Umm...wow, just WOW! It is ONE thing to be BLOWN away your first meal, but to do it again on a return visit with completely different dishes - I am in awe. I found Terra Tempe Kitchen through Restaurant Week, which was a FANTASTIC deal, I hope they continue to do Restaurant Week! It is located in the new Westin on Mill. The waitstaff and hostess have always been FANTASTIC - friendly, they know the menu and what to recommend and no awkward exchanges. Plus, the staff genuinely seem happy to work there and greet you as a guest. I would say you could spend as little as $15 and upwards of $70 per person. If you are someone with bigger appetites, you will probably be at the higher end, depending on what you choose. However, the QUALITY of the cook and fresh ingredients, to me is 1000% worth the price.
The AESTHETIC of the place is SUPER pleasing and this can easily be a romantic or casual dine. The fun tables by the window had SUCH comfy chairs. They are a LITTLE tight to get in and out of, but being able to relax in them while you sip on your cocktail is definitely an added bonus. Note these tables are only for 2 people, so if you come with a larger group, you won't get to sit here. But, I did overhear the hostess say that some find the chairs claustrophobic
Now to the MOST IMPORTANT: THE FOOD! We have enjoyed: the Grilled Spanish Octopus, Grilled Peach Wedge, Arroz Negro, Duroc Pork Chop, Charbroiled New York Strip, Gelato Trio, Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake and Peanut Butter Crunch - I would say all of them ended up being our faves, except the Octopus - read on further for more detail and checkout our photos and videos. I am always a little afraid of the portions, as my husband has a bigger appetite and many of the entrees actually look like a smaller "American portion", but somehow we always end up feeling full. The cocktails we've ordered twice now are the Old Fashioned and the Sonoran Spritz.
SONORAN SPRITZ - is made with aperol and prosecco with a rosemary simple syrup. It wasn't bitter and wasn't overly sweet. The presentation also gets a 10/10 with the burnt rosemary
GRILLED PEACH WEDGE - is a twist on a wedge with grilled peaches and as a lover of Wedge Salads, this did NOT disappoint. The peaches give it a great sweetness and depth of flavor without being overbearing and that peppercorn dressing was SOOO good!
ARROZ NEGRO - order this if you are a SEAFOOD lover and you will not be disappointed. The cook on this seafood was probably the best cook I've ever had - and if you look through my reviews, I eat a lot of seafood. I was VERY nervous about the calamari as it's often rubbery if it's not fried and I cannot say MORE about how PERFECTLY cooked it was - soft, fresh and so flavorful! It is forbidden rice maine lobster, jumbo shrimp, mussels, calamari, crab, chorizo, grana padano, saffron aioli. The cook on the rice was also fantastic - not underdone or overly soft.
DUROC PORK CHOP - is served bone-in with a polenta that completely changed my mind about polenta - now I get why people make polenta. The pork chop was REALLY juicy and I would say is one of the bigger entrees - portion-size, on the menu. I only had 2 bites of this dish, as it was my husbands and I was blown away
CHARBROILED NEW YORK - the one we had was a Restaurant Week special, but has the same black truffle chimichurri sauce as the Filet on their regular menu and that stuff is to DYE for. It's got that buttery flavor of truffle mixed with the delicious garlic and cilantro of chimichurri and the cook on the steak was fantastic, as always!
Now onto the desserts! My gelato trio was better than I could have imagined, but could see how it depends on what flavors they had - mine was cookies 'n creme, bananas foster and salted caramel! The other desserts get a 10/10 in presentation and were both absolutely delicious - I think it just depends what you're in the mood for. If you like orange creamsicle and want something other than chocolate, FOR SURE you should order it, but if you like a mix of chocolate, peanut butter and caramel - the peanut butter crunch is the way to go.
Lastly, our last dine was on my birthday and I am SO impressed with attention to that detail. I always book on Open Table and put if there is an occasion we're celebrating and we have been to SEVERAL restaurants that don't even recognize the "special occasion." I got a personal birthday card from the manager and a free dessert. It's just those personalized touches that help them stand out above other restaurants. read more