SISTERS ACT. (L-R) Chel Concepcion, Rose Concepcion, chef Josie Concepcion-Mendoza and Remy Concepcion-Romero. Contributed Photo
ANGELES CITY — From its humble beginnings as a simple casual dining place to being an iconic food destination well-loved for its family-style recipes, Tollhouse now runs as one of the oldest family-owned restaurants in Pampanga.
With more than 30 years of homegrown comfort food that is loved by Kapampangans and tourists alike, Tollhouse has become an institution built through time from one generation to next.
On January 23, Tollhouse relaunched its fully-renovated main branch along Sto. Rosario Street with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and formal blessing led by owners Jun Romero, Remy Romero, Rose Concepcion, and chef Josephine Concepcion- Mendoza, together with Angeles City Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting.
According to chef Mendoza, the renovation has always been in the plan to meet the demands of the customers and keep up with the growing food industry.
“The renovation of our main branch has always been our goal years ago. It is not always easy to renovate but we are committed to always improve our services,” said Mendoza. “With this renovation we have improved and increased our parking spaces, facilities, kitchen, and our dining to cater to the needs of our customers. Inurong namin yung building so we can double the parking space sa frontage and then in-expand namin yung taas.”
“We have to keep up with the demand also. Tollhouse has been here for 32 years already. We feel that it is already our responsibility to take care of it,” Mendoza noted.
New yet familiar Tollhouse reopens with a bigger dining space, The Family Boardroom, The Magdalena Hall and The Crisostomo Hall that is open for reservations. Photos by Joann Manabat
Taller Tollhouse
The newly renovated Tollhouse has three multi-purpose function rooms.
The Magdalena Room, located on the first floor, can be divided into three separate spaces that can accommodate from 20 to 60 pax making it great for intimate gatherings, mini reunions, or small family celebrations.
Crisostomo Hall, named after the Concepcion siblings’ father, is located at the second floor which can accommodate from 100 to 150 pax perfect for bigger occasions like weddings, debuts, and birthday parties.
The Family Boardroom is a small meeting room that is also located at the second floor which can accommodate 12 to 15 pax perfect for business meetings and private conferences.
New on the menu
While Tollhouse has always been known to offer their savory food for comfort from the classic staples like baked mac and clubhouse to Thai fried rice, it has recently started offering Filipino merienda like okoy and fried lumpia with special vinaigrette to match quickly becoming two of the current best sellers they have in their new menu.
Name that cake
Classic cakes at Tollhouse are a cause for celebration. Apart from their famous Takde (Brazo de Mercedes) and blueberry cheesecake, Tollhouse has been naming their family cakes after those of their nephews, nieces, and grandchildren. Mica, Jacob pie, Laine, and Maddie to name a few.
“Every time may bago kaming apo or pamangkin meron kaming ginagawang cake for them. So, the innovation in pastries is always on going because as the family grows bigger, yung aming repertoire dumadami din,” quipped Mendoza.
A homegrown restaurant loved by every Kapampangan, Tollhouse has become a food destination and a staple in Pampanga casual dining offering its best family-style recipes passing it on from generations to generations.
