Having a hard time finding a restaurant to hang out and make chika with your friends? Or are you in need of a space to study for your upcoming exams — without all the distracting noise of honking cars and revving motorcycles?
Well, worry no more, because Granville is the perfect place for you!
This pet-friendly cafe is perfect for millennials and alike who want to dine out without the feeling of being rushed. It also doesn’t feel scary to eat here even with the COVID situation as the place is spacious.
The tables are far away from each other and al fresco dining is also available.
And on top of the minimalist interior that’s very pleasing to the eyes, the food is DELISH and fairly priced!
Normally, I would say, “the food is so expensive, I won’t spend my precious money here”, or “oh my God, why would people pay for this.”
Luckily, I did not feel that way.
I ordered three dishes, namely: Poutine, Wild Mushrooms Truffle Cream Pasta, and Grilled Cheese Sandwich; one dessert, which is Mini Basque Burnt Cheesecake; and a drink, Ginger Lemon Soda.
I started off my meal with Poutine, a Canadian staple that is made of potato wedges with homemade gravy, feta, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese.
I took a bite into it and was surprised at how the potato wedges did not feel soggy at all — even if it was soaked in gravy. It was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The cheese was generously served on the dish, though there was more mozzarella than feta and ricotta cheese.
One thing though, I think they should change the serving plate. The plate where they served the poutine was on a shallow bowl, I think. The bowl kept tilting towards where I am sticking my fork. It tasted very good, nonetheless.
Would I order this again? Definitely, yes! It’s the perfect way to stimulate your appetite.
Next, I ate the Wild Mushroom Truffle Cream Pasta, made of fresh pasta, wild mushrooms, and truffle cream.
It was saucy, but not the sickening or nakakaumay type. The pasta is thick and dense, probably similar to a lasagna pasta, only that this one is smaller. It’s my first time to taste wild mushrooms and truffle cream, so I was quite confused when there was a hint of seafood taste. Is this how truffle cream or wild mushrooms supposed to taste? Let me know!
Anyway, despite being puzzled, this dish won my heart! The creaminess of the sauce complemented the thickness of the pasta. I especially liked the hint of seafood when the sauce hits your tongue. The pasta was perfectly cooked and I guarantee you, it’s freshly made.
If you don’t want to have a higher standard for pasta, don’t order this dish. Because once you taste a freshly made pasta, I assure you that you won’t ever go back to the store-bought ones.
I know many would think that I should have eaten the Grilled Cheese Sandwich first, but since I was so excited for the pasta, I ate it first.
The Grilled Cheese Sandwich is your typical grilled cheese sandwich. Its made of grilled bread with melted cheese and served with tomato soup on the side. It did not say what cheese is used but I’m guessing it’s cheddar and mozzarella.
It tasted okay. As I said, it’s your typical grilled cheese sandwich. I think I would have liked it better if the bread was less crispy and if there was an option to add herbs to the sandwich.
I think the selling point of this sandwich is the Tomato Soup. It tasted so good!
The soup was sour and creamy. An indication that it was well-pureed. This is high praise coming from someone who gags at the sight of tomatoes. Admittedly, I am not a fan of it as its slightest smell makes me cringe. But this is something that I would eat again, maybe even finish this whole tiny bowl.
The Tomato Soup can be eaten on its own, or you can add it (or dip it) in the sandwich to enhance the flavor. Now, you have a makeshift pizza (or not).
Next, to cleanse my palate from all the oil and salt, I ordered one of the House Specialties, Ginger Lemon Soda.
The Ginger Lemon Soda was the only thing I did not like from my order. When I chose this, I was expecting a refreshing yet balanced taste of ginger and lemon. But the taste of ginger was so strong which left a bitter aftertaste.
It brought back war flashbacks of my dad brewing ginger tea and it would make the entire house smell like ginger.
If you like Salabat or Turmeric tea, I suggest you give this a try. But for me, this is a HARD PASS. I won’t order this again.
And lastly, for the desert, I tried their Mini Basque Burnt Cheesecake.
The Basque Burnt Cheesecake was delicious, but to be honest, I think it’s not fair to call it a cheesecake as its texture and taste was more on the custardy side — and once you slice open the cake, creamy custard oozes out of its center.
It comes close to a Creme Brulee than a cheesecake. There’s also a sawa factor here. I think it was too creamy and a little bit sweet for my liking.
I wouldn’t order this again for myself but if I have someone to share it with, then I would gladly do so.
Overall, I think you’re paying more for the dining experience than the food itself — and I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. I truly enjoyed the food as well as the chill ambiance of Granville.
The servers are also very kind so that’s a plus point for Granville.
Now, for the big question, would I come back here?
OF COURSE.
I would love to bring my friends (or a date, if I ever have one) here next time.
I am also looking forward to trying their local craft beers on my next visit!
Unfortunately, it is not your typical restaurant that’s usually on a busy road where hungry travelers stop by. You need to drive all the way through to reach this area. But if you do so, you wouldn’t regret it and you would even come back for more.
Granville is located at 189 A. Mabini St, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Philippines.
Visit Granville San Juan | Facebook to view their full menu.
