Roasted Wagyu Beef. Wagyu Xiao Long Bao. Wagyu Tacos. Wagyu Panini. Wagyu Sushi. Wagyu Shawarma. Wagyu everything! Sounds exciting? This is just the beginning. The list goes on and on. 🙂 Bottom line: Heat at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel invites everyone, especially die-hard fans of wagyu, to come try out their special offer that’s available every Saturday for dinner in 2016: MAD FOR WAGYU. This buffet features premium wagyu beef entrees that will make you feel completely and utterly stuffed and satisfied.
Through the years, by consistently raising its culinary bar on inventive take on all sorts of food, Heat remains the kind of establishment you walk into and immediately feel good about. The KTG went up for it last Saturday and had plenty fun. Each dish was well-executed and clearly prepared and cooked by people who know what they’re doing the kitchen. Ticking both the quality and value boxes is easy, and our foodie group did it with aplomb.
Review of Mad For Wagyu Buffet at Heat (EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City)
Ambiance: ★★★★★
Heat’s interior design looks enchanting for a dinner with friends, family, or for business. Two years have gone by and I still have the same adoration for the ambiance. (Read my short review here on Zomato.) Muted browns paired with other more vibrant colors give the restaurant a cozy and fun feel.
No doubt, Heat in EDSA Shangri-La Hotel is almost jaw-dropping in the design department with the impressive arrangement of tables that can accommodate large and small groups. The soft lighting sets off an effect that’s formal and not overly stuffy. Such stunning surroundings enhance the phenomenal gustatory experience.
The function rooms create a mood of hushed intimacy, but the outside “communal” dining area as well exudes a refined, understated glamour. Needless to say, this appealing feature of taste and aesthetics places Heat at the top tier of romantic dining venues, a reputation it has enjoyed for years.
Service: ★★★★★
EDSA Shangri-La Hotel is known as a really outstanding hotel with exceptional service. The staff at Heat is armed with professionalism, efficiency, and great attitudes. What I loved the most was the complimentary five-minute massage that the guys at Chi Spa offer to all Mad For Wagyu customers.
The team behind must have acknowledged the fact that most people feel tired, drowsy, and/or sleepy after eating so much. I had the massage while resting and pacing my meal right before dessert. It was good and I felt so relaxed. The person who went before me even struggled to keep his eyes open. 😛
Food: ★★★★★
At Mad For Wagyu, wagyu beef, as the name implies, is the main star. For those who are not familiar, wagyu is the priciest (about USD 190/kg) and the juiciest, richest steak in the world. The flavor mostly resides on the fat, and it consists of a mouth-filling savoriness combined with a palate-coating richness. The texture is as tender as lightly cooked fish. Once cooked, the delicate red marbled slices of wagyu transforms into savory, meaty, umami goodness.
We demolished the lot…and a whole lot of it!
Wagyu ShawarmaWagyu Beef Jerky
Wagyu Beef Tartare
Chef Tobias Unger, Executive Chef of EDSA Shangri-La Manila
Chinese Station: Wagyu Beef Balls, Wagyu Beef Asado, and Wagyu Xiao Long Bao were supremely delectable. Roast duck, roast pork, Hainanese chicken, and seafood dumplings were items that left me almost breathless. Above all though, my favorite has to be the Xiao Long Bao! 🙂 Wrapped with a delicately steamed skin, the juice-filled bun formed a tender, springy ball inside.
Japanese Station: Fresh sushi and sashimi were presented neatly and colorfully. True wagyu lovers should aim to try the Gyu Maki, which is topped with wagyu beef, for something different than usual.
Grill Station: While Mad For Wagyu buffet is heavy on meat-centric offerings, the lobsters also end up being truly craveable. Have them grilled with butter and call this king of crustaceans a winner. If you have a big appetite on more meat, wagyu sirloin, wagyu ribeye, and wagyu burgers must strike your fancy no less.
Soup Station: Adding on to the variety of food at Mad For Wagyu, soups with noodles are also available by request. I dove into a bowl of seafood laksa noodles which gave a warm and gentle comfort with a bit of spice.
Carving Station: Looking to impress, the Wagyu Roast Leg of Beef and the Wagyu Tomahawk are a serious carnivore’s dream. I especially loved the roast beef for it was riddled with that mouthwatering marbling and succulent, beefy flavor. Fork tender, the texture was smooth and deeply satisfying.
On the other hand, there’s nothing really more enticing than seeing a gargantuan piece of Wagyu Tomahawk. The slab of meat was so big that it looked like a guitar. 🙂 Caramelized roasted-brown outside, inside was nice and pink, and in the center, a warm cherry red. A closer look revealed the veins of marbling fat that makes it so good.
Lots of condiments with different flavors are available in the Sauces Station, but I preferred eating the wagyu beef without any additional sauce accompaniment.
Desserts Station: Don’t leave without treating yourself some desserts. If you’re tired of eating the same old desserts, it will be cool to try the Wagyu Chocolate Crepe! This crepe was shaped into the Wagyu symbol, a signature dessert that’s a perfect ending to the fantastic cuisine. It wasn’t too sweet and tasted just like a regular crepe. Adding strawberries, blueberries, and other fruits and ice cream is optional.
Don’t miss these items:
- Red-wine Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek by Chef Tobias
- Marinated Wagyu Tenderloin Beef by Chef Yusuke Hino
- Stewed Wagyu Beef Brisket with Radish and Homemade Sauce by Chef Tony
- Wagyu Beef Ball Pao Bun by Chef Andy Liew
- Wagyu Beef Cheek Cannelloni by Chef Marco
Beverage Packages:
- Wagyu Beertail (PhP 450) – beer mug lychee margarita, Corona beer, tequila, lychee nad lime, comes with a wagyu neck pillow
- Unlimited Wine Pairing (PhP 750) – Piccini, Rupe Ai Sassi Montepulciano, Italy Chairman’s Selection, Shiraz, Australia Cadet D’OC, Cabernet Savignon, France Felix Solis, Tempranillo, Spain Calterra, Carmenere, Chile
- Free Flowing Draft Beer (PhP 700) – Stella Artois On Tap
Price for Value: ★★★★☆
Positive dining experiences at Heat are frequent—perhaps even the norm. If you’re a foodie in Ortigas, Mandaluyong, or anywhere near this part of the metro, you have found yourself in the perfect locale. For lovers of wagyu, you really can’t go wrong with Heat’s theme. Arrive hungry, and savor everything!
Mad For Wagyu buffet net price per person is PhP 2415. While this may require saving more than a few hundred of pesos, tasting and indulging in delicious premium wagyu beef in various forms is worth the potential scrimping in the aftermath. 🙂
Operating hours: 6 pm to 10:30 pm
[schema type=”review” url=”http://www.shangri-la.com/manila/edsashangrila/dining/restaurants/heat/” name=”Heat – Mad For Wagyu” description=”Lobby Level, Tower Wing, Edsa Shangri-La, 1 Garden Way, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City” rev_name=”For inquiries or reservations, call (02) 6338888 ext. 2740″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2015-12-30″ user_review=”19″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]
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