Whenever we feel the insatiable urge to eat we always try to go to the best place in town and if we've been to all the usual place we then look for a new place that is unique to our taste buds. For those who are more into beef such as myself then a good fat heavy slab of steak, some mash potato, vegetable sidings and a glassful of wine is the best way to go (hoping for some room for dessert).
A place which is named after an Al Pacino flick in the early ‘90s of which the owner admits to being a big fan of the actor and his works. That said, the place is designed to look like something right out of a good old “mob film” with tables, color and all. Behind this restaurant is a guy named Raul Baron (chef and proprietor of Carlito’s Way Diner) at The Persimmon on M.J. Cuenco Ave., Mabolo, Cebu City whose idea of a great steak would be medium rare, the more marble the better, the more fat on the side the better.
Though most of us would have heard or is familiar with Carlito’s Way already, what Raul started as a steakhouse here in Cebu has now evolved into a much-more varied restaurant. A step in the right direction, as Raul would like to see it.
No longer just a steakhouse they have a different concept that revolves around a more balanced menu. And they’re not just talking about a mere balance here—but a menu that aims to offer something to everyone in the group or the family. Pumpkin soup, Bulgogi, Teriyaki, & Karekare as well some international comfort food too where there is always something to look forward especially those who haven’t tried yet.
Old steak favorites remain on the menu that dining patrons through the years have come to love like the restaurant’s trademark Carlito’s Way Steak, or their US Angus top sirloin. For those pasta lovers out there they also have their take on what a good Rigatoni Beef in creamy tomato sauce should be.
Raul has his passion when it comes to preparing food with fantastic flavor. He enjoys preparing the dishes in the restaurant himself and is very hands-on with his creations—from the commissary to the kitchen. That perhaps may be one of the reasons why the restaurant, albeit situated in a public location, feels a lot more like home.
