The Works Bistro, Il Terrazo

The Works Bistro was a pleasant surprise. C and I saw this restaurant on its opening day but didn't think twice about changing our dinner plans. When we couldn't decide where to eat the next time, we agreed to give The Works Bistro a try.
My expectations were low because: one, it's unknown and empty; two, it didn't look like a restaurant; and three, it didn't look like a bistro. The interior design was kind of ambivalent, although you can see that they gave special attention to their chairs with the W backs. There's a lounge-type sofa area, a bar at the back and a few touches of zen. The menu even looked ravaged, which was confusing because it just opened recently to my knowledge. But there's a QR code on the cover, which was pretty cool.

In trying to get a taste of their fare, C and I picked one pasta, one rice dish and a burger.
I chose the Parmigiano Fish Fillet at Php 175. I was blown away by how perfectly the fish was cooked. I hope that is always the case. The meat was al dente and juicy, and almost melted in my mouth. The crust was crispy and not broken. The sauce was savory, although I prefer it to be toned down a bit so as not to kill the fillet's flavor.
The 1/4 corn on a cob was sweet and well-seasoned. Would a whole cob be too much? How about half? I had to ration my corn well to last the whole meal. It would also be better if they had the option to serve it with shredded corn.

I'm undecided about the rice. It took me a while to appreciate it, but there's something lacking that I can't quite put my finger on. The texture? The flavor? As for the veggies, never mind. You can't really expect much from breaded and fried vegetables. I would have preferred crispy, blanched ones.
C's pasta, the Bolognese Classico at Php 188, was also not bad at all. The serving can probably be shared by two girls who don't eat a lot, or perhaps people who just want to sample the menu, but I have to say it is not intended for sharing. C ate the whole thing by himself. It's filling, but half of it isn't. One thing I noticed about their sauces is, they're really made to suit stereotypical Filipino taste. They are sweet. Rich, yes, but sweet, as if you're ready for an impromptu kiddie party.
I liked The Works Burger. It's big, comfortably juicy and just salty enough that you wouldn't tire of it. The patty isn't the very dense and packed type, but the consistency is not offensive. The buns were soft, too. I'm partial to really white and soft bread.

The burger came with potato sidings, which I'm always a sucker for. However, the leafy vegetable was kind of weird. Do you just stuff the whole leaf in your mouth after you take a bite of the burger? Despite the confusion, we ate it, 'coz it seemed fresh, and I like the dip. All these at Php 165 is pretty budget-friendly.

The small staff was quite sensitive to their customers' needs. Or in my case, wants. When we got there, they were playing music and showing The Proposal on a huge TV but on mute. I've never seen the film so I was curious and asking C about it. They probably saw me watching the screen 'coz they stopped playing music and turned up the sound on the TV. I got to watch the film 'til we left.

The Works Bistro is on the 2nd floor of Il Terrazo along Tomas Morato, Quezon City.