Beef with a backstory
In choosing beef, provenance matters—for the meat is only as good as the animal it came from, the land it grazed on, and the hands that brought it to your table.
It’s on this very principle that Canada Beef is built: Bos taurus cattle, grass-fed and grain-finished on the vast open ranges and grasslands of Alberta, where air is cool and pure water runs. Tended by farmers committed to environmentally sustainable practices, the cattle are raised with care, their meat handled under strict safety standards throughout the supply chain.
The resulting beef is flavorful and consistently high in quality—and with it comes peace of mind, especially for those who want to make informed, conscious choices about food.
“You can feel good knowing exactly what you’re consuming,” said RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation of Alberta, at a recent culinary showcase called “Fire & Flavor,” held at Flame Restaurant in Discovery Primea, Makati City.
“It’s a proud moment as we continue to strengthen our presence in the Philippines and share with you unforgettable dining experiences,” added Albert Eringfeld, vice president of export market development for Canada Beef, an organization responsible for promoting Canadian beef locally and internationally.
What stood out to executive chef Luis Chikiamco about Canadian beef is its “versatility.” It’s sweet, not unlike US beef, with just the right amount of fat, creating a clean flavor profile without sacrificing earthiness and depth—a product of the cattle’s prairie environment and a grain-heavy diet introduced three to four months before harvest.
“It’s subtle and unique…sufficiently sweet and fatty, yet still tender and flavorful,” he told Lifestyle.
Diverse applications
The preview of the menu Chikiamco created for “Fire & Flavor,” which runs until July 7, reflected just that—a celebration of top-grade Canadian beef through diverse culinary applications that took us from Mexico to Japan, France to Vietnam.
First came the Carne Asada Taquito, a beautifully marbled slice of chuck flap, topped with zesty chimichurri and fresh pico de gallo. For contrast, the dish was paired with a Menchi Katsu Nugget, a bite of which revealed a hearty blend of mozzarella and Camembert, combined with luxurious minced Angus chuck eye roll.
If there’s one dish where beef quality is paramount, it’s beef tartare. Served raw and finely chopped, this delicacy exposes even the littlest of flaws in flavor and texture, with freshness—or the lack thereof—ultimately shaping one’s enjoyment.
But after learning about Canada Beef’s adherence to proper animal nutrition, meticulous disease tracing, and science-based meat grading, any misgivings were quickly put to rest. The ball of minced rib eye meat had a gentle sweetness, its natural flavor amplified by herbs and citrus. Every bite was silky, supple and, before long, melted on the tongue—it could very well have been tuna sashimi.
The Beef Short Plate Pho’s delicate presentation—sprigs of herbs and bean sprouts resting on aromatic beef broth—belied the wallop it packed. The pieces of mushroom gyoza were umami flavor bombs. The rolls of razor-thin beef unraveled like edible gauze. The soup had a slight viscosity, straddling the line between broth and sauce.
And then, for the main event: a duo of the day’s most luxurious beef recipes. Veiled in Napa cabbage and accompanied by king oyster mushroom and Bordelaise sauce, the Dry-Aged Rib Eye Rossini was gastronomic indulgence in two parts: first, a generous portion of foie gras—buttery and richly intense, intoxicating even. Beneath it lay a thick slice of steak, adding heft as your teeth sank into the luscious liver.
Stringent grading
The last dish had me fooled. From afar, it looked like a small square of decadent chocolate cake, only to realize as it settled in front of me that it was, in fact, a chunk of Braised Short Ribs. The meat was slow-cooked to perfection, its juicy, melt-in your-mouth fibers fraying at the gentlest prod of fork, exposing hidden tiny globules of fat in the process.
“The Bos taurus breed, a tender animal, is chosen for its optimal combination of muscle and meat quality,” Eringfield pointed out. “Grading is stringent (Canada Prime, AAA, and AA being the top three levels), allowing only for youthful, well-muscled carcasses with bright red meat and firm white fat.”
Topping it all off was a piece of Burnt Cheesecake with pecan crust and blueberries. Here, the Maple syrup—another one of Canada’s most iconic signatures—made its sweet appearance, at last.
The Beef Tartare and Duo of Canadian Beef make a welcome return on the official “Fire & Flavor” menu, now joined by a lineup of equally enticing new offerings: Vietnamese Beef Salad, Josper-Grilled Short Ribs Kare Kare, and Korean BBQ Rib Fingers.
For those who prefer their beef in its purest form, the menu also features a selection of premium steaks cooked in the Josper oven—sealed with charcoal for maximum flavor—including Dry-Aged Rib-Eye, boneless Canada Prime Rib-Eye, bone-in Canada AAA Rib-Eye, and Short Loin Porterhouse.
As guests indulged in the sumptuous menu, Alberta representatives and members of the Canada Beef team made their rounds, moving from table to table, eager to hear about each diner’s experience. A show of hands earlier had revealed that most of the guests had yet to try Canadian beef.
“Nothing puts a smile on my face more than seeing our produce on Filipino plates,” said Sigurdson.
Oh Canada—we couldn’t agree more.
Call tel. no. 7955-8888 or email primea.restaurants@discovery.com.ph
