The piggery still have no classes due to APEC last Thursday when I hied off to Hai Chix & Steak branch in Technopoint building Julia Vargas Avenue Bo. Ugong Pasig upon the invitation of Zomatoph.
It was a sunny day and the venue was less than 30 minutes from where I live in Mandaluyong. I was lucky. There was hardly any traffic on my way to the venue.
It was my first time in Hai Chix and was curious about its name which I thought was pun for Hi Chicks. I didnt realize I was not too far off the mark because the name is a shortcut for the feathered kind not the short-skirted ones sorry boys hahaha.
Per Chef Owner Fernando Agustin, Hai Chix means Hainanese Chicken for short which the resto specializes in together with steaks hence the name Hai Chix & Steaks. This branch was also new, having opened fairly recently just last September.
It was pretty easy to spot the restaurant using the zomato app which was linked to Uber. Its black and white sign outside was was hard to miss. It was my first time to visit Hai Chix & Steaks and I was struck by its dramatic black-red-white color scheme vis a vis the rustic feels brought about by the blackboard and its chalked menu and the warm tones of the wooden tables.
The floor to ceiling windows were a plus. It gave the place a feeling of spaciousness and warmth. I can visualize myself just chilling here enjoying the food and wine while watching life pass by.
But first my thoughts about their food...
What Pigoutsundays loved :
Porterhouse - US Angus Porterhouse P3,750 . It says in the menu that one order is good for 3. I think that it could easily feed 3-5 people. It was huge and thick . It was cooked perfectly medium rare. The aroma was unbelievable. We can smell it a mile away before it landed on our table. It was pretty difficult to concentrate on our photo taking once it was right in front of us. It looked amazingly delicious and juicy. Im drooling now just remembering my experience last Thursday.
Another winner in my book. Clearly, steaks are really a specialty of the house. The rib eye was cooked perfectly medium rare. It was seasoned just so. It was swimming in a secret sauce and Chef Owner Fernando Agustin's lips were sealed and would not give us a tiny bit of a hint what the delicious sauce was made of.
The fries were absolutely divine as well. They were crunchy on the outside and moist and soggy inside just the way I like it. Nomnomnom
It looked monochromatic and bland compared to the juicy and bold steaks which commanded my attention. I almost passed up the chance to taste this pasta. But just one mouthful was enough to sway me on its side. Like an authentic Italian Pasta, its simple yet fresh ingredients made this a delightful dish to enjoy. You taste the richness of the sea and the lemon provided just the right acidity to balance all the flavors together.
Butter Garlic Shrimp P295
The shrimps were succulent and fresh swimming in a pool of butter-garlic concoction.. Another simple dish with tons of flavor. Do not forget to use the bread to mop up all that butter-garlic.. My only issue with this dish was it brings out my selfish side. The portion was just enough for one. Definitely not sharing with anybody hahaha.
House Salad P295
US Angus Cheese Burger P435
After eating two kinds of steak, surely I can not take another bite of meat , I thought. But I was no match against that freshly made foccaccia and the juicy Angus Burger inside huhuhu. The piggery would love this.
Curry Laksa P220
I love Laksa and I love curry. Just a whiff of this and I was sold. Nomnomnom
Hainanese chicken rice P280
One word - delicious. Price is not bad as well for its portion. Extra rice and ginger sauce please.
Mussels with fries P285
To be fair the broth was beautiful. The mussels were just on the thin side .
Hai Chix Adobo P340
It was not the traditional adobo that we know for sure. For one thing, it had ginger sauce or red chili paste for dip. Second it was dry adobo that had slices of boiled egg. I did not taste any toyo. I was a bit confused by its name.
Shrimp in Balsamic Vinaigrette Pasta P295
The noodles reminded me of cold soba minus the strong acidity coming from the reduced balsamic vinegar. The shrimps were perfectly cooked. The pasta was al dente. I just am not a fan of balsamic vinaigrette for pasta at the moment.
I prefer my hainanese chicken with rice. The freshly made bread was delicious .Its combination with hainanese chicken though did not work for me.
Summary:
Truly Hai Chix & Steak deserve its name. Beautiful steaks and delicious Hainanese Chicken were promised and delivered.
Can not wait to return with the piggery in tow.
No comments:
Post a Comment