At least, that’s how people at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse do it. And judging by the results, the New York-based restaurant chain is doing a splendid job, as it dishes out servings upon generous servings of its juicy and tender sirloin, filet mignon and signature Porterhouse steak in more than a dozen locations the world over, including two in the Philippines.
By Alex Y. Vergara
How do you like your steak? Well, it’s all up to you, really. Whether you prefer it well done or medium rare, though, the best slab of steak should be chilled at a constant temperature and never frozen before cooking.
In the case of USDA Prime Black Angus beef, it should also be dry aged in a so-called aging room, again, under controlled temperature and “humidity environment” for at least 28 days.
During the process, the beef’s natural enzymes break down the connective tissues in the muscles, resulting in a more tender beef. At the same time, moisture evaporates from the meat, which is said to create a greater concentration of beef flavor and taste.
At least, that’s how people at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse do it. And judging by the results, the New York-based restaurant chain is doing a splendid job, as it dishes out servings upon generous servings of its juicy and tender sirloin, filet mignon and signature Porterhouse steak in more than a dozen locations the world over, including two in the Philippines.
And its growing Filipino clientele seems to be appreciating and responding to the extra effort. Less than two years after Wolfgang’s Steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener opened its first restaurant in the Philippines at Resorts World Manila, the restaurant chain, which was brought to the country by leading restaurateurs Raymund Magdaluyo and Marvin Agustin, recently opened its second location at the newly renovated Podium in Ortigas.
A third one in Bonifacio Global City is in the works, and is scheduled to open sometime before the year ends. Wolfgang, who earned a wealth of experience and ideas as former headwaiter for 40 years at the legendary New York-based steakhouse Peter Luger, graced the Resorts World opening.
Officials behind it, says Travis Halverson, general manager of Wolfgang’s Steakhouse’s Podium branch, remain as hands-on as ever. Peter Zwiener, Wolfgang’s son and company president in charge of global expansion, and Lydia D’Amato, VP for operations, were in Manila several months before the Podium branch’s opening late last year to personally oversee staff training, down to the last detail.
“Unlike our restaurant in Resorts World, the one at the Podium, for instance, has an upstairs kitchen. Since our food servers have to carry a sizzling platter of steak, going down could be quite a challenge. So even that became part of their training,” Travis relates.
There are plenty of reasons for ensuring quality and consistency of service and food offerings. For one, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, apart from its reputation and strict adherence to tradition, is slowly becoming a global brand.
“People who are familiar with our steaks can still go to New York if they want, but they can have the same exact experience here in Manila—from the taste and texture of our steaks down to the restaurant’s ambiance, quality of service and interiors,” says Travis, a native of Seattle.
Apart from its two Philippine locations, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse has nine locations in the United States, including six in New York, four in Japan, and one each in Korea, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Each location, by the way, echoes the look of Wolfgang’s Steakhouse’s original and most celebrated branch at the mezzanine level of the Vanderbilt Hotel in New York, which boasts of masculine and Old World touches, such as dark wood veneers and mosaic tile accents on the ceiling.
“We bring in our steaks under proper refrigeration temperature,” he says. “We make sure they’re chilled, never frozen. Even if you thaw frozen steak properly, it’s bound to lose some of its integrity.”
As for Wolfgang’s Steakhouse’s dry-aging process, it starts once the meat arrives from the US. Each country, state or city where the restaurant chain is present has its own proprietary aging box that combines “the perfect balance of humidity, temperature and air flow to make sure that the steak’s quality and consistency are maintained,” Travis adds.
Since this aging process takes an average of 28 days, it’s also important for each restaurant to forecast demand. After all, the USDA Prime Black Angus beef Wolfgang’s Steakhouse serves to the rest of the world comes all the way from one single source somewhere in the US Midwest.
The restaurant chain puts the same attention to details in the seafood it serves, particularly the jumbo prawns and lobsters, which are sourced from Maine. Travis also takes great pride in the restaurant’s grilled salmon, seared tuna and Colorado-sourced lamb chop offerings.
Servings are big and ideal for family-style sharing. If you still have room for dessert, one of the restaurant’s must-tries is its dessert platter consisting of key lime pie, pecan pie, cheesecake and chocolate mousse, all of which are made in house.
In keeping with Wolfgang’s Steakhouse’s tradition of making available to its diners an impressive collection of wines, its Resorts World branch has been able to draw the attention of Wine Spectator, a US-based publication, which gives out awards to deserving restaurants on the strength of its impressive wine lists.
“We’re happy to inform you that our restaurant at Resorts World has won the Goblet, the award given out by Wine Spectator, for two years in a row,” says Travis.
Wine connoisseurs would also be delighted to know that they could pair their steaks with such big-ticket items as the Screaming Eagle, a sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley known for its exquisite taste, rarity and unbelievably steep half-a-million peso per bottle price tag.
(This story first appeared in the April-May 2018 issue of PeopleAsia magazine)
