Pop quiz my dear gourmets and foodies: Do you give bad restaurants second chances? Remember that small joint near your flat that served really good couscous but the waiting time just took forever? How about that really posh place that you love going to but serve hot soup cold? If your answer to my first question is yes, what are your dining “negotiables”?

You see, before I construct a review and hit that (WordPress) publish button, I try my best to dine in a “reviewee” twice before posting. I only have two exceptions:

• I wouldn’t be able to come back and dine anytime soon (like out of town/country dégustations)
• The reviewee has swept me off my feet on first bite

That said, let me share two Saturday dinners spent in one restaurant: Murray’s New Orleans. The steak we’ve had almost caused me to publish pre-maturely but my date, who loved the same piece of meat, has been bugging me to dine there again hence gave me some room to accept “negotiatiables.”

MNO’s al fresco bar at night

Dinner #1: Post birthday of Jayvee’s friend

Per celebrant’s request, Jayvee and I made reservations in the non-smoking area one early Saturday night. We told the receptionist to save seats in the non-smoking area. After an hour or so, we came back with everyone in tow. Inside the non-smoking area, we were given the middle table (the one just outside the kitchen). It’s a Saturday night and we’re dead hungry so instead of giving our slot for better seats, we just took it.

Before we could even place our orders, our group of five’s already freezzzzzing to death. You will be too if you’re seated in that table because the package type a/c vent’s directed to you! We naturally requested that the vent be put up only to hear “Sir, sira po sya eh (trans: Sir, it’s broken).” Option B’s to put the temperature down but with a full house, you can only do so much. The server turned the temp down after about an hour (just in time for the steak).

Here’s what we’ve had:

French Onion with Dumpling Soup, PhP 105

Six Layered Chicken Barbecue Nachos, PhP 205

Cajun Shrimp Popcorn and Calamari Platter, PhP 295

Cajun Blackened Ribs, PhP 599

Skip the soup, shrimp popcorn & calamari, and the ribs but do order the nachos and steak! I ordered the soup because I have this search for the best French onion soup in town (any recommendations?). The dumpling factor I must admit, is something new (to me at least). The shrimp popcorn & calamari is well, just plain shrimp popcorn & calamari (I believe we didn’t even finish it). The ribs, is just your average Cajun ribs. Add about PhP 300 and go to Tony Roma’s instead. The diced mango on the nacho’s a fresh detail I am a fan of. The steak (oh my gawd…the steak) is definitely something! I don’t eat steaks (and lamb) very often because I feel that even with the most exquisite dishes or pastries, if you have something really good very often, its appeal will diminish in time. Note that for me though, North Park’s 3 kinds of mushroom soup with whole wheat noodles and chicken isaw’s an exception to this theory.

This is what we got from about a handful of steaks, sauces, sidings, and cocking options:

11 oz. Brazilian Tenderloin, Tri-Peppered Steak and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato PhP 795

A steak expert should be able to tell what’s wrong in that photo with one look. For us occasional steak gubbers, take a look at the sauce. It’s red, right? That’s because it’s…ketchup! The guy who ordered it called the server and asked why he’s been given a ketchup when a tri-peppered steak is served not with ketchup but a blackpepper sauce. The server’s reaction “Sir naubusan po kami ng blackpepper sauce (trans: Sir we ran out of blackpepper sauce).” Oh geez. The steak, thank heavens, was cooked and rubbed well with tri-pepper hence turned out pretty good. No need to dip into the ketchup.

Dinner #2: Whining Friday

The “Whining Friday” dinner was spent with two ladies and my usual date (not complaining!) after a couple of events in Glorietta. Jayvee and I recommended that we get the exact same steak (I crossed my fingers that they’ll give us blackpepper sauce this time) and the nachos. We also got their local premium tenderloin in the same cocking (tri-pepper) but with the “New Orleans House Steak” sauce.

MAC Bow checking out the six layered chicken nachos

While accidents happen (I make a lot of serving booboos myself), hungry guests do not like their nachos slipping off the plate while being served. We waited for about 15minutes to be served and another 8-10minutes to be re-served. (sigh)

The steak’s still remarkable (am glad we didn’t disappoint our steak lover Sophie). We were served with the blackpepper sauce this time. Sophie and I’re guessing that the sauce is made of ground white and black pepper heated in extra virgin olive oil with almost caramelized brown sugar. The local premium tenderloin was thinner than the Brazilian of course but it wasn’t so bad. The house steak sauce was so-so.

Just when we thought the slippery nachos was the highlight of the night, the veggies nabbed it! I was about to fork out good bunch from the serving plate when I saw one of those lettuce worms! I don’t know what it’s called but we all saw it! Thing is, we were so hungry to report nor take a photo of it because they might just take our plate away (again). I just inspected the meat and the mashed potato, checked for foreign or moving objects, then gave the hungry gang a go signal to dig in.

I can go on forever telling you about the times the server served us drinks we didn’t get but that will just give this place a roadkill.

Any recs where to get good steak and good service? I give bad restos second chances.

New Orleans Bourbon Street Steaks & Oysters
B6 Bonifacio High Street
Taguig City
(02) 856-4326