GrandMomma's Kitchen: American Comfort Food in Il Terrazzo

Eating has always been a stress reliever for me. When I'm in a bad mood, a plate or two of good comfort food can already lift up my senses and put me back to a state of zen. So when I received an invitation to try out GrandMomma's Kitchen in Il Terrazzo which boasts of home-style American comfort food, there was just no way I would say no.
GrandMomma's Kitchen in Il Terrazzo

Located on the ground floor (beside Yoogane) of Il Terrazzo along Tomas Morato in Quezon City, GrandMomma's Kitchen is a new comfort food destination which opened just last December of 2012. And while it might be the youngest restaurant in the mall, it's definitely one of those which never fail to exude a sense of nostalgia through its country kitsch-inspired interior, complete with cute trinkets, homey décor and warm lighting.

Grand Momma's Kitchen Il Terrazzo

While the overall feel of GrandMomma's Kitchen reminds me of a few quirky breakfast destinations I've visited in the past, I can't deny that walking inside the restaurant really gave off an impression of visiting your beloved grand momma's house on a Sunday morning, then eagerly waiting for her tasty home-cooked food to be served on the table.

GrandMomma's Kitchen Menu 1 GrandMomma's Kitchen Menu 2
Click to enlarge the menu photos.
As expected from an American comfort food destination, GrandMomma's Kitchen offers a wide variety of hearty dishes from a selection of all-day breakfast items, to soups, pastas, meats, sandwiches and desserts. And for a restaurant still running on soft opening, I'm pretty impressed that their menu looks very presentable and on-theme.

The Pastas

Of course, first impression is definitely not the only impression. So to put the flavors of GrandMomma's Kitchen to the test, we first sampled two of their pasta dishes.

Aglio Olio P155

First on our table was the Aglio Olio (P155) which is a simple pasta dish of spaghetti in garlic-olive oil. While this was presented appetizingly, I wasn't sold with its taste upon my first forkful. Aglio olio is a personal favorite of mine, and GrandMomma's Kitchen's version sadly didn't deliver. While the spaghetti was cooked al dente, the whole plate was quite bland. I didn't get to enjoy even a hint of the garlic's goodness. Good thing though this had generous portions of Parmesan cheese which somehow gave it some flavor.

Broccoli Alfredo P175

We then had a serving of Broccoli Alfredo (P175) which is a creamy pasta dish tossed with broccoli. Unlike the first item, this one had more flavor. The cream sauce was rich and well, creamy, although it can still use some more seasoning. The star on this plate though was definitely the broccoli. Even though I'm not really a big broccoli fan, I can't deny that it added an interesting but mild veggie flavor and crunch to the whole dish.

The Proteins

The pasta dishes may have failed to impress me, but I'm glad that we got to try some meat dishes from GrandMomma's Kitchen which successfully cleared its name.

Ol' Fashioned Pork Chop and Applesauce P255

This plate of Ol' Fashioned Pork Chop and Applesauce (P255) served with sweet pepper & herb rice and some grilled veggies, didn't only look appetizing, but tasted good as well. The pork chop was cooked to a perfect tender with a nice, smoky flavor. And paired with the applesauce, this ensemble packs a rich yet balanced flavor for the palate.

Smoked Baby Back Ribs P255

We then had the Smoked Baby Back Ribs (P255) served with mushroom gravy, sweet pepper & herb rice, and grilled veggies on the side. Between the pork chop and the ribs, I'm definitely going for the latter. Although it wasn't as juicy as I would've wanted, the meat was still moist with a rich, savory and smoky flavor that I just can't get enough of. Even without the gravy, these ribs were still as tasty. And oh, I should mention that I fell in love with the grilled veggies. They were crunchy and had a similar smoky flavor to them.

GrandMomma's Whole Chicken Platter P455

Our last meat dish was the GrandMomma's Whole Chicken Platter (P455) which comes with a choice of rice and sides. As a signature dish at GrandMomma's Kitchen, even bearing its name, I can say that this is the most enjoyable item I've had for that afternoon. The whole chicken from inside out is succulent, savory and just plain delish with a beautiful combination of herbs and spices. However, I wish the chicken wasn't under-cooked. If it were just oven-roasted for a little more longer, it would've been perfect.

The Sides

Although side dishes don't really play a big part in most occasions, I still think it's important to know which ones taste good, and which ones should be avoided. As for our trip to GrandMomma's Kitchen, we got to try three kinds if sides in total -- a few of which came with the main dishes we had for the day, and some served a la carte.

Sweet Pepper and Herb Rice P45

The most prominent side dish on our trip was the Sweet Pepper and Herb Rice (P45) which came with two of our meat orders. Either in a small bowl or on the plate with entrée, this fried rice looks super enticing. And it's not just the beautiful colors that I came to like with this rice dish, even its taste is delicate yet very enjoyable -- sweet and a little savory without being too there, making it perfect to pair with tasty viands.

Mac and Cheese P45

If the other was a yay, sadly, this Mac and Cheese (P45) was a nay. It may look creamy on the bowl, but the flavor was barely there. I thought I just didn't have enough to really get to taste this side dish, but even after several spoonfuls, it was still bland and lifeless.

Last among the side dishes we had was the Smashed Potatoes (P45) which came free with the chicken entrée. True to its name, this siding is indeed a bowl of smashed potatoes. It was smashed nicely and into a semi-smooth paste, but it somehow lacked the creaminess, the milky, butter flavor, and some savor of traditional mashed potatoes.

GrandMomma's Kitchen Il Terrazzo Vanilla Sundae P95

To wrap up our lunch, the nice owner of GrandMomma's Kitchen gave us a cup each of Vanilla Ice Cream. I'm not sure if this is really their regular serving, but I loved this to bits! Unlike most vanilla-flavored ice creams I had in the past, theirs is creamier, milkier and more enjoyable. It's weird, but I feel like it gets better and better with every spoonful.

THE VERDICT

While my visit to GrandMomma's Kitchen was a mix of both positive and negative, I see potential in this American comfort food destination. Flavor-wise, there are dishes which really stood out like the GrandMomma's Whole Chicken Platter and Smoked Baby Back Ribs. However, the texture and doneness can still use some improvements. As for the pasta dishes and sidings, they can add more flavor as they seemed to be under-seasoned in general. When it comes to service, I appreciated that the staff were quite friendly and courteous. However, they seem to lack the knowledge about the food they're serving. Overall though, I think GrandMomma's Kitchen is a pretty decent food spot in Il Terrazzo worth a visit especially for its nice ambiance and affordable prices. I just hope the next time I pay it a trip, they'll already be completely out of the soft-opening standard.

Taste - 3/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 3/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 3/5


GrandMomma's Kitchen, Il Terrazzo Mall
G/F Il Terrazzo, 305 Tomas Morato Ave. cor. Sct. Madriñan St.,
South Triangle, Quezon City,
Metro Manila Philippines
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26 comments:

  1. I'm sure the hubby will love to try their dishes, mostly the proteins. I'll prolly try the brocolli pasta, one of my fave veggy.

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  2. Pretty affordable dishes, I'd love to try the ribs and the aglio olio. :)


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  3. hope to try that ribs and broccolli pasta soon! :)

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  4. I hope they'll be better after a few months! It will be disappointing if the taste of the food won't improve :(

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  5. OMG that Broccoli Alfredo and those ribs! I haven't eaten here yet, but seeing these photos makes me want to reserve a table there for tonight!

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  6. omg. this could be my Husband's kind of restaurant for he does not mind the done-ness of a meat. he likes them bloody pink! aargh...

    The brocolli alfredo looks so tempting! I'd to visit and ask for a plate with good grinding of pepper.

    Thank you so much for sharing!

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  7. Aglio Oglio looks nice. :) I love how your reviews are so thorough and informative.

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  8. the broccoli Alfredo looks delish. heheh I agree with Pretty/Ugly, I love the way you blog about food reviews. Oh how I wish I could review the way you do.

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  9. As always, your food photos never fail to make my mouth water. :)

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  10. The place look neat and homey. I also like a good Aglio Oglio and it's a tricky pasta dish to pull off coz it really has just garlic and good olive oil and cheese to flavor it. The ribs look good, and that vanilla ice cream too! Very good review Sumi. :)

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  11. i'd like to try that broccoli alfredo and smoked baby back ribs! :) haven't seen this place in Il Terrazzo.. looks like i need to visit the area soon :)

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  12. Good resto review. This is very near my place so I am sure my family will get to try this one day soon. The dishes looks appetizing and the prices are very affordable.

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  13. I'm curious about this! Will try it next. :D

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  14. The ribs, the chicken and the pasta Alfredo looks delish! I'm ging to visit this place soon. And their prices are very reasonable. =)

    http://thisislovelee.blogspot.com/

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  15. omg! baby back ribs looks so yummy to death!! amazing food they have!! xx

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  16. Saw this while walking around Il Terrazzo. I think it's the ambiance that caught my attention! Really homey. Will try this next time!

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  17. A bit pricey but i still want to try GrandMomma's Whole Chicken Platter, looks so juicy!

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  18. I wouldnt mind eating here if everything lloks good as the Ol' Fashioned Pork Chop and Applesauce. Hahahaha! Isnt it too pricey though? hmmm.. . .

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  19. I would love to try the baby back ribs and vanilla ice cream!

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  20. tried their ribs. looking forward to try their pasta dishes next time!

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  21. I noticed this resto in IL Terrazo and I didn't know they offer interesting dishes. We'll try this and order their Smoked Baby Back Ribs.

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  22. Roberto de la Costa

    I noticed this resto in IL Terrazo and I didn't know they offer interesting dishes. We'll try this and order their Smoked Baby Back Ribs.

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  23. Big servings? and the pastas, are they good? :)

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    1. Portion sizes are okay, filling for 1 person :) As for the pastas, some are okay. I visited back when they were still on soft-opening though, so maybe they've already improved now.

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  24. I love their proteins as much as I love the place! The cool ambiance of the resto makes me want to go back for more!

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