22 Prime, Discovery Suites Ortigas’ award-winning steakhouse, launched its Australian Tomahawk Chop & “Verse 1” Specialty Menu last May 27, 2010.
I was among those who witnessed how Chef David Pardo de Ayala transformed these huge, thick, and raw 1 kg 6-Star Tenderplus Australian beef into the most delectable steak dish ever. Its massive size actually reminded me of a caveman’s club.
The affable Chef David (pronounced with a short “a”) gamely answered our questions and posed for photos. He stressed the importance of making sure that the meat is at room temperature before cooking it. “Nothing will ruin a steak more than taking it directly from the chiller to the grill,” Chef David explains.
I couldn’t help but take a photo of this cute napkin set on the tabletop right in front of me. My companions and I chatted a bit and nibbled on a variety of breadsticks and dips as we waited for Chef David’s scrumptious steak.
We sere soon served individual portions of the Tomahawk Chop accompanied by a bowl of Caesar Salad “22 Prime” and grilled baby vegetables. Our steaks were already sliced for us, so all we had to do was dig in. 😀
The meat was very juicy, tender, and flavorful — grilled to just the right doneness. It was drizzled with a red wine sauce and peppercorns. The thin layer of fat on the sides served to heighten the melt-in-your-mouth goodness of each slice. The naturally sweet grilled baby vegetables complemented the steak perfectly. We each had a glass of Verse 1 Cabernet Sauvignon to go with our steak too. 😀