Marriott treats its employees well. Hotel accommodations at all the Marriotts and Courtyards in the world? 50% off! Dining at any of the hotel restaurants? 50% off!!! No wonder Marriott employees are the nicest people. Like my friend CJ who organizes dinner tonight at the hotel’s newly opened CRU Steakhouse so all of us can experience Marriott hospitality and stuff our faces like there is no tomorrow, for only half the price. Thank you, CJ!
Ooops! Ma’am CJ, I mean.
Coming from the Building and Construction Expo, already 45 minutes late for dinner and ready to eat not just a tiny piece of steak but a whole cow, I rush into the restaurant, say a quick hello to everyone, apologize for being late, take my seat and start attacking the food.
Popovers – already cold when I arrive, but should be good when still hot
Amuse Bouche
Louisiana Crab Cakes – generous with crabmeat, not bad but not the best
And then the anticipation for our big, bad, juicy steaks
US Prime Rib Eye 250g – Ma’am CJ approves
US Prime Tenderloin (bone in) – special thanks to Pat for standing, kneeling, bending and squatting to take a photo of his steak for the blog, and to Chase for posing and smiling for the camera.
And I spy this on the menu: “CRU signature super prime Wisconsin US beef. This beef is aged for 21 days, well marbled, full of flavour and butter tender”
Now who can resist that? I order from this category for a taste of the steak heaven that the CRU menu promises.
*Super* Prime Rib Eye 250g – sadly, it doesn’t deliver. It isn’t all bad, but I do not taste the Php 1,000+ upgrade from the regular US Prime Rib Eye.
*Prime* Porterhouse 350g – this is so huge I feel 100 lbs. heavier already just laying my eyes on it. Some strong and mighty gentleman from our table orders an even bigger cut and finishes it without effort. JP, you the man!
Grilled Sea Bass – The reason why most people stay slim when I get fatter and fatter everyday – they order fish when eating at a steakhouse. Thank you, Cathy, for this photo. Can I buy some of that willpower from you? At 50% off?
CRU sides:
Roasted Sweet Potato Spicy Wedges
Creamed Spinach Steamed Asparagus Parmesan Butter
What I like…
The cute Staub mini cocottes they use for the sides (but not the oven roasted marble potatoes inside)
Philip’s Steak Rice – named after the person who cannot get over how good Myron’s steak rice is so he instructs the chef to replicate it using the fatty parts of his steak. And ta-da! Our very own Myron’s-style Philip’s steak rice!
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms – I LOVE this and will go back to CRU just for this. I’d choose the Portobello over any of their steaks, too. It’s THAT good.
The open kitchen
The personalized steak knife
And the company, most of all.
Chase, Cathy, JP, Philip, Nelson, Me, Ma’am CJ, Tine, Pat
Our bottles:
And they are all good. Some slightly better than the others, but I refuse to rank. Yap boys, you all have excellent tastes.
Because we are with Ma’am CJ, dinner is 50% off.
And because we are with Pat, dinner is 100% off.
Thank you, Ahia Pat!!!
CRU Steakhouse: Manila Marriott Hotel, 10 Newport Boulevard, Newport City Complex, Pasay City, M.M., Philippines. Tel. +632-9889999
