that was placed upon our tables.

WIM Photos by: JoTan23

Bistecca Menu Pictures