II Terrazzo — Restaurant in Victoria

I went to Il Terrazzo with my family for Sunday dinner. The hostess was prompt in finding our reservation and seating us and the wait staff was friendly and worked together with the hostess to accommodate a table change upon our request. Our waiter was helpful, friendly, and professional, giving excellent recommendations and doing his best at accommodating our requests. He proactively offered to take photos of our family and really enhanced our experience. The food was overall quite good and portion sizes were generous and satisfying. It had its flaws however: plating was somewhat dismal, and the sides and commentary elements in the dishes were not ways given proper respect, but at the end of the meal, we were all quite happy with the experience. A detailed review of each dish we had follows:

Mustard and herb crusted Rack of Lamb: The lamb was cooked perfectly medium rare. It was slightly under-seasoned but still flavourful, and it was juicy and tender. Served with an assortment of vegetables and potatoes. The vegetables and potatoes were unfortunately not given much care or thought. The dish as a whole would have been so much better with vegetables that were char-grilled and well seasoned and potato wedges that weren't placed underneath everything else on the plate causing them to lose any semblance of crispness. In the end, the lamb was nice, but the rest of the dish was haphazard and careless, from the complementary elements to the plating. Quite disappointing for a restaurant of this calibre and price point.

Beef Tenderloin Steak: The steak was cooked perfectly medium rare, and quite flavourful and well seasoned. The steak was served on a potato mash and with seasonal vegetables. The dish was simple but good. Would have liked to see some more fancy elements in the dish though, for for lack of a better word, as the restaurant is rather high end.

Venison Steak The venison was seasoned perfectly and cooked very nicely to a good medium. It was tender and moist and juicy. It was served on cannelloni and seasonal vegetables on the side, as well as some sourcherries. These elements worked together well and we're quite delicious overall.

Beef Tenderloin Scaloppini The beef tenderloin was seasoned beautifully and though it was pounded flat for the scaloppini, it was still somewhat juicy. This is however and odd choice of cut of beef, since a fattier cut such as ribeye or striploin would likely provide better flavour scaloppini style, as the fat marbling would render much more easily and lend its flavour much more readily, whole the tenderloin should be reserved for making steaks and roasts, where its unique lean yet tender nature can be fully demonstrated. The tenderloin scaloppinis were served on a spaghetti alfredo with thick cut bacon pieces and cremini mushrooms. Everything was delicious and the dish...

We visited your restaurant on January 10th, excited to enjoy the Il Terrazzo experience we’ve come to know and love. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the attendants and escorted to our table for two. However, once seated, we found ourselves unsure of what to do with our winter coats. There was no offer to take or hang them, leaving us to awkwardly figure it out ourselves. Shortly after, our server, Dean, introduced himself. Unfortunately, his approach lacked any personal touch; it felt as though our presence was an inconvenience to him. We waited quite some time for Dean to return to take our order. Initially, we had hoped to consult a sommelier to help us select a special wine for our occasion. Instead, Dean suggested two wines within our price range (around $150). While we appreciated his effort, the Italian wine he recommended—described as comparable to a California cabernet—fell short of expectations. Throughout the evening, we felt insignificant, despite mentioning that we were celebrating a special occasion. Dean’s demeanor made us feel dismissed, as though we didn’t merit his attention. In past visits, we’ve always felt welcomed and encouraged to enjoy the special ambiance your restaurant is known for. Unfortunately, this time, there was no warmth, interest, or effort to create a memorable experience for us as patrons. Additionally, Dean’s overly loud voice was disruptive to the intimate atmosphere. Whether taking orders or offering suggestions, his volume felt intrusive. In contrast, we noticed another server in the section—a young woman with a bright smile and welcoming attitude—and wished we had been seated in her section. Our original plan was to enjoy a leisurely, multi-course dinner, starting with appetizers and progressing to dessert. Instead, we decided to leave after only a salad and appetizer, as the experience felt far from the Il Terrazzo standard. We chose Il Terrazzo to celebrate a special occasion, hoping to share with my cousin the exceptional dining experience I’ve been raving about for months. Unfortunately, the evening was a significant disappointment, largely due to Dean’s inattentiveness and lack of professionalism. Il Terrazzo has a stellar reputation, but this visit did not reflect the excellence...

Although it was my first time at an Italian restaurant in Victoria, IL Terrazzo truly convinced me of its charm with a romantic atmosphere, gentle glass candlelight, warm fireplaces and exquisite dishes.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year, my friends and I reserved a table in IL Terrazzo. The Winter of Victoria seems always to have weary eyes, at around 4 p.m. when we placed our seats, she was so early ready to close her glooming light. However, IL Terrazzo maintained its grace in the encroaching darkness. The welcoming servers, calm candlelight, crackling fireplaces, and the joy of friends probably could keep my heart warm through the whole winter.

We first shared the MARGHERITA. After tasting the first piece, I realized that it really updated my mind on the notion of pizza. Though it was not attractive in appearance, the fresh basil would tickle my taste buds and make me believe that thin-crust pizza and not greasy cheese should be the rule.

My first dish was ANTIPASTI di POLPETTE(meatballs). The creamy polenta is similar to the crumbled eggs, not only its look but also its taste. Roasted peppers and tomato sauce, which are mild and fresh, would not make me feel dry when I ate the meatball. A good appetizer.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA is my main dish. I also asked for some additional sprinkled cheese and pepper at the top. After stirring the pasta with other ingredients evenly, the initial bites reminded me of the Wuhan Hot-Dry Noodles with Sesame Paste from my hometown, creamy sauce decorating the chewy noodles. Different from the Hot-Dry Noodles, the carbonara didn’t leave me longing for water. Probably the much more ingredients provide enough moisture and well-combined flavor. In addition, the tender beef also reminded me of the Tataki in the Japanese restaurant. Gentle-smoked Tataki, I would like to say.

As we prepared to leave, one of my friends remarked that light rain was falling outside. Subconsciously, I looked up and noticed the glass roof and raindrops at the surface. Combined with candlelight, fireplaces and warmed people, IL Terrazzo sings softly.

“When the rain is blowing in your face And the whole world is on your case I could offer you a warm embrace To make you...