Filipino steak journey grows from gravy-filled sizzling plates to Wagyu on a hot stone

The House of Wagyu Stonegrill spent nearly two decades introducing Filipino diners to the iconic Japanese beef.

As a college student, tipid mode is the name of the game.

To get through the week, you learn the usual survival meals: tusok-tusok, pancit canton “paluto,” siomai rice, kanto pares, bentelog, suking carinderia, and convenience store topper meals.

On better days, a fast food joint or an artsy cafe becomes a small reward. Yet you still find yourself returning to the classics like tapsihan and sizzlingan. You look beyond the usual silog order and go for the more “premium” offering: a sizzling plate drenched in gravy, served with java rice and buttered mixed vegetables. The ulam could be chicken, liempo, or hungarian sausage.

It’s an upgrade, sure, but every now and then, your eyes would still wander to the even more premium choices on the menu: the steak.

Not the kind Gordon Ramsay prepares or the kind served during candlelit dates at fine dining restaurants. Rather, it’s the T-bone steak, beef steak, or burger steak. The cuts were thin, the gravy was generous. Even pork chop or liempo can have the “steak” label. But it didn’t matter, as it was a feast for a student like you.

Years later, as a young professional finally earning a regular salary every kinsenas and katapusan, your perception of steak gradually changed.

The occasional treat became something you could plan for. Work dinners introduced you to restaurants you once only walked past or saw online. Conversations with colleagues, friends, and people from different circles exposed you to new tastes and dining experiences.

The sizzling plate was no longer enough. You started learning about ribeye and tenderloin, about the difference between medium rare and well done, about letting the meat rest and cutting across the grain, and about butter-aging and sous vide.

And the further you went into the world of steak, the more you discovered what separates an ordinary cut from an exceptional one. You began appreciating the details behind premium beef: the role of marbling, the care behind every cut, and why Japanese Wagyu—especially A5-grade beef—is regarded as among the finest in the world.

Where you choose to enjoy your steak also evolved. You became more intentional about the restaurants you visit, realizing that premium steak is less about the price tag and more about the experience surrounding it.

That philosophy is at the heart of House of Wagyu Stonegrill, a homegrown brand that has spent nearly two decades introducing Filipino diners to the iconic Japanese beef.

With branches at Eastwood Mall in Quezon City, Shangri-la Mall in Mandaluyong, and Viridian Mall in San Juan, the brand has just opened its flagship restaurant at Okada Manila in Parañaque.

As with its other locations, the heart of the experience remains the signature Stonegrill ritual: diners cook their Wagyu on a 380C volcanic stone according to their preferred doneness.

As always, the restaurant pays as much attention to the atmosphere as it does to the food. Soft golden lighting, intimate dining spaces, and thoughtfully designed details—from the wave-inspired ceiling to the sunset-toned bar—create a setting that feels both refined and homey.

But unlike its other branches, the Okada Manila flagship elevates the dining experience—quite literally. Located on the resort and casino’s upper ground floor, it offers diners a front-row view of the Manila Bay sunset, making each steak’s sizzle and bite more memorable. Of course, guests looking for more privacy may opt for dedicated dining rooms.

The experience also extends beyond the Stonegrill. Guests are introduced to more tableside moments, including caesar salad prepared from scratch, crêpe suzette finished through a traditional flambé, and the signature Tomahawk finished with flame, fresh rosemary, and in-house cowboy butter.

The branch also has a Spanish-built Pira oven powered by sustainable coconut charcoal. It adds another layer to the menu, allowing steaks, seafood, and vegetables to develop a deeper sear and subtle smokiness before reaching the table.

And perhaps that’s what makes the steak better each time. You remember those Wednesdays savoring a one-piece burger steak swimming in gravy and right now, you’re searing Wagyu on a hot stone. You can’t help but say, “Malayo pa, pero malayo na.”

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