Terraz serves up delightful dishes in the country's first green building

by YVETTE TAN

Published June 24, 2013 7:53pm

It's impossible not to notice the Zuellig Building, Makati Avenue's most striking structure and the first and so far only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified building in the country.

Terraz is on the third floor of the "green" Zuellig Building. Photo courtesy of Stratos Inc.

The building is a marvel not only because of its beautiful architecture, but also because of its adherence to international ecological standards. While the office building's strict security makes it hard for the regular person to look inside, it is still possible to get a glimpse of its interiors even if you don't work here via its public spaces, which include the Laza Food Plaza—possibly the poshest food court in the metro—on the second floor, and casual dining restaurant Terraz on the third. Both eating spaces are intertwined with the Zuellig Building's identity, something that is reflected in the Zs in their names. "The developers of the building were really aiming to develop the most beautiful green building yet," says restaurateur Andrej Wisniewski. "It had a lot to do with the personality of Daniel Zuellig himself and his family and the legacy they wanted to leave here in the Philippines because this is where their company started in 1906." As a result, both Laza and Terraz, the latter including meeting rooms and the Sky Garden, blend seamlessly with the building's philosophy. Getting there is easy, as its entrance is separate from that of the offices. Escalators at the building's side entrance (beside BDO) lead straight to the second and third floors, both of whch are open to the public. "We discovered that it would be nice to open a restaurant that was open to the public," Andrej says. "It's a great spot right n the middle of the business district, and it's great for people who live and work nearby." Walk into the Noel Bernardo-designed Terraz and you will notice a laid-back, hotel-like feel. The dining area is spacious, with meeting rooms located at the back of the restaurant for maximum privacy, and an outdoor dining area with low tables and lush plants that doesn't make it seem like you're in the middle of the city.

The Spinach and Double Smoked Bacon Salad. Terraz photos by Yvette Tan

The food is a mix of Asian and Western dishes, a reflection of the different kinds of people who work in the building. What sets the dishes apart is that, despite the familiarity of their names, none of them are typical. The genius behind this is Chef Arnold Gozon, who spent more than 20 years at the top of his field in the hotel industry. You can sense Chef Arnold's hotel background in the way the recipes are composed and the food is presented. There is a certain kind of restraint when it comes to harnessing a dish's flavors, and when it comes to presentation each dish, especially the rice meals, looks simply too good to eat. The Spinach and Double-Smoked Bacon Salad (P295) makes an arresting starter, due to the fact that it's got a long piece of bacon and a sunny side up egg resting on the greens. Malagos pecorino and ranch dressing round out the flavors, while sunflower seeds add crunch. Chef Arnold says that he switched the traditional poached egg with a sunny side up for a more Asian feel, but the runny yolk ties the latter to the former.

The Tagliatelle

The Wild Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes Salad (P375), flavored with gorgonzola cream, candied walnuts, shallots, might be a be a bit harsh for the Filipino palate, the arugula's bitterness overpowering the greens, but the cream dressing and the candied walnuts help tone things down and balance the flavors. Chef Arnold says that this salad was inspired by the building's green design. Terraz also has an interesting selection of pastas and pizzas. The pastas are fresh, made in-house. The Tagliatelle (P225), which has cream, fresh dill and lemon, gets its pinkish color from beetroot, the cream sauce complementing the fish and providing the palate a break from the tomato sauce usually used to make this dish. The Fettucine (P325) is a perennial favorite, this version coated in a truffled mushroom "Alfredo" sauce spiked with rosemary. Terraz's pizzas are all thin-crust, with exotic toppings like the Asian BBQ Chicken Pizza (P375), whose smoked chicken and hoisin sauce make it taste more like Peking Duck than pizza, and the Carne Pizza (P375), the restaurant's ode to meat lovers, slathered in a bolognese sauce.

The Crispy Lechon Style Pork Belly

Terraz's rice meals are things of beauty, each dish carefully composed in terms of visual aesthetics and flavor. The Crispy Lechon Style Pork Belly (P395) isn't your typical liempo. It's more a pork confit, the cooking process yielding a soft, juicy pork belly. The housemade atchara uses pomelo and cucumber for a uniquely refreshing flavor. Even the "sarsa" is different, the hoisin liver sauce giving the dish a Filipino-Chinese feel. The Soy Glazed Melting Norwegian Salmon "Bento" (P495) is cooked with fresh cilantro and served with sesame Asian slaw, teppan fried rice. It is served in a contemporary bento box that invites the diner to gaze on its artistry before taking a bite. The same with the Bulgogi Style US Beef Shortribs (P575), which is paired with bibimbap fried rice and white kimchi pickles, the whole thing a marriage of the sweet and spicy flavors that Korean cuisine does so well.

The Tiramisu

Don't leave without taking a look at the dessert menu, where sweet selections such as Classic Vanilla Creme Brulee (P120), Tiramisu (P180), and Banana Nutella Crepe (P125) go well with Brewed Illy Coffee (P85, regular or decaf). The tiramisu gives the most bang for your buck, a slice of the delicious coffee cake good enough for two. The crepe is similarly impressive, just the right size for a snack. But if you're looking for something to cap a meal, the individual-sized creme brulee is the way to go, the tiny pot of goodness just the thing to end a delightful restaurant experience. The food isn't just pretty and tasty, it's sustainably prepared, as well. In line with the Zuellig Building's green philosophy, Chef Arnold has been implementing an ecologically sound kitchen, with an emphasis on using as much of an ingredient as possible and minimizing waste. Dining at Terraz desn't just mean good food and a nice ambiance. When it comes to environmental impact, it's one of the few guilt-free restaurants in the metro. — BM, GMA News

Tags: terraz, zuellig, foodreview, restaurant