We have cows, yes, but steak isn’t a Pinoy staple food. We’re more bound to use those beef cuts for nilaga (boil), or kaldereta or menudo than grill/pan-fry/broil them. And so yeah… grabbing steaks isn’t a “usual” activity of many, and so it’s also not that easy for many of us to discern not-bad yet not-too-expensive steak houses.
Here’s a kicker: Too many vloggers and “influencers” recommend this or that place, claiming this or that’s the best (in the Philippines, or the world, or… ever). And yet they end up obfuscating our choice because too many of them were fed for free, or were paid to say good things even if what they ate is s.h.i.t.
And so here we are, checking Escobar’s in Quezon City.
And let’s be blunt here.
- The branch we went to was small (after checking another one that was similarly small). So expect a queue… a long queue when you get there, particularly during peak hours (which would be basically when you need to eat). You can actually pre-order stuff, but anything ordered will still only be prepared when you’re already seated.
- Ambiance? This is a busy place – e.g. singing a “happy birthday” for a client in one table actually ends up as a singalong for the entire venue. And so this place isn’t ideal for romantic dates or something… more for families (that’s if you can get a table for a big party), or tropa, or to eat out with someone you’ve already been involved with for some time (that is, not necessarily in need to pa-cute in a private space anymore).
- The staff’s “present”. I dropped a fork, and before I can say “ate”, a replacement was provided. But then again this is to be expected since the place is quite small; meaning, too, that while the staff do not mean to be intrusive, they’re everywhere all the time.
- The food, the food… is not bad. Salad sells for ₱210, but you really just get pepino, kamatis, olives, and carrots. At least fresh. And the vinaigrette is tasty. The pasta is similarly malasa, and you can tell na di tinipid sa sahog. As for the steaks, they’re well-seasoned (thankfully). And considering that some of them sell for around ₱500 lang, they’re actually not (too) thin. If you don’t want to be served with pre-slices steak pala, inform the staff when you order (I personally abhor when the mantika of sliced steak starts to ‘sleep’ na since grasa isn’t yummy for me).
Babalikan? Yeah, why not. But for those who’d visit, habaan ang pasensiya. Muni-muni rin: Is this steak worth wasting my time in the queue? Only you can answer that after assessing if tiis-pila is worth at Escobar’s.
Escobar’s – with the bar visited located at 42 Sgt. Esguerra Ave, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila – is open from 10AM to 12AM. For more information, visit their website (https://escobarsphilippines.com/).
