What’s on the menu at USA’s Longhorn Steakhouse, now grilling in Mandaluyong City

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MANILA, Philippines — There’s no shortage of steakhouses around Metro Manila, but if you’re based in the Mandaluyong or Pasig area, options can feel a tad limited.

That’s what makes the arrival of LongHorn Steakhouse a welcome addition to the Mandaluyong City crowd — the American casual dining chain, known for its grilled and seasoned steaks, opened its first Philippine branch in April at the new Streetscape wing of Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

NOW OPEN. All images by Steph Arnaldo/Rappler

Brought in by The Bistro Group (the same team behind TGIFridays, Italianni’s, Denny’s, Morton’s, Texas Roadhouse, and more), LongHorn brings a relaxed, Western-inspired vibe that’s ideal for families and friends (not so much of an intimate space). It even seems to be the largest restaurant on that level of the mall, with spacious booths, a bar area, and seating designed to accommodate big groups.

LOCATED AT STREETSCAPE WING.

Longhorn Steakhouse was founded in 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia has over 590 locations around the world. Its Philippine debut doesn’t stray far from its conceptual roots — the menu sticks to its guns: grilled meats, hearty sides, big portions, and comfort food with a Southern flair.

‘Steak’ your time

The “Epic Beginnings” section — LongHorn’s category for shareable starters good for 4-5 persons — features Wild West Shrimp (P695), which is similar to calamari, but made with baby shrimp that are hand-breaded and deep-fried until light and crispy, served with a tangy ranch dip.

WILD WEST SHRIMP.

The Steakhouse Wings (P725) are adherent to American steakhouse standards — similar to the ones at Texas Roadhouse — dry-rubbed, baked, then fried for that thin, crispy skin. But the flavor is distinctly LongHorn: smoky and seasoned from the chain’s signature Char rub.

STEAKHOUSE WINGS.

They’re not the saucy kind you might expect elsewhere, but the medium-sized wings come with buffalo sauce and blue cheese dressing on the side (for dipping or coating purposes), to add extra dabs of spice and tanginess for contrast.

COMPLIMENTARY ROLLS AND BUTTER.

For something lighter, the Grilled Chicken & Strawberry Salad (P795) brings together fresh greens, sliced sweet strawberries, grapes, and mandarin oranges, tossed with candied pecans, feta, and a sweet raspberry vinaigrette.

GRILLED CHICKEN AND STRAWBERRY SALAD.

It’s fruity, fresh, and vibrant, but the real surprise is the grilled chicken on top: tender and soft to the bite.

Mains, sides, and sweet endings

When it comes to Longhorn’s steaks, there’s a range of cuts to choose from — filet, sirloin, strip steak, T-bone, porterhouse, ribeye, New York strip, and bone-in ribeye — which can be cooked to your preferred doneness. Between the filet and ribeye we tried (the former was a bit on the drier side), the fire-grilled Outlaw Ribeye (P4,850) was the choice of the table: it’s how you would expect a steak cooked medium rare, with just enough marbling to make each bite juicy enough without feeling too heavy, seasoned Longhorn-style.

MEDIUM-RARE RIBEYE WITH MASHED POTATOES.

Steaks come with a side and salad, and you can add other proteins like shrimp or ribs. Sides include mashed potatoes, fire-grilled corn riblets, baked or sweet potato, seasoned rice, veggies, and more.

There’s a Beyond Steak section as well, with options like salmon, chicken tenders, lemon garlic chicken, pork chops, and even a burger. The Redrock Grilled Shrimp (P995, P1,295) is quite pricey, but the jumbo shrimps are fresh and grilled to a slight char, lightly glazed with a smoky tomato butter, and served with garlic rice pilaf. The shrimp were plump, soft, and spiced just right.

GRILLED REDROCK SHRIMP AND MAC AND CHEESE.

The Steakhouse Mac and Cheese (P395) is a grown-up version of the childhood staple — creamy and complex with four cheeses and bits of applewood-smoked bacon. This isn’t the overly yellow, cheddar-forward, kid-friendly kind — you can taste the different cheeses here; sharp, salty, and indulgent without being overwhelming.

The French Onion Soup (P295) is topped with melted Swiss and provolone, and a toasted layer of Parmesan. It’s slightly sweet, tangy, and slightly viscous enough to tide one over.

FRENCH ONION SOUP.

And if you’ve still got room (or at least enough people to share with), the Chocolate Stampede (P695, P1,195) is a dessert made for the chocoholics. It’s big and layered with different textures, with six kinds of chocolate stacked together. Some bites are rich and intense, others more mellow and mousse-like, with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side to cut through all that richness.

CHOCOLATE STAMPEDE.

On weekdays, they also offer Steakhouse Lunch Plates from 11 am to 3 pm, smaller portions at lower prices for the nearby office crowd.

SPARKLING CALAMANSI TEA — A REFRESHER.

Longhorn Steakhouse is located at the Ground Floor of Shangrila Mall, EDSA, Shaw Blvd, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. It’s open from 10 am to 10 pm from Sundays to Thursdays, and until 12 am on Fridays and Saturdays. – Rappler.com