Let us not beat around the bush here about the indulging feast I had at Hai Chix and Steaks Restaurant. I am giving this to you right off the bat. Their steak's been haunting me for a while now - and I am a willing victim.
Imagine a 650g hefty slab of US Angus Rib Eye Steak grilled to your liking. Some fats were trimmed off from the meat – those fat aren't meant to be wasted. Instead, those bits and chunks of fats are fated to make your experience all the more lip-smacking.
Now imagine those bits and little chunks of fat fried into perfect
doneness that gives off a balanced texture of crispness with a little
resistance to the bite. Those kick ass of a savory bits will be put
right on top of the steak. And you will eat it along with the steak
rice you will be served.
You are destined to savor it.
That’s pretty much the experience I had when I visited Hai Chix and Steaks Restaurant at Greenhills San Juan recently. And boy was it unforgettable.
If you have been feeding yourself with too much greens for weeks to offset the outrageous caloric intake you have had during the previous holiday, nothing beats the idea of a good steak other than the act of actually eating a good steak.
I had a good steak at Hai Chix and Steak Restaurant, and then some.
Basically, Hai Chix and Steaks is a restaurant that houses different dishes that hails from different places mostly Western and South East Asia. They refuse to call their creations the often misinterpreted word, fusion. Instead, they are very straightforward in claiming that they are a restaurant that offers variety of dishes under one roof.
Their specialties, of course, Hainanese Chicken and Steaks - the restaurant's namesake not devoid of a little word play.
Since it is tucked at a second floor of a building along Missouri St. in Greenhills, viewing it from the outside may give an impression that the place is too compact for comfort. The somehow limited parking spots and unnoticeable staircase leading to it aren't a big help either.
But if you are willing to get passed this little hiccups (Oh you should be, trust me on this) you will be welcomed with a gem of a restaurant that you will be thankful for. You just have to remember that it is located in front of Gloria Maris Greenhills.
I was told that dinner service can get pretty jam packed at Hai Chix and Steaks since it is a good place for after work hours hang out place when people craves for good beer and beer. Lunch time however can be a tad tame just like when I visited them. There were handful of people when I came around 12noon and increased in numbers by the time I finished my lunch.
First on the table was the Salt and Pepper Calamari (Php220) served with vinegar dipping on the side. While I appreciate the crisp batter coating the squids, I would have appreciate it more if the squids were on a soft side. I find it a little tough on the bite as it turns cold. Perhaps I made a mistake of taking too long before finishing everything. Nonetheless, the nice flavor made up for it.
I also had the Butter and Garlic Shrimp (Php295) reminiscent of my favorite Gambas dish, only, it is not, since it it cooked in butter with some secret ingredients instead of the usual olive oil. I love the generosity of the minced garlic which flavor goes well with the plump shrimps.
Had I not reminded myself that there is a steak and other dishes to slay on the horizon, I
would have probably finished a serving of this Butter and Garlic Shrimp
in one go because it was really good.
Next came the surprisingly good and innovative pasta dish named Shrimp in Balsamic Vinaigrette Pasta (Php295). This original dish which can only be found at Hai Chix and Steaks blew me away. It was so good I am still salivating by the thoughts of it while writing this blog post.
The flavor reminds me of a good salad, mainly because I've always favored balsamic vinaigrette dressing in my salad, hence it reminded me of that. But then it is different because it is a pasta dish - and a really good one at that. The use of plump shrimp was a good call and I couldn't think of any other meat this pasta dish can be incorporated with. This one should not be missed when dining at Hai Chix and Steaks.
I have tried quite a number of good Hainanese Chicken and Hai Chix and Steaks' rendition of it is definitely one of the best out there in my opinion. I love that this Hainanese Chicken Rice (Php225) features a very clean flavor which I love in my chicken. It is so good I never wonder why the restaurant was named after this dish.
Next time, I will definitely try the fried version.
Now the steak. That Glorious Steak!
I had the 650g US Angus Ribeye Steak (Php2,750) served with two steak rice and a bowl of shredded buttered corn. A serving is good for 2 to 3 persons with reasonable appetite.
To be completely honest, this dish is so good I can confidently say that
I could finish everything in one go provided that we all live in a
perfect world where mental sparring with cardiologist is non-existent
while eating a manly meat such as this.
People who are dodging sinfully good food such as this must have a really really strong determination to keep indulgence at bay. Because once the aroma of its smokey flavor hits you, all your defenses will crumble down to oblivion.
Take one bite and soon enough, you will realize that you have already thrown all cautions to the wind and you are too far gone down into a meat feast to recover.
You are pretty much done. Nope, you are so finished. Your resolve to follow restrictive diet you gave your loyalty to - gone.
So I suggest you throw that birthday cake of yours in trade of this and indulge if only for a day because hell, life is too short not to enjoy this.
Afterwards, hit the thread mill or better yet, run a race and realize that the sweat was worth it.
Then plan your next trip to Hai Chix and Steak Restaurant after a reasonable number of days - because trust me, it will haunt you. In your sleep. And in some waking hours while you are downing some greens. True story.
But it looks too oily, you say? That oil my friend, is the steak juices emitted while the meat was sacrificing its gorgeous self in order to satisfy your innate carnivore craving. Give it a respect it deserve by mixing it with the rice you are bound to ingest along with the meat. You will thank heaven for it.
The steak alongside the rest of the dishes I've feasted on were enough for me to steal my resolve that Hai Chix and Steak Restaurant is well worth a heartfelt applause. I could pretty much call it a day and remember it as one of the best this 2016. But there should always be a room for dessert.
The Cashew Sansrival (Php150) was a perfect ending to the meal. It has all the good things going for itself when we talk about a good sansrival cake; crisp meringue, perfect buttercream, and a generous amount of cashew. I love that it wasn't overly sweet, hence, it goes well with a cup of coffee.
There is still a long way to go for 2016 to mark its ending, but I am deciding now judging from my experience that Hai Chix and Steaks is one of the best restaurants I have been to early this year. I am looking forward for more but Hai Chix and Steaks already gained a spot on my list.
I will skip the calamari next time but all the other dishes I wouldn't mind having again. The Hainanese Chicken Rice was remarkable, so was the Shrimp in Balsamic Vinaigrette Pasta.
However, the reason I will come back again and again is definitely the Ribeye Steak.
Hai Chix and Steaks Restaurant
2/F #6 Missouri St.
Greenhills, San Juan City
Contact No.: 6963358
Facebook: /haichixandsteaks
Instagram: @haichixnsteaks_gh
