MANILA -- Wolfgang Steakhouse Grill has opened a branch in City of Dreams, offering its classics as well as exclusive "grill" dishes in the menu.

Through the years, Wolfgang Steakhouse has steadily grown, even despite the pandemic. The City of Dreams location marks its 32nd worldwide and fourth in the Philippines, with more concepts set to open in Boracay and Cubao, Quezon City.

Part of this growth is the "grill" concept of the steakhouse, with the City of Dreams location being the first in Asia. This translates to a restaurant having the trademark Wolfgang DNA of exceptional service and deliberate and careful choices in meat preparation and cooking, but with slight thematic tweaks. These tweaks can mostly be seen in two ways — a change in ambiance and about 22 new dishes in the menu.

Being in this location feels akin to being in a cozy and warm cave. That is if your cave has warm lighting, comfy couches, crisp white linen, dark wood paneling, a wall of wine, touches of gold in the ceiling that’s on brand with its location, a granite tabletop bar (a first in Manila), and a whisky lounge enclave.

Honestly, going inside is akin to being transported to another world, especially if you’re coming from the hustle and bustle of the nearby casino floor.

Food-wise, while you can still reliably order the classics like the in-house dry-aged Porterhouse steak coupled with sides like creamed spinach, steak fries, steak rice, and mashed potatoes, the "grill" concept introduces some exciting new flavors, some of which, this author has added in my must-order next time I’m in Wolfgang Steakhouse Grill list.

And while we won’t be able to discuss all 22 new dishes, here are our recommendations for your first (or next) visit to Wolfgang Steakhouse
Grill City of Dreams.

1. Burrata Salad

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'Burrata makes everything better! In this salad, it’s a great creamy counterpart to the meatiness of the portobello mushrooms and the sweetness of the roasted peppers. A balsamic graze brings it all together and makes this non-leafy salad a great creamy start to any meal.

2. Arugula Salad

While it’s hard not to just immediately order a Caesar salad in Wolfgang, those opting for a lighter leafy salad will like the Arugula Salad. Peppery arugula, slices of green apples, parmesan shavings in a light tangy vinaigrette make for a great salad to start, or to accompany a thick juicy piece of steak.

3. Dry-Aged Pastrami

Dry-aged pastrami! Pastrami pieces layered in a beautiful stack in between rye bread, with a pickle on top. Simply delicious! The meat was soft but didn’t fall apart with that trademark spiciness. It was meaty deli-delicious! The author had this as a pass around but will return on my next visit and have this (or the next sandwich) as a full order.

4. Wolfgang’s Reuben Sandwich

Have you ever had a Reuben sandwich with dry-aged pastrami and Wolfgang house-made sauerkraut? If you haven’t, the Wolfgang Steakhouse Grill is the only place you can have it Manila, and theirs come with gruyere cheese too. We were given pass arounds of this with a bun instead of rye bread. I imagine it being doubly better with rye bread.

5. Skirt Steak Lomo Saltado

While it seems almost blasphemous to go to Wolfgang and not order a porterhouse, this dish is a great alternative to enjoying the gloriousness of meat. This Peruvian dish takes Asian and Latin flavors and marries them into a balanced and nuanced plate. Skirt steak, an innately flavorful cut is seared, sliced, then served on a pool of tangy and slightly sweet sauce with tomatoes and onions, drizzled with a cilantro cream and topped with fresh cilantro. I would order this and get fries, or with just plain white rice and I’d get spoonfuls of that sauce.

6. Grilled Barbecue Short Ribs

This dish gives caveman vibes with its rib handles even if it comes to you almost gleaming on a white plate. A great rib, it’s juicy with fall-off the bone meat, and glazed with their signature BBQ sauce, giving a hint of smoke.

Other new dishes include Roast Chicken a la Brasa, Grilled Lemon Caper Chicken, Grilled Skirt Steak Salad, Skirt Steak Tacos, Beef Tartar, and potato skins, among others.

By the way, if you want something creamy with your steak and don’t want to order a side of Lobster Mac and Cheese or creamed spinach, opt for the creamed corn. A bit sweet and obviously creamy, I loved it paired with steak doused liberally with the Wolfgang steak sauce.

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse Grill City of Dreams is open daily from 11 a.m. to 12 midnight.