First Bite: Palm Grill

Tomas Morato has turned from a drinking hotspot to an area filled with restaurants offering affordable and delectable food. New concepts seem to open every month and I often find myself overwhelmed by the growing number of options. But hearing that this new chicken place offers superb "green" poultry made it a bit easier for me to decide.

Hello, Palm Grill.

I was greeted by a space with high ceiling, drop lights and lovely contrast of grey, green and yellow interiors which exudes a chic vibe. Some tables even have grass mats for that garden or picnic feel.

I sat near the bar and got a glass of Lemonade (PHP60) while I wait for the foodies joining me for lunch.

For our feast, we had The Green Chicken (PHP229, solo | PHP349, duo | PHP649, league), Chicken Satti (PHP159), Spaghetti in Pesto Sauce (PHP159), Pinoy Sliders (PHP229), King Carlos' Famous Fish & Chips (PHP289) and Chef Mike's Moussaka (PHP189).

We all started off with the much hyped green chicken.

This chicken, slow cooked in coconut milk and seven Asian spices then grilled, was absolutely scrumptious! I usually get slightly disappointed after someone says that a certain dish is super good. But this one deserves all the praises and superlative adjectives. Each bite was flavorful and the lovely blend of sweet yet salty tastes was something that'll make one want more than just a few mouthfuls.

I next sampled the platter of Pinoy Sliders, Fish & Chips and Pesto.

The pinoy sliders which is stuffed with chicken patty makes one remember of the good ol Sunday afternoon in the 90s where mom would whip up a filling merienda. The crunchy yet juicy patty was simple and very straightforward. However, there is something to it that charmed my taste buds. Is it because it tastes just like the ones from home?

The fish & chips dish was pretty good too. The batter was light while the fish was fresh and soft. It was flavorful as is but a lot better with the tartar sauce.

The pesto pasta was very simple too and went very well with the chicken sandwich and fish & chips. [Note though that these are not the actual serving sizes of the pinoy sliders, fish & chips and pesto and were for tasting purposes only.]

Then things got a bit hotter when we sampled the Chicken Satti, the spicy thick soup with rice balls and skewered grilled chicken.

I had a tiny bite of the rice ball with some sauce and it was too spicy for my liking so I didn't even dare to get another bite with the chicken. 

And yes, I didn't attempt to try the other chicken variant they call Labuyo Chicken which is in a whole different level of spiciness.

I just munched on the delectable cheesy moussaka which tasted just like lasagna. This one is absolutely perfect for kids and cheese lovers!

Overall, it was a lovely lunch and I had a blast talking with the owners Miggy and Nelson. The only hiccup I noticed was the slow service time. But I'm sure they'll get used to bigger crowds soon.

Again, congrats Palm Grill and see you soon!

Palm Grill is located at 175 Tomas Morato Avenue, Scout Castor, Tomas Morato, Quezon City.