A family restaurant owned and managed by husband and wife Louie and Girlie Abad and their partner Caren Diaz, Beefalo by Hotrocks' maiden branch is located in Marikina City. A new Beeffalo store recently opened its doors in Antipolo City, a culinary gem that is waiting to be discovered.
Its delicious everyday comfort food, the homey and unpretentious ambiance and its quirky decor bring character to the restaurant. The name Beeffalo came from a random concept. They wanted something unique and catchy, a term that would roll off one's tongue to one's mind effortlessly. Its name also stands for the flavorful beef and meat dishes that are the restaurant's specialties.
They may be known for their grilled fares but there are more dishes you can indulge on when you visit. Slurp on some of their soups while waiting for your mains. Try the creamy Broccoli – Cheese Soup (P120) that's to die for or the sweet and tangy Roasted Tomato Soup (P75) to prep yourself to the sinful meal you'll about to have.
A serving of their Taco BBQ Salad (P275) which is a medley of nacho chips, shredded cheese, ground beef on top of fresh greens drizzled with cheese sauce, salsa and housemade vinaigrette dressing is a fresh way to start a meal.
You can never go wrong with pizza! Especially Beeffalo's biscuit pizzas which are not your usual thick or deep dish ones. The Margherita (P155) and Three-Cheese (P135), a personal favorite, are topped with tomatoes, cheeses and full-flavored herbs are extremely thin-crusted, it gives out that crunch in every bite and also almost melts in the mouth.
Beeffalo also serves steaks that people loved at the old Hot Rocks restaurants in Pasig and Libis. Simply seasoned with salt and pepper, they are grilled to your liking showcasing the meat's natural flavor, enough to please even hardcore steak eaters. It was our first time to visit the restaurant and we were surprised that the steak is actually tender and bursting with flavor. Our favorite is the Porterhouse (P395/250g; P650/450g) served with made from scratch creamy mashed potato and some fresh vegetable salad drizzled with vinaigrette.
The house specialty Full Rack Baby Back Ribs (P765) is basted with the restaurant's signature barbecue sauce, grilled to perfection until it has achieved the smoky flavor and fall-off-the-bone goodness. Also available is the Solo Baby Back Ribs (P285) that's good for one person and is served with java rice. Make sure your hands are clean because it's the only way of eating these babies!
Louie Abad, one of the owners insisted we tried the Sizzling Beef Ribs (P330) as it is one of the best-sellers, it is a chunk of fork tender beef ribs in a tangy tamarind gravy – their take on the classic sinigang served on a sizzling plate. Scoop a morsel of warm rice with even just the sauce it's good as it is.
Feed your chicken craving with their Beeffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip (P195) which they are also known for. Choose between sweet and spicy or the hot and spicy (our group's favorite!) to coat the freshly cooked chicken wings that's been fried to a nice golden hue. Other meat dishes include the Grilled Chicken BBQ (P185), Pork Barbecue and the Barbecue Platter (P195) which includes Filipino street food favorites – grilled isaw, tenga and bulaklak on skewers.
They've also added some sandwiches perfect for those afternoon visits. A classic Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Soup (P225) that's oozing with three kinds of cheese and has the bread has a perfectly crisp outer layer. Another addition to their growing menu is the Cheesesteak Sandwich/Wrap (P245) where you can choose between a ciabatta bread served with fries on the side or tortilla wrap with nachos.
Ending your meal has never been easier when Beeffalo has everything your sweet tooth desires, one is the Dulce de Leche Cheesecake (P165) which has just the right amount of sweetness to it, you'd be able to finish one slice all to yourself in one sitting. A personal favorite is the Brazo de Mercedes (P125), cloud-like meringue roll with a velvety custard filling.
They also have a number of Filipino flavors for the ice cream – ube, gabi, mais, buko, pandan – you can choose from, sold at only P50 for a generous scoop. What's noteworthy is everything's made with all-natural ingredients and the ice cream line is only available in the Antipolo branch so it's really something to look forward to besides its steaks and ribs.
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Beeffalo by Hot Rocks Antipolo is located at M.L. Quezon Ext. Antipolo City across Antipolo Doctors Hospital. Operating hours are Sundays to Thursdays (11am to 11pm) and Fridays and Saturdays (11am to 12mn). For inquiries, call 534-1160.
Beeffalo by Hot Rocks Marikina is located at Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue, Marikina City. Operating hours are Sundays to Thursdays (11am to 11pm) and Fridays and Saturdays (11am to 12mn). For inquiries, call +63939113077.
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