Happy Ane At Grumpy Joe

If we think of comfort food, the first thing that comes to mind are whichever among pizza, chicken, burgers, fries and pastas. Therefore, if we think of a comfort restaurant in Baguio, tourists and locals alike will agree that we’re talking about Grumpy Joe. The list of comfort food I mentioned earlier are present in the said Italian-American food joint.

When you come to visit at tiny yet cozy restaurant, you’ll see that it is packed not just with dining customers but also waiting guests. Our group had to wait for almost two hours before we could finally devour some food in their Baguio branch. Thankfully, it was worth the wait.

During our trip to La Union with my mom and my boyfriend, I discovered that they also have a branch in San Fernando so I opted to visit there from now on since it has less waiting time.

Let’s see their food and let’s talk why people are consuming time just to eat at Grumpy Joe.

Grumpy Joe Pizza

I’m not a fan of thick-crust pizza but this is an exemption. The toppings of Grumpy Joe Pizza is generously served to the point that I can’t see the crust anymore. Basically, it’s their Pizza Overload version. It’s a fusion of many pizza flavors. Although it’s full of meat, pineapple tidbits, olives, bell peppers, they all complement together amazingly. Everyone in the table agrees that this is delectable. With all the pizza I’ve tried at Grumpy Joe, I can say that pizza is their specialty.

Vegetarian Pizza

Here are more pizzas from the restaurant. Vegetarian Pizza is kinda bland for my liking. But I think that’s expected because the pie is merely composed of the plant-based stuff such as bell pepper, mushroom, onion and pineapple. The Hawaiian Pizza is filled with toppings aside from pineapple yet there is a dominance in the pineapple. Thankfully, the tidbits are sweet. It is cheesy, too. The crust for both pizzas are soft and has its own creamy flavor. 

Grumpy Joe Fried Chicken

One of the best fried chicken I’ve tasted is right here in this restaurant! The crunch of the chicken skin, the yumminess of the gravy, the heat of the meat and the big cuts of each pieces makes me want to eat more. It’s so addicting! We are very satisfied with the amount of chicken skin. It’s the best part. The meat is not disappointing as well since they are filled with juiciness. All ten pieces are chicken breasts yet Grumpy Joe was able to make this bland part of the chicken flavorful.

Seafood Marinara

Among the Grumpy Joe’s pastas I’ve tried, I am torn between Seafood Marinara and Baked Ziti. The Seafood Marinara got the right amount of tanginess from tomato with a hint of a little sweetness. The flavors of pasta fits well with the fresh and big seafood toppings. The Baked Ziti is oozing with too much cheese. But it’s fine since it is balanced with tomato sauce. We also tried their Carbonara, which is so milky that it defeats the smokiness of the bacon. Each has a complementary garlic bread slice.

Chicken Wings

Generally, I prefer chicken wings over the usual breaded chicken. But I’m surprised that I ended up liking Grumpy Joe Fried Chicken more than their chicken wings. We got two flavors here. The Honey Garlic is sweet and has a spicy kick. However, the flavors are only skin-deep. On the other hand, I can’t taste the parmesan in the Garlic Parmesan despite of having many cheese powder. The wings are fat in meat but there are pieces that aren’t fully cooked yet.

Caesar Salad with Chicken Fingers

Since the company is composed mostly of oldies, the table won’t be complete without the Caesar Salad with Chicken Fingers. I immediately noticed the great serving of veggies and meat. The bacon, tomato, lettuce and egg blended well, especially because they bursts natural and fresh flavors. I love that each bite has crispiness from the chicken fillet, which are also juicy and flavorful. I just wish it has more Caesar dressing to make the salad more moist.

Grumpy Cheeseburger

When the waiter finally set my Grumpy Cheeseburger order on our table, my first thought was the burger’s bluntness and it exposes in its taste. It’s obvious that the patty isn’t 100% made with beef. It’s thin and low quality like the one we can buy in the market. It’s quite juicy though but that’s it. This is a cheeseburger but I can’t feel the cheesiness. The bread is soft but not freshly baked. The thick-cut fries are not well-seasoned but I appreciate its crispy parts.

White Chocolate Raspberry Frappe | Mixed Berries Yogurt Smoothie | Grumpy Juice

The White Chocolate Raspberry Frappe is delish and refreshing. The flavors of berry and chocolate are both recognizable. I like that the texture is smooth and not course or icy. The Mixed Berries Yogurt Smoothie is thick as well. It has the right mix of sweetness and tanginess. I wish to try the Peach Mango flavor but it wasn’t available that time. The Grumpy Juice is just like a lemon soda. It’s good but not that special. I’m willing to drink all these despite of the cold weather of Baguio.