No-frills meats that pack some heat
Just as we were getting settled for a chat with the principals of LongHorn Steakhouse, the waitstaff—gearing up for the recent launch of the American chain’s first Philippine branch—huddled together and broke into a spirited battlecry, like a basketball team about to take the court.
“We are?” “LongHorn!” “We are?” “LongHorn!” they roared in unison.
Talk about a warm welcome. “They have plenty of bandwidth. That’s the energy. That’s the kind of energy you can expect here!” quipped Brad Smith, president of international and franchising at Darden Restaurants, whose concepts—like The Olive Garden and now LongHorn Steakhouse—have made their way to Manila via the Philippines’ own The Bistro Group.
I probably should have joined the chorus. You see, I had some unfinished business. At a recent food crawl that kicked off Shangri-La Plaza’s Streetscape, the mall’s new food alley where this restaurant is located, we got a taste of the chain’s signature spicy chicken bites, Wild West Shrimps, Firecracker Chicken Wraps, and crackers paired with parmesan-crusted spinach dip.
While the dishes were rich, hearty and in-your-face tasty, they were, at the end of the day, appetizers—appetizers that shamelessly teased our palate and primed our appetite for the main course that never quite arrived.
Ribeye steak
But good things come to those who wait—and sometimes, as it turned out, even to those who can’t. A week after the front acts’ flavorful medley, the main event finally took the stage. And it came in the form of a 12 oz. ribeye steak served medium rare, its spices fire-grilled onto its surface, forming a delightful crust. The meat, just under an inch thick, was juicy and tender but still left something for you teeth to sink into.
Each bite left a smoky, peppery finish—not so much a kick in the taste buds but a prickle of heat that hung at the back of your throat. Before long, you’d be reaching for a pint of cold beer to wash it down. The sensation calls for it—begs for it. Thankfully, the place has a full bar that serves beer on tap, wine, hand-crafted margaritas, and old-fashioned cocktails.
Smith described LongHorn’s steaks as “adequately seasoned,” using a proprietary rub that goes beyond the de rigueur salt and pepper. What other spices are in it? The recipe is “super secret,” something “nobody can copy. As such, the unique blend has to be imported directly from the United States.
“The flavor is a little bit heavier… it’s very distinctive. And so all our food has a bolder profile than most other steak houses. That kind of sets us apart,” Smith told Lifestyle.
But beyond the well-loved restaurant’s in-house seasoning, there’s no big secret behind LongHorn’s steaks. The cuts—whether they’re the well-marbled, bone-in Outlaw Ribeye, the center-cut Flo’s Filet, the thick New York Strip, the lean Renegade Sirloin, or the eponymous LongHorn porterhouse steak—are premium USDA Choice grade beef. And all of which are expertly seared over flame to lock in the flavors.
“One of the taglines we have been using for years goes something like, ‘You can’t fake steak.’ It’s all about good seasoning, good meat, and grilling it to perfection. That’s all there is to it,” Smith said. “You want to be able to taste the meat and enhance it with the seasonings that go into it. And then you cook it just how the guests want it.”
In the US, steak often goes with potatoes. In fact, Smith said, top executives at LongHorn always stress that if they do those two things right, “80 percent of our guests will be super happy.”
Three types of rice
But what about Filipino diners? Sure, some of us would wolf down our steak with a heap of fries or mashed potatoes. But I’d like to believe that I’m speaking for most Filipinos when I say that a meal—especially one that involves a hulking chunk of meat—isn’t a meal without rice.
And so, in bringing the concept to the Philippines, Darden and The Bistro Group made sure to keep things “brand specific,” but still flexible and “country relevant.” That’s why if you check the sides section of the menu, you will find—among baked potatoes, sautéed French beans, and grilled corn riblets—entries for not only one, but three types of rice: steamed, garlic, and citrus. Phew!
“We Filipinos love rice. And I must say that we’ve come up with a very, very good garlic rice—my favorite right now. These are some of the items that we’ve added to the local menu. I believe the market will appreciate that,” pointed out Jean Paul Manuud, president of The Bistro Group, which operates, among many others, Italianni’s, TGIFriday’s, and Morton’s: The Steakhouse.
So by all means, have rice together with LongHorn’s “beyond steak” menu items. There’s the hand-breaded chicken tenders, Cowboy Pork Chops, baby back ribs, steamed broccoli and asparagus, and Seasoned Steakhouse Wings. The bourbon-marinated Atlantic salmon came already served on a bed of rice. So did the springy and succulent Redrock Grilled Shrimp, whose natural sweetness was enhanced by the brush of smoky tomato butter glaze.
While the crisp, lightly battered Wild West Shrimps and the gooey goodness of the parmesan-crusted spinach dip remain my top favorites, another worthy challenger emerged: the stringy, tangy white cheddar-stuffed mushrooms—Manuud’s personal recommendation.
“Our appetizers, and even the sides, are served in generous portions—they could very well be main dishes themselves,” he said. “They’re plentiful, bountiful, and beautiful.”
Dinner rolls and desserts
The complimentary dinner rolls—perhaps the meal’s biggest surprise—are also unique to the local market, Manuud added. Smooth and lightly salted on the outside, warm and soft on the inside, the bread was milky and came with a dip of whipped butter laced with honey. The eager server will ply you with these pillowy delights before the entrees arrive. And while you may find yourself hankering for a second, a third, and heaven forbid, a fourth helping, you must resist temptation—please.
If you’re after a more balanced course or simply want to keep things light, LongHorn offers a range of salad options, including the Farm Fresh Field Greens with Salmon and the 7-Pepper Sirloin Salad. Drawn by its promise of bright, tart bursts of fruit and crunch of walnuts, I opted for the Grilled Chicken and Strawberry Salad—a palate-cleansing respite from the richness of meat, fat, and carbs. A hot bowl of French onion soup might also do the trick.
And if after all those you still have room left, a selection of decadent desserts awaits—cheesecake, molten lava cake, strawberries and cream shortcake. If you like your sweets as hefty as your steaks, take a crack at the Chocolate Stampede: six layers of chocolate—in varying textures and intensities—packed in triangles and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The word “stampede” is apt; you will need a herd to clean off the plate.
By now, you’ve probably realized this place is no Morton’s. “It’s certainly not that kind of approach,” Smith said. This is casual dining through and through. Founded in 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia, LongHorn gives local diners a taste of what it might feel like walking into a rancher’s home—perhaps in Texas or somewhere out in the American West. The vibe also channels a Western saloon, with booth-style seating, horse saddles mounted on the walls, and cowboy belt buckles encased in glass frames. And if the buffalo head looming over the bar doesn’t make it clear what kind of atmosphere LongHorn is aiming for, then I don’t know what will.
And with not a few fancy steakhouses setting foot in the Philippines, LongHorn is rustic, homey, and not at all intimidating (steaks range from P1,145 to P4,850); a place where one can have “no frills, honest-to-goodness” steaks. “I think the concept, the vibe resonates well with our market and cuts across different demographics. It doesn’t feel restrictive. I think it’s very approachable,” Manuud said.
“I think it’s the right time for LongHorn to be in Manila, considering the landscape of the steakhouse business now. And I think we Filipinos are starting to know more about what really good steak is.”
Smith added: “Of course, you can have all those stuff on the side. But it’s all about the steak. It’s all about the meat.”
LongHorn Steakhouse is located at Streetscape, Level 1, of Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City.
