Tartufo Ristorante - BGC — Restaurant in Taguig

We went here for my sister's birthday and we were very satisfied. We went on a Saturday and we arrived before the lunch rush. This one of the few restaurants that I wouldn't mins shelling out more money on because it's definitely worth it. I definitely recommend trying it out and will probably eat here again. For a more in-depth review, please see below.

Service: 5/5 Upon entering we ere immediately escorted to our table and were asked how we preferred our water. We were also given our menus, but they gave us enough space to decide and didn't hover. Whenever we needed something, they quickly accommodated our requests. Shout out to Ms. Joanna and Mr. Darryl for taking care of us!

Atmosphere: 5/5 Personally, I am a fan of an open floor plan as well as the natural lighting which made the restaurant endearing for me. From the use of the archways as well as the facade, it just screamed elegantly cozy and I love it. Even though a lot of natural light came in, it wasn't too hot nor was it too cold.

Food: 5/5 (For this part, I'm going to be reviewing the dishes we ordered. Disclaimer: I am not a professional food critic or a chef, I just enjoy eating)

Carciofi Fritti Con Prosciutto: Starting strong with the appetizer, this dish is artichoke with prosciutto. We made sure to eat each of the elements together and I'm not going to lie, it tasted a bit like Bananacue. The crispiness was just right and it wasn't a struggle to eat it all.

Pasta Chef's Pasta Flambéed in Cheese Wheel This creamy pasta is the perfect dish to remind me why I love truffle dishes. It had the perfect combination of umami and creaminess that I absolutely love in any dish. It wasn't hard to finish too! (P.S. Their BGC branch doesn't have the cheese wheel yet but based on the taste, it's still worth it to get.)

Linguine Alla Carbonara Di Salsiccia Their authentic carbonara is to die for. Unlike the "Filipino Carbonara", their carbonara doesn't use cream and goes for the Italian way of using egg yolks. It's rich taste leaves you delighted.

Ravioli Alla Tartufata This is hands down one of favorite dishes that we ordered. Their freshly made ravioli in creamy truffle sauce is something that I'll be daydreaming about for a while. It's the perfect combination of al dente pasta and perfectly seasoned sauce. It's fireworks in my mouth.

Pizza Tartufata This pizza is LOADED with fresh button and shiitake mushrooms, coupled with truffle puree, mozzarella, and truffle oil, this pizza might just be made for me. They didn't spare any expense with the toppings and I love it.

Osso Buco Milanese Now, this dish is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE in all of the dishes we ordered. This slow cooked beef shank with creamy risotto is super tender (even using only my spoon was enough to separate it) and is packed with flavor. The combination of this with the risotto and is quite an exquisite gastronomic journey. I would definitely order this every time.

Cannoli I want to preface this by saying that I'm not really fond of sweet things. Their pastry roll stuffed with mascarpone and ricotta wasn't too sweet, it was just enough. It was an okay dessert dish.

Beverages Green Mango Shake: I loved it. Hands down one of the most memorable green mango shakes that I've tried, and I've tried a lot. It wasn't sweet and the sourness was just right to give me that tingly feeling.

Dalandan and Basil Juice: This was my dad'd drink and I taste only a bit but it was refreshing. It wasn't sweet which I like and it didn't taste floral either.

All in all, the experience was superb and I would definitely come back!

P.S. We didn't get to take photos because we were too busy...

We visited Tartufo on a Sunday afternoon. The place was not busy. Immediately it’s a nice atmosphere. Nice decor, clean layout, and a few small nooks.

Service on the other hand was sub-par. Most of the staff were on their phones and paid little attention to us. I find this quite annoying when it comes to a restaurant that applies a mandatory service charge on the bill. Of times I found myself waving frantically trying to get someone to look up from their phones. We had a bottle of white wine on ice and no one ever came by to pour it unless we asked. It is common practice for a higher end restaurant to keep your glasses topped up. It was only towards the end of our dining experience that Jo began to look after our table. I’m not sure what happened to the original two that had been neglecting us, but we were happy once Jo came along and she really was the only one that seemed to know what good service is all about.

Food was pretty good!

Fried calamari 8.7/10:

Nice light batter and seasoning. Tender squid. Didn’t care much for the dip they provided as it had no taste but they did bring us some marinara sauce. Either way, they were great even on their own

Caesar Salad 4.8/10:

Rather bland and lacking any taste. Very little Parmesan and I’m not sure why they put warm cauliflower in the salad. It arrives somewhat deconstructed with a soft-poached egg in it. The only good thing about the salad was that the lettuce was very crisp and fresh. Otherwise the recipe really needs some work!

Rigatoni con Polpette 9.6/10:

Superb meatballs and meat sauce and perfectly cooked pasta. Absolutely perfect dish. Would have loved a slice of Italian bread to dip in the sauce.

Chocolate-covered cheesecake 7.9/10:

Basically a slice of cheesecake enrobed in a chocolate shell with nuts. Presents nicely. Difficult to break into as the chocolate shell is thick and hard and when you do get through you end of squashing the cheesecake. It’s a very fluffy cheesecake - not dense at all which we really enjoyed. It could have used something tart as either a garnish or as a layer inside like raspberry coulis for example just to cut through the extremely sweetness.

Note: while the staff were busy on their phones the bathroom was left in pretty bad shape. The hand soap was watered down to the point that there were no suds. I hope the staff have a hand wash sink stocked with soap as they are food handlers. Water on the floor and both garbage bins overflowing. Certainly not up...

Tartufo Ristorante stands as an excellent Italian restaurant in the heart of BGC, delivering authentic Italian cuisine with creative presentations that showcase quality ingredients and skillful execution. The meal began impressively with excellent porcini croquettes served with popcorn - an innovative pairing that combined the earthy richness of mushroom croquettes with the unexpected textural contrast of popcorn, creating a memorable and playful appetizer.

The delicious but spicy pumpkin soup provided warming comfort with a surprising kick that elevated this seasonal favorite beyond standard preparations. The heat level added complexity without overwhelming the sweet, creamy pumpkin base.

The amazing pizza Carnivora featured an excellent portion of sausage, bacon, and onion that delivered the hearty, meat-forward experience promised by its name. The generous toppings and proper balance made this a standout pizza that satisfied carnivorous cravings completely.

The Chef's pasta showcased a strong truffle aroma and perfect creaminess that demonstrated why truffle dishes command premium prices. The pasta achieved the ideal consistency while allowing the luxurious truffle flavor to shine throughout each bite.

The beef osso bucco with risotto proved to be a heavy entree that is perfect for sharing, featuring tender, slow-braised meat that fell off the bone paired with creamy risotto that absorbed the rich braising juices beautifully.

We couldn't even manage desserts due to how satisfyingly full we felt after the substantial mains - a testament to both the generous portions and the richness of the Italian preparations.

The attentive staff provided excellent service throughout the meal, while the ease of getting a reservation via text message makes Tartufo accessible for spontaneous dining plans. This combination of quality food and convenient service makes Tartufo a reliable choice for authentic Italian...