MANILA, Philippines – There’s still a ways to go before the first Philippine branch of Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, at Resorts World Manila, is completely ready for Pinoy diners.. The restaurant is still boarded up and going through its last few days of construction before its opening on February 18.

Still, the kitchen and aging room were ready for diners Thursday, February 4, and a few guests got a taste of what the famous New York steakhouse has to offer.

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, which first opened in 1912 by Wolfgang Zwiener, has been opening up branches in Asia in recent years. For their first Philippine branch, the restaurant’s look keeps in theme with the New York original, with its wood bar and floor, mosaic tiles, and chandeliers.

The Manila restaurant has its very own wine cellar too, to go with your steak dinner. According to their press release, the cellar has a selection of over 1,200 wines from around the world.

Here’s a look at what we tried on February 4.

*Note: Prices for these dishes are still subject to change. Check back on this page for updates.

Jumbo shrimp cocktail (P628)

Starting off the dinner was a jumbo shrimp cocktail, served on a bed of ice. According to Peter Zweiner, Wolfgang Steakhouse’s president and managing partner, aside from the steak, most of the restaurant’s ingredients, like the seafood, are sourced locally.

Crabmeat cocktail (P798)

A fresh crabmeat cocktail was served at the dinner for appetizers too – great for sharing with your friends before dinner.

Tuna tartar (P598)

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse tuna tartar comes with avocado and slices of toast. If you’re short on the toast though, you can try it with some of the homemade bread they serve before dinner too.

Sizzling Candian bacon (P198)

The Canadian bacon is the only meat appetizer on the menu, but it’s a standout – the extra thick slices of bacon would be perfect with their homemade bread too.

Prawns and pomelo salad

Here’s something you won’t find in the American menu. The prawns and pomelo salad was added to the Philippine menu to add a Southeast Asian flavor.

Beverly Hills salad (P498)

The Beverly Hills chopped salad is a mix of everything: romaine lettuce, baby spinach, peas, carrots, corn , cucumber, sweet pepper, red cabbage, hearts of palm, and avocado. You can also add chicken for P160 and shrimp for P208.

USDA prime porterhouse steak (P4,488 for 900g; P6,988 for 1.4kg; P8,988 for 1.8kg)

For the main event, we were served a sizzling USDA prime porterhouse steak.

All the steaks at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse go through a dry aging process, where the beef is left to age in a room with controlled humidity and temperature for 28 days. The process is said to enhance the beef’s flavor and tenderness.

The Manila branch has its own aging room, and we were able to sneak a peek on February 4.

USDA prime ribeye steak (P3,488)

Another steak served a ribeye steak too, a perfect cut to have on your own if you’ve got a big appetite. For whichever cut you decide to have, try it with the steakhouse’s tomato-based sauce.

Any of Wolfgang’s main course dishes would go great with their sides, too. At the February 4 dinner, we were served german potatoes (P258), creamed spinach (P398), mashed potatoes (P258), onion rings (P238), and sauteéd mushrooms (P508).

Lamb chops (P1,998 for 600g)

If you’re at the restaurant and craving a different kind of meat, try Wolfgang’s lambchops. The chops had a good amount of meat on them, and were simply served with mint jelly to complement their flavors.

3-lbs lobsters (market price)

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse doesn’t just serve steak. These huge lobsters were a sight to behold on the night of the dinner when they were brought out. You can ask for your lobster to be either boiled or steamed.

Red snapper

For a lighter, white fish option, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse served up a red snapper on February 4.  

Grilled yellowfin tuna (P998)

Another seafood dish available at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse is the grilled yellowfin tuna, a thick slab of tuna served with asparagus and wasabi.

Chocolate mousse

This isn’t your ordinary chocolate mousse – Wolfgang’s Steakhouse’s mousse has a surprising hazelnut crust.

Creme brulee

You can’t go wrong with a creme brulee. The one at Wolfgang’s was smooth and creamy underneath a thin, crunchy caramelized surface.

Pecan pie

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse comes with a heaping serving of thick whipped cream, making it the perfect sweet end to a steak dinner.

We only got to try the dinner menu on February 4, and the restaurant will only serve dinner on the 18th and 19th. Come February 20 though, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse will be open for lunch and dinner.

And while the dinner menu always stays the same in all of the steakhouse’s branches across the world, they tend to be more creative with their lunch menu by incorporating local dishes and ingredients.

Wolfgang Steakhouse’s Philippine manager, Ian Varona, hinted at a tapsilog (slices of beef with rice, topped with a fried egg) being added to their lunch menu soon.

Will you be visiting Wolfgang’s Steakhouse soon? Which of the dishes above do you want to try? Let us know in the comments! – Rappler.com