On a Friday afternoon, Dad and I found ourselves stuck in a meeting and a work-related happy hour. The upside is that it was at Marriott which has a lot of restaurants so I took the opportunity to ask my dad out to dinner (he pays though, of course). If I haven’t already mentioned this before, Dad and I love steak. So the first thing he said was “do they have a steakhouse here?” It turns out, they do and it is oh so good.
After the appropriate amount of socializing, we excused ourselves and headed over to Cru. I must say though that I was in work-mode and not in my usual foodie/blogger mode so my descriptions may be less detailed. Furthermore, I will apologize in advance for these photos. They’re not very clear nor bright since the place was very dim, in a “good for dining, bad for photos” kind of way. Without further ado, here we go.
The dining area. Loved the space, the ambiance, the decor. The lighting is dim, the seats are comfortable, the atmosphere is laid back but you can feel the energy in the room. However, we were seated in a quiet corner which may have made the difference as we didn’t feel the hustle & bustle. The diners are a mix of couples, families, expats/tourists, special-occasioners, etc. The waitstaff are abundant, ensuring that all your needs are satisfied. It’s open-kitchen style so you see your food freshly made. The subtle, unobtrusive fragrance of grilled meats occasionally wafted through the air, making my mouth water.
(sorry blurry)
Bread – He had some fancy description to this bread but I barely paid attention. I just know that the two spreads were garlic herb and blue cheese. Okay, delicious. It’s some freshly baked loaf topped with cheese and is just pure yum. Dad and I had to stop ourselves from eating it because we knew it would fill us up.
CRU Crabcake (P690) – I first had crabcake in a steakhouse in Manhattan called Porterhouse. It was my first time to have crab cake. I fell in love with the dish and it has been my benchmark for crab cake ever since. Since then I’ve had my fare share of crabby patties to know that the test of a true crab cake is in the ratio of real crab meat (expensive) to the fillers (veggies, usually). In short, crappy crabcakes have more fillers than meat. We don’t want that. CRU’s crabcakes were 3 patties densely-packed with lump crab meat (jackpot!). I would give them a gold start for quality, presentation and portion. However, the taste isn’t perfect. I felt it needed a bit more seasoning, I wiped my plate clean of all the sauce they put because I needed something for flavor. I must admit I underestimated this dish but wow they give you a lot. Afterwards, I was really full already.
French Onion Soup – Dad’s order. We were busy catching up (he was in China for a few days) so I forgot to ask him if this was good. He finished it so I guess it was.
Australian Grass Fed Rib Eye 200 grams (Php2,000) – I was choosing between the US Ribeye or the Australian Ribeye. The server said, if you want texture and softness, you go for US. If you want flavor, you go for Australian. Heck, I definitely wanted flavor. I was not disappointed. It was juicy, tender and flavorful. Seasoned just right. I ordered the mushroom sauce but I barely touched it because the steak was good in itself. That’s an indicator of a good steak — when you don’t need any sauces or condiments. Please note, Ribeyes, by nature are quite fatty and are known for the marbling on the meat. Accordingly, there will be a lot of fat on this steak. If you want a leaner cut, then order a different type of steak.
US Porterhouse 200 grams – Dad’s Order. WOW, I would get this next time. It’s difficult to describe, only when you taste steaks side by side do you realize the difference. His was definitely better than mine. It was just as tender but the flavor was really different. The words to describe it escape me. No picture though.. sorry.
Shortly after your steaks are served, someone comes over to offer you typical steak condiments. I highly suggest the dijon mustard with truffle.
Sides – these are REALLY important in a steak dinner. Don’t ask me why, they just are.
My sides: Black Truffle Risotto and Spiced Potato Wedges – I was very full at this point but I was ridiculously happy with my chosen sides. The Potato wedges were great to munch on. The black truffle risotto was a winner though. It was really sinful and undid all my hard work at the gym but it was worth it. Creamy Risotto mixed with black truffle shavings and topped with melted parmesan shavings. If only I weren’t so full, I would have finished this. On the bright side, this is what I’m having for breakfast tomorrow.
Dad’s Sides: Baked Potato and Grilled Portobello Mushrooms – My dad loves baked potatoes. He will order these as long as they are on a menu, especially as a side to a steak. They give you a large potato and generous portions of sour cream, chives and bacon. The mushrooms didn’t look appetizing but my dad finished them all so I guess we shouldn’t judge dishes by the way they look. I didn’t get to taste either so I don’t have any commentary on this but you can’t go wrong with these two classics.
Desserts – I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t have any dessert. It almost broke my heart to decline our server’s offer for dessert. But I couldn’t, I was simply too full. I took a photo of the menu instead. I hear the Chocolate Cake is divine. It’s okay, there’s always next time. I will know better.
The Damage – I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the bill. It might be our most expensive dinner date, ever, especially considering I didn’t have dessert. Then again, we ate like kings.The portions are so huge, honestly you and your date could share and probably cut the cost in half. But since Dad and I are professional eaters, we have to pay the price.
The Verdict – CRU ranks high among my favorite steakhouses. I would definitely want to come back and bring my brother and mom. I think they would enjoy it too. I wish I had endless amounts of money and more importantly, waistline space to dine here more often. It’s a great place to celebrate a special occasion or in our case, just indulge.
However, in the battle for the best steakhouse, The Fireplace is still my #1, followed very very closely by Cru at #2. If we are going to judge based on Sides (yes this is important to me), I would say Cru definitely tops the “Best Steakhouse Sides” category. In the desserts though, Fireplace’s chocolate soup would be tough to beat. I have yet to give Cru’s desserts a shot. That would be another blog entry in itself. So before I make a final choice, I have to try both places out some more. Dad, maybe next Friday? 😀
Not the most attractive photo of me and dad.
Cru Steakhouse
Marriott Hotel, Resorts World
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