Torch Restaurant at UP Town Center, Quezon City

Torch Restaurant is a casual dining restaurant which serves international fusion cuisine including Japanese, Italian, American, and of course, Filipino fusion dishes. They opened their second branch at UP Town Center (UPTC) in Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City back in October 2013. Our visit to Torch UPTC was very timely because the branch will be celebrating its first year anniversary on October 14, 2014. It was in December 2010 when Torch opened its first branch at Greenhills, San Juan City.

We love the interior of the restaurant. It was bright and spacious. The tables are set apart so that there's enough space for the customers and the service staff to move around. The glass wall also allows natural light inside the restaurant. The area is well air-conditioned that ensures a comfortable dining experience to the guests.

wasabi ball with a smiling face

When we were seated, we immediately noticed these cute little balls of wasabi with a smiling face on them. They really put smile on our face, what a great way to start a meal. During our visit, we got so sample some of Torch Restaurant's best-sellers.

Torch's Signature Roll

First to arrive on our table was a fusion Japanese dish, the Torch's Signature Roll (₱399.95). The sushi rolls are  filled with softshell crab, ebi tempura, tamago, and Japanese cucumber, topped with fresh wakame seaweed, kani and ripe mangoes. These sushis are loaded with filling and toppings, and all the flavors blended perfectly. The hint of chili makes it even more interesting. It has eight pieces which makes it a filling dish for one person or an excellent starter to be shared by two to four persons. I'd definitely order this again on my next visit.

look at all those toppings

Next to be served are the two best-selling pizza flavors of Torch Restaurant. These oven-baked thin crust pizzas are oblong shaped and are cut in squares. They are then served on a chopping board. What's nice about Torch is that guests can order a pizza with a combination of two flavors, so you can enjoy two of your favorites in one pizza.

Philly Cheese Steak Pizza

The Philly Cheese Steak Pizza (₱369.95) had the classic Philly cheese steak sandwich filling placed on a fresh oven-baked thin crust pizza and then topped with mozzarella and cream cheese. I personally don't like Philly cheese steak as a sandwich, but making a pizza our of it is a marvelous idea. Adding cream cheese as topping I think made it more delectable.

Gambas Pizza

The Gambas Pizza (₱329.95) has shrimp sautéed in chipotle garlic olive oil and covered with mozzarella cheese. The shrimps are very plump and savory. The crunchy pizza and the chewy toppings are an interesting mix of textures. I prefer this pizza with some hot sauce.

Finally, we had the Salpicao Medallion (₱479.95) which is our Pinoy favorite Salpicao made with medallions of Certified Angus Beef that is wrapped with bacon and served with garlic parsley rice (or mashed potatoes) and sautéed French beans. This steak is served on a heated marble slab with a burner underneath to keep the marble heated. It comes with a gravy on the side. I had some slices of it and let Edgar finish the rest since he doesn't eat seafood. While he feasted on the steak, I enjoyed finishing the rest of the sushi.

Torch Restaurant at UP Town Center is a great place for casual lunch with friends and classmates, and intimate dinner with families and loved ones. Residents and students in the Katipunan area can also start their day with Torch Restaurant's Filipino and American fusion breakfast dishes. At night, barkadas can end their day with Torch's wide selection of local and international beer brands, specialty wines and cocktails. as of this writing, Torch Restaurant has two branches. Their third branch located at Trinoma Mall is scheduled to open at the end of October, while their fourth branch located at Greenbelt 5 is set to open on December 10, 2014 to coincide with the fourth year anniversary of the opening of their first branch.

Torch Katipunan
Ground Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan, Quezon City
Opening Hours: Sunday to Thursday 8:00am to 12:00mn; Friday to Saturday 8:00am to 1:00am
Contact Number: (02) 287-8675
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TorchPH
Instagram/Twitter: @TorchResto


Disclosure: Dishes featured in this article were provided by the restaurant for photo shoot and food sampling purposes only. Opinion on the food is ours and is based on our personal taste. Prices indicated in the article are true as of the time of this writing, and are subject to change.