CEBU, Philippines - A succulent piece of steak searing on a heated slab of rock may not sound like the most scrumptious of gastronomic imaginings to most.
But as advances in cooking techniques and technologies have come to prove, our ancient forbearers were on to something when they conjured the hot stone cooking practice - not just in the battle against germs and disease, but also in setting a standard in how one can be thoroughly satisfied in having a hand in the preparation of one's meal.
Here in Cebu, Amo's Café - the in-house food and beverage outlet of Alpa City Suites - affords diners with this unique interactive dining experience through its stone grill specials, where diners get to grill their meals over a heated slab of volcanic stone.
Mirroring the interactive cooking-dining concept of yakiniku and shabu-shabu houses, Amo's Café's stone grill sets includes US Black Angus beef, Norwegian salmon, a selection of sea bass and scallops, lamb rack or tiger prawn sets as options.
Served with French Fries and mixed vegetables as side dishes, shitake mushroom soup and slices of focaccia bread are also part of a set's appetizer course, which also includes a serving of Baked Alaska for dessert.
With each stone grill pre-heated for eight hours to temperatures as high as 400 degrees centigrade, diners can grill and season their meals in their own terms, as well as enjoy their literally fresh-of-the-heating-stone-meals at their own pace and liking.
Taking its stone grill experience from the Australian StoneGrill brand, diners with no experience in "stone grilling" can call for the assistance of Amo's Café's ever attentive staff in the preparation of their meals.
Given the high temperatures of its stone grill sets, the venue takes safety precautions seriously - serving its stone grill sets on tempered ceramic platters and utilizing specially designed utensils.
As "taste" in the Queen City of the South has evidently taken an internationally eclectic turn, Amo's Café proffers something distinct and unique in its stone grill specials - where "juicy from the first bite to the last" is truly brought to the table.
Amo's Café is located on the ground floor of Alpa City Suites, corner Hernan Cortes and F. Cabahug Streets, Cebu City. (FREEMAN)