I’ve written about Malcolm’s before. But it’s in a different part of town with a slightly different menu. Two things are pretty consistent:
- Their menu features the Kitayama Wagyu beef that they raise on their own, and
- It ain’t cheap!
The only reasons why I actually visited Malcolm’s are because I was treated to a lunch by former colleagues and because we bought coupons from Deal Grocer. If not, I’d probably still be walking past that place.
To start with, they offer you some toasted bread with some olive oil. Pretty nice. You can ask for balsamic vinegar.
The Deal Grocer coupon was pretty enticing. Valued at P2,500 they sold it at P1,250.00 (or $27.75) — good for two people. Not bad. It’s a 4-course steak menu that comes with 2 soups, 2 salads, a steak course, and 2 desserts.
The Pumpkin Bisque with Shrimps and Pancetta Bits was pretty hearty. Good start to the meal.
The Mediterranean Salad with Black Olives, Sundried Tomatoes, and Feta Cheese was… well, very Mediterranean. They used a light vinaigrette dressing, which was a good contrast to the salty feta cheese.
I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in the steak course. They served 500 grams of Pinot Noir braised Grade 6 Kitayama Wagyu Short Ribs, but it wasn’t a steak in the classic sense. We asked them to split it into 2 and it came with a heavy tomato-based sauce. I would’ve really loved to get a grilled steak seasoned with just salt and pepper to really taste the beef. Afterall, why cover the natural beefy taste of Wagyu beef? Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad. But why do that to a (supposedly) great piece of meat when you can do that to the cheap bits?
The dessert was a choice of Strawberry or Mango Panna Cotta. I liked the mango more, but both incredibly sweet for me. Like eating pure syrup.
Now, when there weren’t any coupons to use, here are a few things to try for (fairly) cheap bastards not unlike myself.
Give the Spaghetti Bolognese a try. They use Kitayama Wagyu in all their beef products but I wasn’t a big fan of this. There was this overpowering flavor that I didn’t find to work. This is probably for the people who want to try a “Wagyu Spaghetti.”
Instead, I preferred the Spaghetti with Sea Clams, Garlic, Chilies, and Fresh Herbs. The dish was really light but seasoned well. Seafood was fairly good and not overpowering, unlike the Vongole dish in Chelsea. Ironically, this is without any of the signature Kitayama beef.
Of course, you have to try the Malcolm’s Wagyu Burger1, which an old colleague2 declared the “Best Burger in the Metro.”
First of all, I love that it’s a pretty simple burger. Patty, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomatoes, fries. Perfect. Second, I don’t think it’s the best burger in Manila. It used to be pretty fucking amazing3, but this time around it was a bit dry and not as beefy as I’d like it to be. It’s still tasty, but the 500-Peso price tag is a bit tough to swallow.
For a cheaper alternative, you can probably go for the Wagyu Sliders, which is basically 3 small versions of the Wagyu Burger. They serve it with 3 different toppings4, which is good if you’re into that sort of thing but I like my burgers with little to no toppings please.
I love the Malcolm’s Flavored Iced Tea. Peachy! It’s actually brewed and sweetened lightly.
Overall, the place is not bad at all, but pretty pricey. The quality of the meat is pretty good, but I don’t think it’s as good as before. There are different Malcolm’s branches out there that cater to different markets. This is geared towards the high end. Like I said, they closed up for renovation or relocation or something, but I do hope that they crop back up… and with more coupons this time around.
Review Overview
Food
Value for Money
Service
Overall Experience
Summary : Good food, high end feel to the place... and the price. 500 Peso burger. 'Nuff said.