Steakhouses are usually the go-to restaurants for any kind of major celebration. Eastwood, Libis has just a few selections. Top of mind “steak restaurants” include The House of Wagyu, Outback Steakhouse, and Stoned Steaks. For our team’s Christmas dinner, I decided to have a group meal at Stoned Steaks despite it having low ratings online (TripAdvisor, Zomato, blogs, etc.) I wanted to know how true the reviews really were and if we’d be surprised to find out otherwise and prove them wrong.
Review of Stoned Steaks (Eastwood, Libis, Quezon City)
Ambiance:
Stoned Steaks consists of a longish gallery dining room (where we were seated) and the al fresco dining area. Total groups of guests that can be seated would be around 5-6. Dark panels adorning the walls and a bar showcasing bottles of wine complete a warm and inviting vibe, while the whole scene was perhaps a bit ostentatious when looking from the outside.
It’s quite a modern, small and intimate spot for a fancy night out, with some more elaborate touches you want in a classy steakhouse. That said, it takes about ten seconds inside Stoned Steaks before you realize that it’s one of the few slightly upscale restaurants in Eastwood, or at the very least, one that definitely looks and acts the part.
Service:
Reservation was easily made through Instagram and confirmed via sms. Staff were responsive but not too friendly or accommodating. There was a little hiccup on attitude at the end but was already apologized for after calling it out. Overall, service here just didn’t live up to the elegance of the place or stand up to the luxurious tab.
Food:
At first glance, the menu reads like a steakhouse Hall of Fame induction ceremony. There are several pages that consist only of the different grades and cuts of steak with prices that can naturally induce gasps of wonderment.
As for the steak, the lava stone made the experience unique, as it had heat that can cook the steak at your own pace. We asked for the steak to be sliced into bite-sized portions as soon as it was cooked perfectly to our liking. The dish made a strong impression to start and the presentation set expectations high from the get-go. Taste and texture were decent but nothing astronomically delicious. It had a good sear and char and was balanced but no “melt-in-your-mouth sensation” which was kinda disappointing. There wasn’t a huge amount of flavor, but you can just taste the natural flavor of meat. Anyway, sauces and condiments helped.
Do you really order other things than steak here? We did. In fact, I enjoyed Seafood Jambalaya (PhP 425) the most, and it was the first thing that hit the table after the complimentary bread. It’s basically rice mixed with different seafoods like clams, mussels, and shrimps. Serving size is good for about 2-3 people to share.
Wagyu Salpicao (PhP 450) could definitely work as an entree. Pair it with the fragrant and aromatic Steak Fried Rice (PhP 130) to elevate the taste of beef more. Grilled Tanigue (PhP 625) and Wagyu Lasagna (PhP 390) were okay but not good enough reasons to come to Stoned Steaks.
Price for Value:
They had a promotion on their steaks which slashed off 50% from the original price. If not for the discount, value for money wouldn’t be as fair as you’d like. Stoned Steaks is a cheaper alternative to House of Wagyu and cooking the steak on a hot stone added to the creativity which elevated the dining experience, but other than that, it would be better to eat and spend your money on a celebratory dinner some place else.
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
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