At San Juan's Lobby 385, Chef Kalel Chan Teaches the Art of Great Steaks and Beyond

Lobby 385 
385 P. Guevarra Street, San Juan
Contact: 0917-169-5338
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lobby385ph
Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Sunday to Wednesday), 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. (Thursday to Saturday)

(SPOT.ph) San Juan's long been a dining destination, but it's especially in the past year that its restaurant scene has blossomed into one that's especially eclectic and exciting. New to the area, tucked away along one of the city's sloping narrow streets, is Lobby 385, a not-so-ordinary steakhouse helmed by chef and restaurateur Kalel Chan.

Lobby 385 is hard to miss thanks to its understated hotel-like facade popping up as you pass by. The rather unexpected sight amongst San Juan's hole-in-the-wall restaurants, mini commercial spots, and quiet residential areas calls you in, ready to gift you with the culinary master's own understanding of what makes a steakhouse. Spoiler alert: it's all about having damn good steak, but it's also way more than just that.

"First, they wanted to have a steakhouse, but I said 'Iba na 'yung game ng steakhouse ngayon,'" Chan shares with SPOT.ph during an afternoon visit.

A visit to a "steakhouse" means that you will of course be ordering steak -- but that's not a hardset rule Chef Chan wanted for Lobby 385. "I don't want the people to eat here to be stuck on just steak. Gusto ko 'yung kakain kayo as a family dito nang hindi naka-commit sa steak." One look at the menu, which lists everything from pasta to burgers and even soups and sandwiches, proves that Chan has certainly given diners options. A ton.

The restaurant itself emulates a hotel lobby for this exact reason. "We all have a fascination for hotel lobbies," says Chan, explaining that he likes how you can order pretty much anything while at a lobby. "When you check their menus, usually wala siyang concept. You can serve arroz caldo. There's a burger, there's steak, there's halo-halo," a lack of limits that Chan wanted for his own Lobby 385.

What to try at Lobby 385 in San Juan

As proof that Lobby 385 isn't just a steakhouse, the menu is full of stellar dishes thought up by Chan with as much care and expertise as the steaks. Just take a look at their Tableside Beef Salpicao (P590). Yes, we do mean tableside. A cart with a smoking hot stone bowl is brought to your table, on which chunks of top blade is cooked perfectly into salpicao in just a few minutes. The meat is incredibly tender and intensely flavored with garlic and soy sauce, perfectly paired with bits of fried bitso bitso.

The Potato Pave Crisp (P345) is a prime example of dedication, with prep for this dish starting the day before. Potatoes are meticulously sliced into thin sheets and layered with duck fat in between, then frozen to keep its shape while being fried to a crisp. "Galit 'yung kitchen sa akin dito," laughs Chan, but the results are worth it. Perfect squares of crunchy-on-the-outside, pillowy-on-the-inside potatoes; think crips but so much better. Add in their hollandaise, pecorino snow, plus truffle spray and you've got an unbeatable starter.

Another fun eat on their starters list is the Grilled Baby Corn Elotes (P325). Instead of using a whole cob, Chan opted for baby corn so that you can eat the entire thing easypeasy. With cilantro, pecorino romano, and smoked paprika, you'll definitely enjoy doing so.

One dish that might just cause a carnivore to sway on their path to steak is the Straciatella Caprese (P395). The traditional caprese salad and its already simple-yet-sublime combo of tomatoes, mozarella, and olive oil reaches new levels with the clever use of meaty beefsteak tomatoes and stringy, creamy straciatella over mozarella. For even more layers of flavor, Chan matches the brightness of the tomatoes with grilled grapes and dried figs in a reduction of balsamic vinegar. Strands of kaffir leaves (from Chan's own plant!) gives the milky, bright, and earthy salad a little citrusy zing.

The KOPA Baked Hulk Lasagna Al Forno (P575) was our first introduction to the magic of Lobby 385's wondrous charcoal oven, and we were thoroughly impressed. The lasagna was served with the mozarella and Angus meat sauce still bubbling from the oven's heat, and bits of the spinach pasta sheets all crisped up with that wonderful slightly burnt flavor.

Another dish the oven worked its magic on was the Giant Tiger Prawns Thermidore (P895). Lobby 385's take on the French classic is especially rich with the addition of crab fat butter—let's just say we were very close to scooping it up and spooning it directly into our mouths once we had finished off the tender shrimp and cheese.

While the oven certainly lends their dishes a certain magic, Chan also found the perfect type of steak to cook in it. His dry-aged beef is a hybrid, a mix between fatty wagyu and truly beefy angus, making for a cut of meat that's got it just right. Chan shares that he first encountered this hybrid beef from Australia while in a Las Vegas restaurant helmed by Spanish-American chef Jose Andres, and he knew Lobby 385 would be the best way he could introduce it to a Filipino crowd.

We gave the Dry-Aged Australian T-Bone (P5,680/600 grams) a go, and trust us, Chan was right when he said it had the perfect balance. It had the deep flavors of beef and just the right amount of butteriness from the fat—and with the oven's high temps and their cooking technique, this thick cut got just the right sear.

Note that, as mentioned earlier, you don't want to commit to a huge chunk of meat, you can also get the Petite Steak for P1,200. This expertly cooked slab of 200g USDA top blade is just enough for a bit of steak and will allow you to try all the other gems on their menu. 

The stellar list of dishes doesn't end there. Lobby 385 serves up a Classic Tiramisu (P375) as an indulgent way to cap off an already indulgent meal. Because why not? Chan shares that he had long been on a hunt for tiramisu done authentically in Manila, and when he couldn't find it, he decided to make it himself for Lobby 385. Their tiramisu does indeed pack on the liqueur, and rightfully so. For something different, the Mulled Wine Poached Pears (P375) is something you likely won't find anywhere else on our islands. A sweet pear poached in mulled wine—resulting in tender-inside-crisp-outside fruit—is topped with classic vanilla ice cream and a parmesan tuille, making for a sophisticated dessert you won't soon forget.

Swanky as Lobby 385 presents itself as, it's ultimately a cozy and accommodating place for all occasions. Bring a date, your ride-or-dies, even the whole family and everyone's bound to find something they want. This extraordinary steakhouse is home to great plates—steaks and fun, eye-opening versions of classics included.

Photos by Majoy Siason