When Western Beef Meets Eastern Cooking

The dinner was an interesting reminder that good quality meat makes a great difference when preparing standout dishes.

Text and images courtesy of Tedrick Yau
February 20, 2023

Sunae prides on serving Southeast Asian flavors with Argentinean passion, as introduced by its founder, Chef Christina Sunae. The restaurant recently pushed their core concept further with a cross-cultural wine and dine experience. “The Best of Canada Beef” highlighted Canada’s superb and flavorful beef quality that is rich with marbling and tenderness. As a self-confessed carnivore, I could not wait to dig in.

Renowned Chef Carlo Miguel masterfully created a 4-course menu paired with wines from Philippine Wine Merchant and Wine Warehouse. Having had the chance to personally know and work with Chef Carlo Miguel, I was doubly excited to once again be delighted by his culinary prowess. As expected, each steak dish had a distinct and appetizing twist that I really appreciated.

While waiting for the wine dinner to formally begin, I savored a cold glass of Chandon Garden Spritz.

The first course was the Grilled Picanha with Green Mango Kimchi and Micro Greens. It was the beginning of my appreciation for Canadian beef. The beef was well-seasoned, tender at every bite, and not at all chewy nor bland. I have never been a fan of traditional kimchi but Chef Carlo Miguel’s green mango version had a pleasant balance of sour and spicy. I really wouldn’t have minded if they served me an extra portion of this delectable dish.

Next on the menu was the Reverse Seared Bone In Ribeye, Crying Tiger Sauce with Lettuce and Herbs. It was a fancy take on Korean barbecues and the local samgyupsal craze. Wrapping the juicy steak in lettuce gave it that fresh and crunchy texture, with the crying tiger sauce adding that salty and savory taste at every bite.

Last on the steak menu was the Angus Ribeye with Rendang Puree and Krupuk with Jasmine Rice. I have been cutting down on carbs for weeks but how can you enjoy rendang without rice? The empowering, spicy, and herby rendang enhanced the flavors of the juicy beef.

A scoop of Baked Calamansi Souffle Pudding that was Pandan Infused with Coconut Mascarpone was the coup de grace. The small portion was enough to be a citrusy and tangy ending that cleansed the palate. It was simply lovely to taste.