MANILA, Philippines — The “sexiest” Morton’s recently opened in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), boasting hard-to-find wines and tequila with its very own sommelier.
Morton’s The Steakhouse is a classic brand that opened in Chicago in 1978. More than four decades later, it opened shop in the swankier side of BGC, right across the main Uptown mall during the first week of December.
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Jarrett Ingram, Vice President International and Licensing for Landry's Inc. which owns the Morton’s brand, shared the merits of the very first Morton’s in the country to select press, including Philstar.com, before its opening last December 1.
Bespoke design
Ingram, who has visited the Philippines and dined at notable steakhouses, called the Philippine branch of Morton’s the “sexiest” to date
The American executive complemented its partner, The Bistro Group, for its job of looking for the best architecture firm and staff that would design and man Landry’s first Morton’s in the country.
Architects at Headroom went for black, white and gray on furniture and tiles, while mirror glasses and golden lighting fixtures hanging like floating balls give Morton’s Philippines’ a sophisticated look. Its bar is a bit darker, with its accent wall right behind it and a tall infuser as a centerpiece evoking a sense of curiosity among visitors.
“We have the biggest wine list of any restaurant in the Philippines. We have labels here that you can't, I mean, for any city in any nation in the world, are difficult to get. I think that our wine is going to blow people away. There's some tequilas you can't get in this country that are here. There's some whiskeys you can't get in this country that are here. Like, you can't buy them, you'd have to find a broker to do it. I would also say that, you know, I think we have a sophisticated dining experience from start to finish,” Ingram said.
Morton's has 300 wine varieties and vintages from around the world.
Ingram said they were delighted with the design. The group did not set a lot of rules, but they only wanted the first Morton’s in the country to be something that had “never been done before.”
“This is the sexiest Mortons we've ever designed in the whole world,” Ingram said. “And it's the way we're doing design now, we want every restaurant to be bespoke. We want them designed by a local architect, which happened here, and we want the ethos of the country to kind of interact with what we do.”
Apart from the look and feel, Landry and The Bistro Group had the staff and managers of Morton's Philippines trained in their corporate office in Hong Kong two months before its opening last December 1.
Best imported ingredients
Morton’s imports most of its ingredients, including its proprietary seasoning.
“Everything is made from scratch here,” said Ingram, as he went off enumerating dishes prepared from scratch.
Their sides, which come in portions meant for sharing, are one. Diners can choose from Creamy Spinach, Dynamite Oysters, Lobster Bisque, and many more from their menu.
Their Au Gratin, Lobster Mac and Cheese and the popular Truffle Parmesan Fries go well with their steaks.
For Filipinos who would like to argue that rice also goes well with steaks, they would be delighted to know that Morton’s Philippines is the only one that serves garlic rice in its over 60 locations in 15 countries.
He is also equally proud of their desserts, which include their famous Molten Lava Cake, Key Lime Pie (a must-try that perfectly balances the indulgent flavors of their steaks), and Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake.
The price
Ingram vouched for their steaks, which are arguably the main point of their branding. He particularly highlighted their Cajun Rib Eye Steak, which is prepared with their proprietary 48-hour marination, before being grilled and served to their diners.
Morton’s steaks are rated USDA Prime, which the United States Department of Agriculture classifies as beef produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. Accordingly, USDA Prime steaks have abundant marbling, which is the amount of fat interspersed with lean meat.
Their cuts include Morton’s offers several cuts like the Dry-Aged Bone-In Strip, Signature Cut New York Strip, 36oz Tomahawk and Filet Mignon.
Their Filet Mignons (6, 8 and 12 ounces) are priced at P3,450, P4,200 and P5,980. A 16-ounce New York Strip can be enjoyed at P6,450, while a 16-ounce Ribeye is at P6,900. Their 48-hour marinated Cajun Ribeye (16 ounce) is at P6,980, while their Bone-In Ribeye (22 ounce) is priced at P8,945.
Their Wagyu Filet (7 ounce) at P6,950, Tomahawk Ribeye (36 ounce) at P14,995, Dry-Aged Ribeye (14 ounce) at P8,925 and Rack of Lamb at P4,225.
Philstar.com asked Ingram what makes a good steak, given that Morton’s has been serving thousands of plates since 1978.
“Well, first of all, it has to be primal. It's fed special from birth. Even if you look at like Wagyu, which we have on the menu, or Korean Hanu or Hanwoo, which, maybe we will one day, all great steaks are done that way. USDA Prime is 2% of the United States beef market, (which is about) 0.5%, give or take, of the world beef market. The second thing is you have to cook it correctly. Marbling is what makes great meat. So, you need to cook it between 11 and 1300 degrees. Most people don't have the equipment to do that or the know-how. If you do all those things, right, you'll never eat anything else again,” Ingram said.
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