Missing HotRocks? Go to Beeffalo in Marikina

First off, what Beeffalo restaurant has is “Angas,” short for “Batangas,” not Angus beef.

For those craving Angus steak, which could cost over P2,000 per person, Beeffalo is not for you.

But if you’re after the taste of good food, by all means, head on to this Marikina restaurant for a porterhouse or T-bone steak.

Beeffalo's steaks and ribs taste exactly the same as those of HotRocks, which closed in 2012 but was a highly popular restaurant not only among Ortigas Center residents and office workers but also among celebrities and politicians, who signed its dining plates.

There’s a simple explanation for this: the two restaurants are owned by the same group of people.

In fact, the complete name of Beeffalo is Beeffalo by HotRocks.

Louie Abad, the general manager and one of the owners, said they had to close down HotRocks after their lease on the land expired.

They moved to a somewhat secluded place. To be exact, Beeffalo is located at Block 6 Lot 3 Gil Fernando Avenue, Sto. Niño, Marikina City.

Abad said they chose the name “Beeffalo” with the double “ee” and double “ff” because they wanted something “that would roll off the tongue and hopefully provide good recall.”

Although Beeffalo has several items on their menu, from salads to pastas and pizzas, “beef relates to our specialty, grilled meat dishes,” Abad said.

He explained that concept behind Beeffalo is an American roadhouse by a highway to serve passing travellers, though he acknowledged that this concept is not as popular in the Philippines. Furthermore, there is no clearly visible sign that indicates Beeffalo's presence.

My own brother Fernando Velarde, a bank executive residing in Marikina, said they initially couldn’t figure out whether Beeffalo was a residence or a restaurant.

However, Abad said the choice to put up Beeffalo in a secluded place was deliberate, and so is the decision not to have a large “in your face” business sign.

He acknowledged that business was tough for the first few months after they opened in October 2013.

However, once word got out about Beeffalo, business flourished, disproving all management theories, including those about the importance of “location, location, location.”

In a matter of months, Beeffalo has gained a loyal following, mostly families from Marikina. Abad said they even have customers coming to them from faraway provinces. Almost every day, the restaurant is full, usually of families: children, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents.

This is exactly the kind of people they want in their restaurant—big families gathering for a good meal, he said.

Abad’s wife, Girlie Cosio-Abad, is the executive chef, while their business partner Caren Diaz handles finance.

My verdict

Considering that I am a fussy eater, I liked most of Beeffalo’s dishes. I’m a little hard-to-please when it comes to food mainly because of three reasons:

(1) I love to cook and come from a family of great home cooks. Even our late father, who used to head a multinational firm, knew his way around the kitchen.

(2) I took up Food Technology in UP Diliman before shifting to Journalism, and I am particular about the cleanliness of a restaurant, the freshness of the ingredients, and the proper way of preparing food.

(3) Although I personally prefer fish and vegetables, I know what quality beef is because our family has a cattle ranch.

About some of Beeffalo’s dishes, here are my observations:

Biscuit pizza (P125 - P140): Absolutely perfect. Beeffalo’s famous thin crust has a fine and delightful taste. This is what I liked best out of all the Beeffalo food I tried. I would go back to Marikina every other day, or even every day, just for the biscuit pizza, especially the three-cheese flavor.

Carbonara (P165): The carbonara is not as extraordinary as the biscuit pizza. I wanted the pasta to be more al dente and the creamy sauce to be a little less thick and a little more flavorful. I rate the carbonara three out of five stars.

Porterhouse steak (P650 for 450 grams): Very tasty. It tastes very similar to my favorite inihaw cooked by my brother. However, I still prefer Angus to Angas (or Batangas) steak. But then, the price difference between the two is so wide. Beeffalo’s porterhouse steak is priced at only P385 for the 250-gram order. My rating: three out of five stars.

Grilled blue marlin with rice (P195): Very reasonably priced, especially for its quality, but I miss the finer and more delicate taste of the same kind of dish served in luxury restaurants. Beeffalo’s grilled blue marlin has a definite country feel to it.

Baby back ribs, full (P740): Melts in your mouth; tastes as good as those served in other restaurants specializing in baby back ribs. Girlie said this is the dish that she is most proud of.

Taco barbecue salad (P275, good for two): very good combination of lettuce, nachos, taco beef, salsa, cheddar cheese, barbecue sauce, and ranch dressing.

Classic baked potato mash (P65): Almost everyone I know loves this. My brother brings his family to Beeffalo because their two-year-old daughter likes this very much. I enjoyed it too but I prefer a more buttery, more flavorful mashed potato.

Beeffalo has more than 60 dishes on its menu. I don’t think there’s one bad choice. Anyone can go there to enjoy good food and great company. The trip will definitely be worth it. — BM, GMA News