It was a good day for a scrumptious lunch. And I had the best one yet, thanks to the Let's Meat Up event held at Kitchen 1B in Makati. I was able to fill my stomach with top-notch beef and lamb from Australia through dishes prepared by US-based food blogger and Asian food proponent Malou Perez-Nievera (SkiptoMalou).

The luncheon table made up of guest bloggers, MLA, and Kitchen 1B peeps

Showcasing different meat cuts in 5 easy-to-prepare dishes (even busy moms can do it), Ms. Malou churned out one luscious delight after another.

In the kitchen, demoing how to cook Aussie beef and giving tips

While demonstrating how easy it is to cook top-grade beef from Australia, Ms. Malou was also dishing out tips and tricks, such as substituting lemongrass with calamansi rind. She said that we don't need to be a stickler to using every ingredient on the recipe, especially when you're already cooking with great meat.

It wasn't long before food is coming out of the kitchen. And here is the first dish: Australian Beef Sirloin with Hoisin and Fish Sauce Reduction.


The beef was a perfect medium rare, cooked 5 and 4 (5 minutes on one side and 4 minutes on the other). It was topped with the reduction sauce and peanuts. Yes, peanuts. With a side dish of steamed veggies. It was easy to slice and the taste was excellent, if a little on the salty side. It was great with the veggies, though. It was just the right size, too.

Next, another delicious steak recipe. An upgraded version of sisig, if you will, but a super chunky one. Mango Tango Australian Beef Tenderloin.

The sosyal version of sisig, a fave Filipino dish

This one I really, really loved. The combination of taste--sweet from the ripe mango, tangy from the sauce and tomato, and salty from the tenderloin--was just PERFECT. The tenderloin was cut in bite-size pieces, so you can fill a spoon up with all the ingredients in. Now, if they served this first I would've devoured it in minutes (and would have left no more space for the other 3 dishes. Sad.). And because I like this a lot, I'm going to share the recipe at the end of this review.

Just a few minutes after the Mango Tango dish was served, the next one was being brought out. This time it's Sesame Meat Balls with Sweet and Sour Sauce.


It was a regular meat ball dish but was made tastier by using premium Australian ground beef. And take note, the meat balls were not fried, they were baked! Which is probably why it didn't lose any of its taste. Plus, it's healthier. The sauce, too, made the dish stand out, contrasting with the savoriness of the meat. It was your typical meat ball made extraordinary by the cooking method and the premium meat used.

After this round, I was so full I could only drink water. So, it took me a while to taste the next meal that came out: Australian Beef Wrapped Shrimp on Chili Gravy.


This combination of meat and shrimp is perfect for cocktails. In fact, you can serve it in a glass like the image above. Again, the meat was tender and the whole dish was seasoned well. The addition of the chili gravy was just what it needed to add a little something to the food.

The last meal was something I've never eaten before. It was Grilled Lamb Chops, made with Australian lamb in red wine and truffle sauce. And it was superb! I mean, it was tender and juicy. To me, it tasted like pork, only 10,000 times better. I could've eaten more of this but was too full to take more than 2 bites. But at least I was able to savor it. They serve this at Kitchen 1B for almost PHP 2,000.

Lamb chops, yummmmm!

The other dish Ms. Malou Nievera cooked was the Breakfast Tapa Burrito, perfect for those leftover steaks from last night. Sadly, I wasn't able to taste this as there wasn't any more space in my tummy.

Kitchen 1B also served Goat Cheese Salad, organic popcorn, vegetable spring roll, onion rings, and a couple of desserts (Blueberry Cheesecake, and I think choco pie).

Organic popcorn, salted just right

Veggie spring rolls with apricot sauce

BIIIIG onion rings

Goat cheese salad,beets, and peppery arugula

Mouthwatering viands aside, with this intimate luncheon, MLA hopes to promote high-quality beef and lamb meats from Australia and its health benefits. With Malou Nievera's easy recipes, busy working moms or even stay-at-home moms can serve their kids and husbands with great tasting meals any time. It sure made me want to try the Mango Tango, the recipe of which I'm now going to share with you.

Mango Tango Australian Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients:
1 to 1.5 kilos Australian beef tenderloin
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
salt and pepper
2 tbsp oilve oil

Mango Tango:
1 pc medium mango, cubed
1 pc medium tomato, cubed
1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger
onions sliced

Sauce:
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Thai bird's eye chili

Procedure:
1. Preheat grill to medium high. Season meat generously with salt and pepper. Lather with olive oil. Sear the sides of beef until it's nice and brown.
2. Lower heat and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, depending of the thickness of the meat.
3. Remove meat from grill and brush with butter.
4. Mix the sauce.
5. Toss the mango tango and sliced beef tenderloin in the sauce.