MANILA, Philippines — While potatoes and vegetables are often the sides for steaks, for this part of the world, rice is life, and the newly opened first Morton’s The Steakhouse knows this too.
Philstar.com was among the press invited on its very first day of welcoming diners and potential patrons at the Uptown East Gate in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.
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The Philippines’ first Morton’s is described as the “sexiest,” by Jarrett Ingram, Vice President International and Licensing for Landry's Inc. which owns the Morton’s brand.
Its look and feel live up to Ingram’s claim, but nothing beats a sexy newcomer to the growing “steakhouse” scene in the country than being attuned to most people’s preferences.
As many Asians live by, rice is life, and it is no different with Filipinos, whose breakfast, lunch, dinner and even merienda or those little in-between meals, are abound with rice and rice-based desserts called Kakanin.
Thus, Morton’s in BGC, offers Garlic Rice and plain rice for rice-loving Filipinos.
“We're starting obviously with Garlic Rice because it's the Philippines,” confirmed Ingram to the reporters who huddled with him in one of the restaurant’s corners just minutes before its grand opening last December 1.
Ingram said that for their opening, they are sticking to the basics and offering the popular items of Morton’s. They will eventually introduce items that Filipinos would want to see on their menu in the future.
Renowned Filipino chef Josh Boutwood was present at the grand launch. He was asked about the inclusion of rice as a side to Morton’s steaks, which include cuts like Dry-Aged Bone-In Strip, Signature Cut New York Strip, 36oz Tomahawk, and Filet Mignon.
Morton’s steaks are graded USDA Prime, the highest rating for beef, sourced from young, well-fed cattle with abundant marbling—the fat interspersed with lean meat.
“For us in the Philippines, rice is life. No argument, right? There had to be rice — plain rice for the purists, and we have garlic rice, with confit garlic, fried garlic, and it’s sautéed in garlic oil. That’s a proper garlic rice," said the chef behind popular dining outlets Savage and Ember.
Boutwood noted that in the United States, they have Crab Rice.
Garlic rice, on the other hand, is Filipinos’ go-to pairing for Sinangag (fried rice), a breakfast fare that is often paired with cured meats, red hotdogs (a distinctly Filipino hotdog), fried bangus or milkfish and eggs to make up a Silog (Sinangag and itlog or egg) meal.
Boutwood was involved in Morton’s first restaurant in the Philippines, which was the fruit of a partnership between Landry’s Inc. and The Bistro Group. He joined as corporate chef of the latter in 2012. He handles The Bistro Group’s TBG Elite, which includes premier restaurants Helm, The Test Kitchen and Ember.
“We might have three options of rice on the menu in the near future,” said Boutwood, adding that steak rice might be an option too.
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