RAP Steaks and Cakes and its Famous Gravy Sauce

April 30, 2013 - The urge of food exploration compelled us once more to try something we haven't visited for a long while. It was no other than RAP Steaks and Cakes (or commonly known as RAP's) located just beside Singangag Express. If you are a student in DLSU, exit in the Velasco Gate and go straight.

Two years ago when we were sophomores, we often frequented this place once a week (or once every other week). That was how we all love the restaurant and the food! But a year after, several stores came into existence, diverting our attention away from this restaurant. 

Luckily, we all agreed yesterday to pay a visit once more to this nostalgic place.

RAP Steaks and Cakes near DLSU Taft

Yes, the place is simply casual, but what's evident here is the number of people dining and tying the famous steaks and cakes! Here's a photo of my lunch buddies in RAP:

From left to right: Troy, Mika and JD

Now, I present the awesome goodies of RAP Steaks and Cakes:

Specialty Cakes of RAP Steaks and Cakes

Aside from the steak and chicken lollipop, RAP's is also famous for its delectable cakes and other deserts! Why not check the menu below for the complete list of desserts and their prices? 

For now, let's forget about the desserts and focus first on the dishes. JD and I ordered the T-Bone Large at P180. Mika wanted to have Chicken Lollipop (which is another best-seller), but it went out of stock.  Hence, she decided to have the Chicken Tenders instead at P150. While Troy, being the odd one out (kidding) decided to have the Porterhouse at P190. 

Side note: I can't help but notice the dramatic increase in prices because if I remember correctly the prices of the dishes were somewhere between P100 to P130. They are now between P150 to P190.

Chicken Tenders of RAP at P150

The photo above is the Chicken Tenders which Mika had. It tasted fine, but I believe the Chicken Lollipop is better when it comes to the flavor. Good thing that the gravy of RAP was there to save the day, and added more flavors to this dish.

The next dish is something we usually have for breakfast - Tapsilog at P95! 

Breakfast All Day: Tapsilog at RAP Steaks and Cakes

If you are currently on a thrift-mode, this is perfect for you since the Tapsilog costs only P95 (as well as other breakfast dishes)! The taste of the Tapa is somewhere in between sweet and salty, so I guess that's a good thing for some. However, if you are not content with the taste, you may pour in a dab of Worcestershire sauce to intensify the flavors. In addition, one thing that I liked about this dish is that it is served with two eggs! You'll definitely love how they cook the eggs because of the smooth texture of the egg white, as if they were steamed.

Proceeding with the dish I had, this famous T-Bone steak was definitely special!

T-Bone Large of RAP Steaks and Cakes

All the flavors sipped into the meat as evidenced by the heavenly taste. Plus, the texture was great indicative of the skillful grilling involved. Both of these contributed to the delightful dining experience! Not to mention how both the gravy and Worcestershire sauce added magic to the entire dish. The combination of these diverse flavors definitely brought me to a blissful state.

Divine Gravy and Worcestershire Sauce

Now, this is what I can call DIVINE! The gravy was so flavorful, creamy and buttery. It was so good that we almost consumed all in the pitcher. The Worcestershire sauce was altogether sweet and salty that added further complexity to the flavors.

If these sauces were humans, they would definitely make up a perfect couple!

To complete our fantastic lunch experience, we ordered two desserts: Chocolate Mud Cake (P68) and a slice of Revel Bar (P32).

Chocolate Mud Cake of RAP at P68

When I took a photo of the desserts display, this Mud Cake immediately caught my eye right on the spot. And I said to myself that I should order this one no matter what, and so I did. 

I wouldn't say that I got disappointed; however, this mud cake failed to exceed my expectation. It tasted chocolaty, of course, but I was searching for something else - perhaps some variety in the taste that will bring surprise. Anyway, it was still worth it! 

The second one was the Revel Bar, which I underestimated badly.

Unopened Revel Bar of RAP Steaks and Cakes

Actually, I didn't mind this revel bar because I was expecting that this won't be that special. So, when they revealed the goody inside the plastic, I initially ignored it and helped myself with the Mud Cake.

Revealed: Revel Bar of RAP

Taking a forkful, my friends tasted this dessert and instantly declared that it was awesome! Since that was the case, I shifted my attention away from the cake to this small lovely piece of heaven. After taking a bite, I realized that I was entirely wrong with my initial impression. In fact, it was even better than the mud cake! The chocolate layer wasn't too sweet and had a hint of bitterness, which I totally enjoyed! 

Wanting to get more of this treat, Mika ordered for a second slice! In a matter of minutes, we consumed it all. 

This marks the end of my lunch experience in RAP Steaks and Cakes. Check out my recommendations below.

Recommendations:

For the main dish, I suggest that you either have the:

• Chicken Lollipop
• T-Bone or Porterhouse Steak

For the dessert, I suggest you prioritize the Revel Bar, but still explore on other desserts because I'm sure they are all worth the price! 

Click on the thumbnail for the menu and prices (2014):

RAP Steaks and Cakes
Location: 879 Dagonoy St., Malate, Manila (near Taft Avenue and DLSU)
Contact No.: (02) 525-5589