Our Wooden Spoons: Outback Steakhouse, Makati

Nothing tantalizes our senses better than the word FOOD, and in the middle of a crazy day running around two cities while keeping up with our two kids, Amy and I long for a good dining experience.

Upon arriving at Ayala's Glorietta mall, one noticeable establishment that always catches our eye is Outback Steakhouse. This restaurant has been in that corner for as long as we can remember and we had an opportunity a month ago to buy some food to go on my way to work. I was both surprised and delighted at the quality of food AND customer service that I immediately shared it with my wife. Unfortunately, we weren't able to write about it then so we're making amends and now documenting our recent experience with Outback.

We were greeted at the entrance with a smile and was shown the way to their main dining hall at the second floor. The immediate feeling that we felt at that time was the same feeling we get whenever we're at Baguio or Tagaytay - relaxed, at home, cozy. The lighting was perfectly relaxing, the floor had wall-to-wall carpets (which were clean, by the way) and the staff waiting for us upstairs were all smiles and were happy to escort us to a table right by the window with a view of the heart of the Makati commercial district.

The staff also gave our kids some crayons and sheets of activity paper to keep them busy. But as interesting as the view and "kiddy activities" were, we were interested on seeing their menu more than anything else.

The dinner menu was well organized, had pictures of some of their best sellers and each dish was well described. But did it taste as good as it looked on picture? We shall see.

And while we were pouring through the menu, we were served with a delicious, warm bread - I hate myself for not asking the kind of bread, but we love'd every crumb.

Now, I'm a steak lover. I love to eat steak! But this time around, we decided to go for something different - the cow shall live another day for now! Amy ordered the Seared Ahi Tuna and the Toowoomba pasta. We also ordered the soup of the day, which was a baked potato soup - a hefty bowl of thick cream soup with chunks of baked potato, topped with bacon and cooked to a savory perfection that it almost seemed to resemble a chowder. I'd have this soup every day for a week - it's that good! We give it a rating of 5 out of 5 spoons.

Seared Ahi Tuna

First up, our half order of Seared Ahi Tuna ... a-work-of-art! Our compliments to the chef. The tuna was well-season and was deliciously encrusted with various crushed peppers; cooked perfectly encasing the freshness of the tuna within. The two sauces that accompanied were well prepared - one had a touch of zestiness and a kick of heat courtesy of wasabi, while the other had a blend of savory and sour. Such a perfect way to start our meal. We rate this dish 5 out of 5 spoons!

Toowomba Pasta

Next up, our full order of Toowoomba pasta - a pasta dish tossed with a generous portion of shrimp, mushroom and a splash of spices perfectly cooked in a cream sauce. The sauce wasn't too heavy or thick and the pasta was al dente. And finally, the shrimp was cooked perfectly. We rate this dish 4 out of 5 spoons.

Chocolate Thunder from Down Under

And finally, complimentary dessert from the Marketing Manager, Vanessa Calimlim in the form of a plate of Chocolate Thunder from Down Under. A home-made chunk of brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream and finished-off with a chocolate tuille. We were advised to eat it by scooping from top to bottom in order to appreciate the varying temperature of the brownie against the ice cream and whipped cream. If you can picture heaven, this dish would be among the top of the list. It was a real treat digging in this dessert. As simple as it may sound, this decadent dish will satisfy any sugar-tooth, especially mine. For chocoholics such as ourselves, we rate this dish a big 5 out of 5 spoons!

The water and iced-tea was free-flowing and so was the level of customer service. My wife even asked them if they had gone through a specialized training session on customer service, but we were surprised to find out that all training were done in-house - the rest they learned on the job. Guys - we find this to be a delightful surprise. Any business that wishes to operate for many years needs to have their people trained on a regular basis. For a well-known establishment such as Outback to be open for the past 12 years or so (and still going strong), say much about their culture. For each member of the staff to be able to handle themselves professionally as well as they did must have been the result of a healthy working atmosphere as well as the culture and values imparted from top management down to each member of the organization. For the overall experience, we give it a 5 out of 5 spoons!

To Vanessa Calimlim and Dan Co - we've said this before and we'll say it again. Whatever you're teaching your people, keep it up. Give Regine, Jaja and the rest of the staff in and out of the kitchen a pat on the back. Tell them to keep up the good work for they represent a very well known name in the food industry.

For as the saying goes in this industry, people come and go ... but its your regulars that will keep coming back not just for the food, but for the quality of service that your team exhibits day in, day out. You may change your repertoire from time to time, but your professionalism and sense of customer service should always be at par with what we have witnessed this past weekend.

More power to you and your staff of Outback.