MANILA, Philippines—Where to go for good steak or good meal is a common question I get here. Fortunately, the discoveries I made on the evening of July 7 gave some answers.

My niece Maureen and nephew Quinto threw a 35th wedding anniversary bash for their parents, Babes and Babot Oreta, at 22 Prime, a classy steakhouse with a fantastic view on the 22/F, Discovery Suites in Ortigas, Pasig.

22 Prime is Discovery’s latest outlet which Chef David Pardo de Ayala is very proud of. Without a doubt he says, “Ours is the best quality of steaks, for the price, in town!”

I have no reason to doubt that. This man knows his food which, true, to his New York training, is cutthroat, free of pretension, nice, simple and hearty with every grain of salt and pepper in the right place.

22 Prime serves no less than certified prime Angus beef. De Ayala says that “of 100 cows, only two would make it to this quality, the kind that we serve.”

After tasting it, I agree that it is everything a great piece of meat should be—the bite, the pure unadulterated taste of beef, char-grilled to your preference, seasoned just right with steak sauces and condiments served with an equally delicious gratin of potatoes (which I hope they put more of, too little for my huge appetite!). Need I say more?

This time, I must! That same evening, I discovered the best carbonara, done as it should be, finally! Comparable to the one served at Grand Hotel in Rome where I think it to be the best, can finally be had at 22 Prime as well.

And there’s something else. If its rib-eyes were that excellent, then thank god “It’s Prime Rib Friday Night” is something to look forward to: Soup for the day, free access to salad bar, a hearty slice of US Certified Angus Prime Rib plus dessert. You have all that as a pianist plays the most romantic tunes amid an ambiance and a view that money can’t buy, for only P1,100. (For reservations, call Discovery Suites at 6838222.)

Mini tier and cupcake dessert buffet

Then, there is a lawyer-turned-baker, Yumi Castrillo. I came across her cake when Inquirer correspondent Bianca Consunji featured her cupcake tower.

Something so pretty is difficult to forget. That photograph stayed imprinted in memory. It was only a matter of time before I gave her a call. On July 2, I did.

I ordered a birthday cupcake tower Castrillo is now known for. She sells them at affordable rates so that many weddings are shifting from classic cakes to cupcake towers.

Trying to figure out what I wanted for my dinner, she asked me to look at the photos on her website: www.flickr.com/photos/yummypieceofcake. We came up with what I wanted, she set it up for me and I was pleased.

Her mini tier cakes are so pretty! Three-layer mini cakes with a base of six inches, center of four- and a top of two-inch diameter, are so ornate that looking at them is sheer joy.

For the amount of work she does, I think it’s a steal at P1,500 a piece or P4,000 for three, each custom-made according to your specifications.

Another new twist from Piece of Cake (Yumi’s cake company) is the 26-flavor cupcake buffet with mini cakes and fresh flowers scattered on the table. How could you go wrong with all those flavors? There is something for everyone. Leftovers are neatly packed in boxes.

Now if you want just one yummy cupcake, you can put an order for any of the 26 flavors. Among my personal favorites are Rum-Soaked Figs and Walnut Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream, Blueberry and White Chocolate, Vanilla and Strawberry Buttercream, Blue Cheese and Pear, Carrot, Brown Sugar and Banana and Chai Masala with White Chocolate Buttercream, but only if you love Chai!

For someone who never thought she’d be selling her cakes, this lawyer who turned to baking to relieve stress, is now stressed over baking! But I reckon the stress to be of the happy sort. Castrillo says, “I am thrilled, (that) I could finally bake to my heart’s content. Making it a business gives me the best excuse to do what I love best—bake, bake, bake!” Bake on girl, bake on!

Contact 3839204 or e-mail yummypieceofcake@gmail.com.

E-mail the author at raspiras@inquirer.com.ph