Mamou at Rockwell started off like many restaurants. The couple behind it loves to eat, and the husband was always a willing collaborator in his wife’s food explorations.

I remember a time when her hubby thought it would be in his best interest to start paying more attention to what the weighing scale was telling him. Just imagine her cooking all these dishes and using him as her gauge. At times, I thought how good it would be to trade places with him.

With all the good food spread in front of him everyday, the husband had to find an outlet to stay healthy. Badminton was his sport of choice. I have seen this guy play, and he chases all the shuttlecocks that come his way. With his speed, he can put Quiapo snatchers to shame! After playing a few games at one club, he drives to another club to play some more. I tell you, the things people do to keep those yummy dishes from taking residence in their bodies.

Occasionally, his wife would invite friends to partake of her latest culinary invention. I had always believed her food would do wonders in the metropolis, so much to my delight, she did put up a restaurant.

Doing well

Today, Mamou is up and doing extremely well. Since the wife has been distracted with feeding others, her hubby has made friends with the weighing scale, and is still addicted to his game of badminton.

One of the most common questions I am asked by my readers is this: “Where’s a good restaurant?” At the moment, I can think of one place: Malou’s Mamou!

You can almost randomly point at anything in the menu and it will be a winner. Peter Luger is a very popular steak place in Brooklyn, New York. Malou serves the same type of steak in her place; and to me, it’s as delicious, if not better. My daughter Ali swears by her burger, too. My youngest, Danielle, loves Pasta Andrada Bolognese (an on-the-spot creation for kids of another friend, Maben Andrada).

My wife loves everything in this place. My boy Franco and I drool over the same dishes. I would love to sample other dishes on the menu, but as soon as I sit down to dine, it is most certain I will order Truffle Pasta and alugbati salad.

There’s also Vongole Pasta—perfectly al dente with a nice buttery clam sauce. The hot lentil soup, meanwhile, has morsels of tender and sticky beef shank. Another winner is the Cuban roast pork and chicken—more the pork than the chicken to me.

Healthy rice

I also feast on Baked Prime Rib, which comes with mashed potato and spinach. Malou’s steaks can be had with red healthy rice tossed in with drippings of the premium steak. Combine healthy with fattening and it balances out. End result? Ecstasy!

I’ve also tried the fish and chips, and happily recommend it. Other sure winners are lamb tapa, duck flakes, garlic pasta with labuyo flakes, French toast and baked fish. Even her fries are good!

As soon as you sit down, you are given warm buns. I try to make my first bite whatever dish it is that I order as the main entree. That’s always the plan but I never succeed. Those buns are good.

Mamou at Rockwell opened just a few weeks ago. You want the best steak place in the country today? Check this place out.

I see those diners in her restaurant and I’m thinking, these people should be chasing shuttlecocks, too.

Happy eating!

Mamou at Rockwell; tel. 0917-8062668, 8226218, 9030194