George Pua is no stranger to the world of restaurant business, the actor-turned-restaurateur is popularly known for bringing Thai BBQ Original Restaurant to the country from Los Angeles, as well as Cebu’s renowned Rico’s Lechon to Manila. With his food concepts under No Limits Food, Inc. such as Modern China, K-Pub, Ogawa, and Oppa, George has made a name for himself in introducing unique restaurants that stand out in the already saturated metro dining scene. As a testament to his impact, you only have to look at the facade of The Fort Strip to see the full glory of his brands with K-Pub, Thai BBQ, and Ogawa making up its front face.
With all of these thriving concepts under his belt, George notes that he has yet to open a restaurant that bears his name. Well, that time happens to be now with the opening of George Town Super Steak at One Bonifacio High Street.
As the name suggests, an abundance of steaks await you at this dining spot. Definite must-trys are the Super Steak sets with a choice of Porter House or Dry-Aged Rib-eye. Succulent, perfectly charred, and packed with savory juices, Super Steak knows how to cook their meat right with the use of their Mibrasa charcoal oven. The true star of the restaurant, this oven from Spain uses real hot charcoal as opposed to other contemporary ovens that use gas or electricity. This achieves a good charring on the outside of the meat and with the intense heat from the coals, locks in the juices of anything you cook on it, whether it be steaks, fish, or vegetables.
“Cooking with the Mibrasa oven is the next generation for cooks like us,” Chef Jin Ho Yoo explains of the benefits the oven brings to the modern kitchen setup. Steaks can be cooked in half the usual time without compromising the quality of the meat. This gives the restaurant their edge as they are the first and only restaurant in the country to use the Mibrasa oven.
Reflecting the Mibrasa’s strength and the restaurant’s focus on fire as its main asset, the interior wall is designed with a mural resembling cave paintings that depict the destructive power of fire. This adds a rustic touch to the rest of the restaurant’s sleek interiors.
Other dishes to try aside from their steak include the Fire-Grill Baby Back Ribs with its fall-off-the-bone meat, the Mushroom Platter with its assortment of earthy grilled mushrooms which retain their unique umami juices through the Mibrasa, and the Steak & Greens Flatbread with its crisp crust and savory cheesy mix from its Angus beef slices, and bleu cheese.
On why he chose to finally put his name on one of his restaurants, “I am a firm believer of this concept. We Filipinos have finally grown a liking to steak and with highlighting the Mibrasa oven, I think this modern concept will do great things,” George shares with a confident smile. Funny enough, whether it be by fate or by chance, Super Steak’s al fresco area gives a colorful view of BGC with Fort Strip at the center, almost like a look back at George’s restaurant journey from traditional cuisines such as that of Ogawa’s Japanese fare maturing to his now modern concepts found in George Town Super Steak.
George Town Super Steak is located at the 3rd level One Bonifacio High Street, 5th Avenue BGC. For reservations, contact (0917) 532-0000.
Photos from George Town Super Steak
