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. π Bottom line:Β Heat atΒ 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 feelΒ completely and utterly stuffed and satisfied.
Through the years, by consistently raising its culinary bar on inventive take on all sorts of food, Heat remainsΒ the kind of establishment you walk into and immediately feel good about. The KTG went up for it last Saturday and had plenty fun.Β Each dishΒ wasΒ well-executed and clearly prepared and cooked by people who know what theyβre doing the kitchen.Β Ticking both the quality and value boxes is easy, and our foodieΒ group did it with aplomb.
Review of Mad For Wagyu Buffet at Heat (EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City)
Ambiance:Β β β β β β
Heat’s interior design looks enchanting for a dinner with friends, family, or for business.Β Two years have gone by and I still have the same adoration for the ambiance. (Read my shortΒ review here on Zomato.) Muted browns paired with other more vibrant colors give the restaurantΒ a cozy and fun feel.
No doubt, Heat in EDSA Shangri-La Hotel isΒ almost jaw-dropping in the design department with the impressive arrangement of tables that can accommodate large and small groups.Β The soft lightingΒ sets off anΒ effect thatβs formal andΒ not overly stuffy.Β Such stunning surroundings enhance the phenomenal gustatory experience.
The function rooms create a mood of hushed intimacy, but the outside “communal” dining area as wellΒ exudes a refined, understated glamour. Needless to say, this appealing featureΒ of taste and aesthetics places Heat atΒ the top tier of romantic dining venues, a reputation it has enjoyed for years.
Service:Β β β β β β
EDSA Shangri-La Hotel is knownΒ asΒ aΒ really outstanding hotel with exceptional service. The staff at Heat is armed withΒ 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 behindΒ must have acknowledged the fact that most people feel tired, drowsy, and/or sleepy after eating so much.Β I had the massage whileΒ resting and pacing my meal right before dessert. It was good and I felt so relaxed. The person who went before me evenΒ struggled to keep his eyes open. π
Food:Β β β β β β
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 theΒ juiciest, richest steak in the world.Β The flavor mostly resides on the fat, and it consists of a mouth-filling savoriness combined with a palate-coating richness.Β The texture is as tender as lightly cooked fish.Β 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:Β Wagyu Beef Balls, Wagyu Beef Asado, and Wagyu Xiao Long BaoΒ wereΒ 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! π Wrapped with aΒ delicately steamed skin, theΒ juice-filled bunΒ formed a tender, springy ball inside.
Japanese Station:Β Fresh sushi and sashimi wereΒ 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 withΒ butter and call thisΒ king of crustaceansΒ a winner. If you have a big appetite on more meat,Β wagyu sirloin, wagyu ribeye, and wagyu burgersΒ must strike your fancy no less.
Soup Station:Β 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:Β Looking to impress, the Wagyu Roast Leg of Beef and the Wagyu Tomahawk are a serious carnivore’s dream.Β I especially loved the roast beefΒ for itΒ was riddled with that mouthwatering marbling and succulent, beefy flavor.Β Fork tender, the texture wasΒ 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 meatΒ wasΒ so big that it looked like a guitar. π Caramelized roasted-brown outside,Β inside was nice and pink, and in the center,Β 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 aΒ 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:Β β β β β β
Positive diningΒ experiences at HeatΒ are frequentβperhaps 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 canβt go wrong with Heat’s theme.Β 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. π
Operating hours: 6 pm to 10:30 pm
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
Wohoooo! For the price and quality and quantity .. It is an amazing buffet!!!! The price is pretty much sulit if you are an avid fan of wagyu steak…. Thanks Roch and Renz for uhm.. Covering my “plastic incident” bwhahahahaha !!!!! ???? cheers
Absolutely! Wagyu is very expensive and with the net price of PhP 2415 per head, I think this is a pretty good deal. π Creative dishes matched with delicious flavors are to be expected. Haha hey, I almost forgot about that “plastic” secret. π
Great photos and review Roch!
Anytime Jeng! I might as well have a “plastic incident” soon. π
Thanks, Renz! π My mom is an expert on that, hahaha.
The boyfriend and I will definitely try this out soon. He loves Wagyu and he won’t say no to this.
Yup, I’m sure he’ll have a great time. Ikaw rin! π
Achhhh! Looks like you had been to a wonderful feast with all that delectable dishes! I love steak! 2k is not bad for the good food, and the experience as a whole. π
Yeah, most premium buffet restaurants offer steak and high quality wagyu but only one to two items. At Mad For Wagyu, you can expect more variety. PhP2k++ is reasonable. π
Wow I am drooling looking at all the delicious food. Shangri-La is one of the best hotel in the world and they always has the best restaurants also.
I’ve dined in at Heat just two times and this restaurant has never failed to entice me with their sumptuous and delightful dishes. π
Wagyu beef = unicorn meat! Lol. It’s always lovely to eat at buffets, especially if it’s as grand as this! I would love to dine here someday! Soon, I hope.
This is available in all Saturdays this year. Plan your visit and enjoy! π
We’ve tried HEAT in one of our special occassions. I loved the Wagyu Beef. It’s definitely worth it for the price and the quality of food.
Nothing turned me off here. Everything was pleasant. π
So classy! I think most hotel’s restaurant has the same decoration. Classy and grand. Price for sure is higher.
If you’re obsessed with wagyu beef, Mad For Wagyu is for you. Youβll want to try a few different kinds, so make sure youβre prepared to get down to business. π
It looks like an amazing hotel! I probably would visit π x
Yup, this is one of the most prestigious hotels in the world. π
Happy New Year Roch. I love wagyu because you can really taste the flavor in the meat. I love that you have several variations you can make here.
Happy New Year, Franc! π The best you can do here is alternate between bites of only beef and some seafood to get a balance, or take them all at once in a bite.
I have never eaten at Heat before, but I heard it is so good. Your pictures make the food pop right out looking so delicious. Too bad I find a lot of beef hard to chew so I am not too fond of beef. It has to be super-soft, but I can’t really tell, so I don’t order beef at all. Strange? π
Not strange. I think most people (including me) can relate. π Cooking tender steaks can be difficult if you have a less-expensive and tougher cut of meat. The muscle fibers in meat have to be broken down and the proteins turned into gelatin in order to make meat tender. Wagyu beef by Heat is awesome!
15 minute complimentary massage sounds impressive. Anyways, none of these food would be suitable for me – I’m a veggie!!! π
Haha yeah, just like my dad. π Massages should be offered to more restaurants!
Oh wow, the photos of wagyu beef are making me salivate… while I’m looking down my simple bowl of Udon Noodles. I wish I have some slices of beef in my soup right now!
Haha. Everything weβve eaten here has had a certain touch of refinement that makes it so appealing and picture-perfect on screen. π
Yummmmm this definitely looks like something worth not eating the entire day for! Everything just screams QUALITY!
Quality is what you pay for. π Heat attracts a diverse crowd because they do it right. On Saturdays, you get wagyu. On Fridays, you get lobsters.
I don’t take beef, but this is something my friends will like. And I can eat the other stuff available at the buffet!
You may absolutely do that. π Ask a friendly staff to walk you through the wine and beer options, and you can see why this place is loved by all walks of life.
I love wagyu and this buffet will surely satisfy my appetite.
Meat is something I usually shy away from but not this time. It was a great moment to feast and enjoy the night with friends. Wagyu was great with any condiment it’s served with it on top.
The hotel looks absolutely gorgeous. From the decor to the good, everything looks on point. Thanks for sharing this with us π
This was just half of the people lining up for the carving station. It stretches back to the Chinese section of the buffet.