Sizzling Pepper Steak's Gyuniku Beef Pepper Rice
Foodie days with Katrina are all too regular on weekends in Cebu, but nothing to complain about. There is nothing like great conversation and great company to go over a couple of meals in a day.
Although we had agreed to try out restaurants we haven’t had before, we were both coincidentally craving some beef, and Sizzling Pepper Steak was one of the places we spotted for some decently priced beef. Other than that, it’s been a long time since we last ate here with three of our other close friends.
Sizzling Pepper Steak has its similarities with Japan’s popular chain Pepper Lunch, and it may be because it’s where SPS’s concept comes from: half-cooked beef left to finish cooking on a sizzling plate, with a bed of rice and a dollop of raw egg in the middle. That’s the basic concept of most of the menu, anyway. There’s various meats to choose from: beef, pork, chicken, seafood; various flavors: spicy, teriyaki, curry, etc. And if you don’t fancy any of their sizzling plates, there are always options for salad and pasta.
Tenderloin Steak with a Side of Vegetables
I went for the Beef Tenderloin with some veggies on the side, and like a good steak should be cooked: medium well. The tenderloin isn’t named tenderloin for nothing. While some people love a good, fatty rib eye, the tenderloin has just the right amount of fat to provide enough flavor to the dish. I had some sauce which they brilliantly dubbed “steak sauce” but it was hardly necessary. Salt and pepper are usually enough for me to enjoy my steak if cooked correctly.
Gyuniku Beef Pepper Rice
Katrina went with one of the classic beef pepper rice dishes, but I think what sets this apart is that the beef may have been marinated beforehand. My problem with the pepper rice dishes is that there usually isn’t enough beef (for me) and way too much rice. If it weren’t for the sauce (they have a variety of sauces to choose from too), they would be ordinary beef and rice dishes.
Original Yogurt with Blueberries and Peaches
Ah. Dessert. The human brain releases endorphins at the sight of dessert despite a satiating meal like beef, creating that craving for dessert when we see it. And rightly so. Sweets at the end of the meal contrasts the salty, and the savory, and thus achieving a sort of balance to that meal that altogether makes it so satisfying.
We wanted something light, but dessert nonetheless. That’s what they made frozen yogurt for. Red Mango was a unanimous decision. I got the original yogurt with blueberries and peaches. I always feel that fruits provide just the right amount of sweetness that doesn’t seem all too diabetic in a sense.
Green Tea Yogurt with Adzuki Beans, Mochi, and Sliced Almonds
You would have to admit that Katrina is a little bit more creative, getting a certain Japanese feel to her yogurt: green tea, adzuki beans, mochi, sliced almonds.
I love steak. I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to dine in some of the places that are dubbed to serve the best internationally. While those restaurants carry a hefty price tag for a reason, there is absolutely no excuse for an ordinary juan to not enjoy decent steak. Sizzling Pepper Steak has just the dishes to satisfy that carnivore inside, and at a fraction of a price.
Finish all of that sizzling heat with some ice, cold, frozen yogurt at Red Mango to complete your meal.
Til the next meal,
Rochelle
Sizzling Pepper Steak
Red Mango
The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu
Cebu City, Philippines
Bliss in a Bite 