Carmelo's Steakhouse Is the New Steakhouse in Rockwell

Carmelo's Steakhouse
2F, The Proscenium Retail Row, Rockwell, Makati City
Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

(SPOT.ph) Carmelo’s Steakhouse opened in Greenbelt in 2014. It was a unique concept that combined a steak house and dessert shop in one, run by the late Carmelo Santiago—also known as the Melo of Melo’s Steakhouse—and his daughter Chef Cristina Santiago, who ran her own business too called Sweet Bella where she sold award-winning pastries and desserts.

No duo is better fit to run such a business, so what happens if one passes on? As Carmelo’s Steakhouse reopens at The Proscenium Retail Row in Rockwell, Chef Cristina proves she's moving forward from the loss of a father, all while honoring her hero’s legacy.

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A closer look at the magic happening at Carmelo's Steakhouse:

Chef Cristina fondly recalls her father coaxing her to reopen Carmelo's Steakhouse straight from his hospital bed. And how is any daughter to say no to that?

So when her father suddenly passed in 2021, Cristina decided to pick up where their plans of reopening were left off.

Cristina shares that when she saw the space at The Proscenium Retail Row, she felt a gravitational force to move Carmelo’s Steakhouse from Greenbelt to the Rockwell neighborhood. She was initially told it would be difficult to get a space at this property, but she was able to secure after randomly walking into their leasing department. “Someone up there helped me,” she says.

In the same vein, Cristina was also triumphant in bringing to life her vision of a steakhouse—ome that breaks the usual mold of dark and stiff. She stood at the helm of the restaurant’s interior design decisions, taking the time needed to piece together the elegance, the luxury, and that magical feeling she wanted for the space.

Enter the steakhouse and you would instantly know that this “magic” is all thanks to the gold chain links suspended in its lighting fixtures. “When I did the mesh, literally umakyat kami and ginawa namin ‘yan. That gave me the feeling that this was the magic that I wanted. Tears fell and [I thought], ‘I hope you [dad] like it,’” Cristina shares.

While there’s no denying that the new Carmelo’s Steakhouse is built on Cristina’s sophisticated vision and flawless execution, they honor her dad with a special room, one where his influence is strongest.  “In our house, we always had a special room. It’s called a music room and it had this 'feel.”'

To the right of the entrance, this enclosed room has a small, digital fireplace and high cushioned seats where guests are free to lounge and look through a copy of a special coffee table book about Carmelo Santiago and his story. Right next to this cozy little reading nook is an intimate dining area where guests can enjoy Carmelo’s Steakhouse dishes with a little more privacy—a space that is cozier and warmer, as what dining with family feels like.

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The food and drinks served at Carmelo’s Steakhouse:

You can get the same slabs of Melo’s bestselling steaks at Carmelo’s Steakhouse—from the Angus Beefs to the Australian Wagyus. Cristina shares that her dad asked to never change the steak suppliers at Carmelo’s, as these suppliers from Australia and the U.S. are who he considers the key to Melo’s and their other restaurants’ success for the past 37 years and counting.

Cristina describes her father as a very classic guy, and some of the dishes on the Carmelo’s Steakhouse menu that use his recipe serve as the best examples of that no-frills-no-fuss characteristic of his. From the earthy and peppery Carmelo's Paté (P320) which is served with plain crostini; the Gambas (P850) which is sauteed shrimp cooked in olive oil, garlic, green and red chili; the Classic Caesar (P420) that’s composed of romaine lettuce, homemade croutons, anchovies, a drizzle of olive oil, and topped with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese—every ingredient is a textbook definition of what makes these dishes stellar.

To keep with the times, Cristina created different dishes like the Truffle Buratta Farfalle (P1,200) with al dente bowtie pasta tossed in an umami-rich truffle sauce, served with fresh burrata on top that when mixed in, makes the pasta more indulgent; the Octopus Ala Plancha (P850) which puts a smoky octopus centerstage, accompanied by a velvety cauliflower puree and a gremolata; the Tuna Tataki (P400) that uses succulent Ahi Tuna with homemade white miso.

Of course, Cristina’s award-winning and father-approved Sweet Bella desserts are also on the menu. There’s the refreshingly fruity Pearl (P400) which has this sweet and tart guava mousse layered with fresh mango coulis; the Madam Butterfly (P400), an elevated chocolate cake with ganache and Scarlet coulis; and the Angelina (P550)—which Cristina shares was her dad’s favorite—that has a hazelnut praline almond crust topped with a smooth hazelnut mousse, served with raspberry coulis and edible red magnolia flowers.

Cristina’s goal with Carmelo’s Steakhouse is for it to be known as the best steakhouse in the Metro. “And how does one achieve that?” she asks herself. Without missing a beat, she continues, “I’ll apply everything that I learned from my dad, which is to make sure your quality is the same, be consistent in checking, train your staff well, and communicate with your guests.”

As daunting as it is a task to carry out her dad's legacy in this competitive, sometimes ruthless restaurant landscape, Cristina gets strength from her father's name and all that he has taught her in the past years. "Now, I can do this, pa. You gave me all the tools. This is me continuing your legacy because he taught me everything."

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What we recommend at Carmelo’s Steakhouse:

It goes without saying that the best dish you can get at a steakhouse such as Carmelo's Steakhouse is a steak. Since the menu is quite extensive in its selection of meats, we particularly liked the Wagyu Grade 6 Ribeye (P580/oz) with a medium rare doneness. With gorgeous marbling that makes the meat glisten in its own fat, this wagyu comes with soup and your choice of side dish (mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables, or confit potatoes), just note that you’re missing out if you don’t order the signature Simple Steak Rice (P350) to eat alongside the wagyu—or whichever meat you end up ordering.

If you want variety, we found the seafood to be just as stellar, from the locally sourced Fresh Oysters (P400), the Tuna Tataki, and most especially the Octopus Ala Plancha that will leave you wanting a second serving. We understand that these are categorized as appetizers on the menu but as the rebels that we are, we say that any appetizer can be a main dish if you order enough (double or triple).

As for Cristina’s dessert, both the Pearl and Angelina won us over—there was no better dessert between the two. We love the Pearl for its uniqueness as it's rare to find a good dessert in the Metro that captures a guava’s sweet and tart profile to a T. The Angelina, on the other hand, speaks more to the sweet tooths in us as it feels like an elevated candy bar—fancier with the raspberry coulis and the edible flora.

How to book a table at Carmelo’s Steakhouse:

Carmelo’s Steakhouse is at the 2F, The Proscenium Retail Row, Rockwell, Makati. For reservations, you can contact (0915) 903-8005.

For more information and updates, check out Carmelo’s Steakhouse on Instagram.

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