Pinterest has revolutionized the world. haha. Well, some aspects- like say- a restaurant’s aesthetics. When I walked into Sage in Military Cut-off, that was my first impression. ” Oh, how so Pintersty this place is!”.
Grumpy Joe’s has that Pinterest touch too – with their oh so Instagram worthy- Mason Jars! No, it doesn’t affect the flavor of your beverage, but it makes a great photo for sure.
And it looks like Grumpy Joe has a lot of what’s trending in Manila restaurants. Mason jars, chalkboards, wooden planks as serving dishes. (Full list of trends here). And I thinkĀ this is what sets them apart from competition. (Picture taken from their FB page)
I paid them a visit on a Monday morning- an hour before the mad rush began. I hear the lines go crazy here. I will call this area the “Pila District” – there’s nearby 50s Diner and there’s Grumpy Joes. But I promised myself , the only time I’m going to line up for food is when food is being rationed- haha! š
Long lines for food turn me off especially when I’m hungry. The longest I’ve been in a line for food was in that Michelin starred Dim Sum joint in Hong Kong. I waited to be fed for one hour or more.Ā And it wasn’t even that good. Then there’s Shake Shack in New York – but that was super worth lining up in the cold for! I digress. My point is- if you’re going to make your customers line up for food, it better be worth it!
Is it worth it to line up for Grumpy Joe?
Here’s what you have to consider. š
Pizza– I’ll use a Greenwich term here: Overload! Yep, one slice will give you all these good stuff on a thin crust. I had to unload some onions though.
The Drinks– very cute. I like how they got creative with the drinks. They have a wide selection of smoothies, juices and shakes and frappes. I went for a refreshing Shirley Temple (not pictured) on this visit but will make sure to try out their specialty drinks next time.
Burger– hmmm. It’s one tall sandwich with very tasty and juicy beef patties, onions, pineapple, lettuce, tomatoes, the works! But the bread was a disappointment. It was a wee bit too lampa for the powerhouse contents of the burger. The coleslaw side dish was also very tipid. That’s short for- I wanted more of that good stuff.
Buffalo Wings- not their best offering,Ā lacked that zing that I enjoyed in Don Henrico’s or Beans Talk. It was a little safe, it was more on the buttered chicken side than Buffalo, I think.
Pesto Pasta – I like mine less creamy. But if you’re the creamy type of person, this one’s for you. Pretty big serving. Good for two dainty girls :).
Ambiance– it’s bright, young and fresh with occasional visits from flies. At the booth seating where I was at, I had to do some fly shooing a couple of times. Flies aside it was a nice eating experience.
Grumpy Joe is an Italian- American comfort food joint located at Leonard Wood Road- just a few steps from 50s Diner. Avoid the mad crowd so you can sit longer and enjoy your smoothie longer. Lunch time is hectic- try going an hour before or after.
All in all, I’m grateful for a 50s Diner alternative. On the other hand, I still long for some diversity in the Baguio food scene. Looks like Ā American- Italian is king in Baguio. Pizza, burger, wings, pasta etc. I think the reason why Don Henrico’s was a hit in the 90s was that there weren’t a lot of places like that in Baguio that time. But nowadays- there’s Volante, Vizco’s, 50s Diner, Zio’s, and the smaller eats that seem to have a similar theme. I’d love to see some good mainstream Mexican or Mid-eastern eats making it big in the Baguio food scene. Ā A girl can dream. Hehe.
Check out their Facebook Page here:Ā https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grumpy-Joe/592977007460400