Burger Avenue: Half the price for the maximum burger experience!

Lately, Toby and I have been fond of looking for promos and deals on food, may it be on group buying sites or just the regular promotions offered by restaurants.

Luckily, we came across two burger deals online. One was at Chili's and their 120php on burgers promo that we weren't able to try simply because when we went to their Greenhills branch last 24, an intensely long line outside the bistro "welcomed" us. Yeah, the deal was a catch but not to the extent that we were willing to fall in line under the excruciating sun.

The other promo we encountered was Burger Avenue's Anniversary Promo. They offered 50% off on all their selections, except on beers. You just needed to print the ad they posted online and voila you’re entitled to the discount!

How can we let a good deal such as this pass? We couldn't. Its why regardless if my parents wouldn’t let me out on a Sunday, I decided to snuck out to meet Toby and go to Burger Ave at Makati. Haha!

It was an adventure for us on how to get there since no one between Toby and I knew exactly where A-venue Mall was. I was familiar on how to get to Makati Ave since my brother's fiancé lives there. However, we hardly ever stay around the place it’s why I barely know the roundabouts.

Thankfully, it wasn’t traffic and it took us only almost a little more than half an hour to get to Makati Ave from Antipolo, and only a few minutes to spot A-venue Mall.

At Burger Ave, I was surprise how the place looked very different from the photos I've seen online. It was pretty small and cramped up and can only house about 4 to 5 groups of 4? Something like that. The air-conditioning was also poor but nevertheless it was manageable.

Far from what I've anticipated, there weren’t many customers on our visit, which was good since we were able to enjoy our visit peaceably.

During our stay, I had the Crispy Bacon Melt while Toby had their famous Ridiculous burger. We also had an extra order of their fries and 2 sodas in can. Our total bill reached over 600php but because of the promo, we only paid half of it. Awesome!

The trip and all the fuzz were all worth it. Their burgers were simply amaziiing! I really loved its rich flavor. Personally, I like their Crispy Bacon Melt compared to Wendy's version. Their burger was definitely an upgrade from the fast food we usually get. The freshly grilled, 100% all beef quarter pounder patty fills up all the spaces of the bun, and the burger is laced with crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes and cheese. it tasted insanely and out-of-this-earth delicious! It probably tasted even better because they use an oatmeal bun, which I thought was clever and healthy. It was no wonder why I instantly fell in love with Burger Avenue.

Toby and the burger I suggested him to try, the Ridiculous burger, were a perfect match too. He enjoyed engulfing the 3 beef patty burger with huge tomatoes and chunks of lettuce sandwiched between to oatmeal buns. I was amused watching him take a bite out of the monstrous burger; it was like the burger was destined for him and his big appetite. Haha!

By the way, for those who don't know, the Ridiculous burger is Burger Ave's best selling burger not only because of its ridiculous serving but because of the challenge that goes along with it. The deal is to eat a triple patty burger with lettuce, tomato and three cheese slices; consume everything in 5 minutes or less and they will refund your payment for the ridiculous burger. Your name and photo will also be posted on their wall.

However, Toby didn't take the challenge on our visit. I think it was better not to since we already got it cheap that day. Maybe, he'll try it some other time. Who knows, I may be up to do the challenge too! Haha.

Coming over at Burger Avenue was no regrets for us. It was definitely one of our memorable burger experiences to date. Their delicious and mouth watering burgers are really to die for, and I mean this well. Its why if you're looking for the best tasting burgers in Metro Manila then head to Burger Avenue for a burger-gasmic experience!

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Burger King's BBQ-nator

My friends have been asking why I haven't made any new post on my blog these past weeks. Basically, I'm taking summer classes this break and even though I badly want to update every now and then, it gets difficult to maintain writing and trying to catch up on my retakes this summer. Yeah, it sucks not to be able to enjoy summer like everyone else. To add insult to injury, this summer classes, I have a very long and painful 6 hours break in between the two subjects I'm currently taking. You probably think I could use those hours to write, I did too, but sadly the pressure and exhaustion at school doesn't really help me to get inspired.

However, I still do try to venture out on good food finds with Toby and some of my summer classmates. Though, sadly, I don't get to take shots of the meals we had especially when I'm at school.

One of the few grubs that I've actually manage to take photos of was on my first day of summer classes just last week when I decided to spend my looong break with Toby at Robinson's Galleria.

Guess what, we had burgers again! Haha.

So, it was exactly lunch time when I arrived at Galle to meet Toby. It was actually a first for me to be there during that time on a weekday. And boy was it crowded! All the food stalls at the first 2 floors of the building was cramped up with hungry office and summer class free people (can you sense my bitterness?). I was almost ready to lose my appetite but then we decided to go to uppest floor to survey the restaurants there.


There wasn't much of a difference; KFC, Greenwich, Teriyaki Boy, Max's, etc. were filled with diners too. Though, there were still a few places left to have a chaotic less lunch - the pricey bistros that I really don't like dining in, so screw that.


It practically took us a while to be able to make a decision where exactly to have lunch that we ended up just going to Burger King, AGAIN.

There were also considerably a lot of people at Burger King but because they we're giving away coupons, which I assume contributes to the overwhelming diners at that hour, we thought we might as well avail the discounts too, like all ‘em hungry lunchers.

We had a try of their lesser version of Wendy's Baconator, the Double BBQ Bacon and Cheese. The coupon lets you have this plus fries and drinks for the price of its single patty burger meal version. Not bad, right?

Sadly, the promo doesn't compensate for how the burger tasted. The BBQ sauce was too overpowering that I really didn't get to enjoy and appreciate the other ingredients in the burger. I thought to myself, why they even bothered putting other stuffs on it when they just plan to drown it with their sub-standard BBQ sauce.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against BBQ sauce, I actually like it specifically with McNuggets but with the meal we’ve had, it was too much. A hint would’ve been better, in my opinion. Toby had the same thing in mind but little issues such as this doesn't stop him from devouring the burger; being the pig that he is.

What else, well, the bacon seemed artificial and it looked peculiarly like a card board. I’m trying to picture the reaction of RichieZ of The Pickiest Eater on Burger King’s disappointing bacon strips. I’m pretty sure he’ll throw a fit if he saw it, that's how crazy serious he takes his BaconZ. Haha!

The patty, well, it was okay. Frame broiled blah blah blah…I probably had too much of Burger King that I hardly get to appreciate it anymore. Sorry!

I was facing the right side half of the time because of the TV (No, not because of the grown old men on laptops) which kept me preoccupied during our stay at BK

Nevertheless, the entire meal was still satisfying. I can say it was worth the price especially with an aided discount from the coupon. It's nice to know that Burger King consistently tries to pamper their customers with various promotions and hooks. I do hope they keep this up for the benefit of their ever famished consumers like Toby and I.

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Conquered the BACONATOR

Back in grade school, my barkada and I usually hangout at Sta. Lucia. We typically go there with our chaperons; roaming around the mall to shop, play arcades, watch movie, or eat out. Our most visited restaurant back then was Wendy's. (Yeah, since I was a kid, I've been in love with fast food. So were my friends!) We usually have an order of the buffet salad which we share, and Bacon Mushroom Melt meal for each of us. Wendy's wasn't just some place we get our pots filled but it was also where most of our memories as friends were made; pigging out while we share stories and just having a good time together.

However, time came when I had to transfer school and leave my friends. At first, we maintained the communication but eventually fell apart. There was just too little effort on my part, which I deeply regret because now I miss them so much. Anyway, with that said, our friendship ended so was our accustomed trip to Wendy's.

Ever since, I've never eaten at Wendy's as frequent as before. Probably, once or twice every half a year would already be enough just to satisfy my cravings for their food.


But early this afternoon, for the sake of our "search for the best burgers around the metro"; I specially asked Toby if we could try and grab a bite of Wendy's Baconator which he willingly said yes! Oh, yeah!

Our total bill for 2 orders of Baconator

So, we got the burgers, with fries and drinks, and all I can say is that the Baconator was big though not really as huge as how I expected it to be. Their ads were total far portrayals of the actual product. Although, I was already expecting this since Toby had previously consumed a Baconator during our last dine at Wendy’s. And I still remember how his burger wasn't really visually impressing like the ones on their posters.

Ads v. Reality, you be the judge!

Nevertheless, the burger was still hefty and notably dense having two 1/4 lb. burger patties which they claim to be 100% pure beef, two slices of American cheese, six strips of bacon, mayo, and ketchup. It's a mountain of meat and cheese, with none of those tomatoes, lettuce, and veggie nonsense.


With no surprise, I immediately fell in love with the Baconator after having only a few bites on it. I loved how it was bluntly constructed, with no extra toppings whatsoever, just the sauce. The patties were a bit dry but it was still good and beefy. The strips of bacon were soggy but it worked well with the patties. The cheese, mayo, and ketchup which were also in the burger, made it more tasteful too.

I enjoyed every bite of that chest-busting, colon-choking burger. I have no doubt half of it is still clinging to the walls of my insides, and that my heart is probably starting to clogged up with all the fats and grease I've consumed. But who cares about any of that? It’s all about the rush, man - the Baconator rush.

No, I don't eat my burgers with my hands nor with an expression of a constipated person about to take a shit. Instead, this is how I particularly eat...

So yeah, I guess I'm considered "maarte" based on my dining habits

Altogether, it was a good combination of flavors. It's just that the presentation was really disappointing and their packaging somehow doesn’t quite work since their burgers seem to end up messy when biting out of it.

He looked even more pregnant after consuming his burger

I assume Toby had a good take on his burger, too. He didn't seem to have any complaints other than how the burger looked. Although, he mentioned that he had a hard time finishing his meal and that he probably won’t eat or buy another Baconator any time soon. Honestly, I didn't believe half of what he said considering he has a really BIG appetite. Maybe I'll accept the "maybe won't buy" part since the burger was in fact a bit expensive. But worth it!


The Baconator is simply stunning, but don't just take my word for it. Get out there and buy one yourself! Personally, I wouldn’t mind having another Baconator in this lifetime. Maybe once every blue moon, preferably when feeling psychotic. HAHAHA!



PS
This entry is especially dedicated to RichieZ and his love for bacon!

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Sweeped the steaks at Burger King

Burger King is one of the most popular food chains not just here in Manila but all over the map. They're known for their great hamburgers, most specifically for their Whopper which according to my research sells second most to McDonald's Big Mac. However, this entry is NOT about Burger King's Whopper but its other more popular creation, the Classic Steakhouse Burger.

Just this afternoon, Toby and I were set to meet and have our very late lunch date together. We were supposed to eat at McDonald's Filinvest but upon my suggestion, we decided to go to Burger King Marcos Highway instead which was only a few meters away.

At the store, looking over the menu, we came across something called the Classic Steakhouse Burger. That wasn't the first time I've actually heard of it since lately I've been doing some online research on Burger King and their entrée.

Inspired from our last trip at Jollibee, I wanted to try something new and different again. Hence I thought to browse Burger King's selection and stumbled upon the Classic Steakhouse Burger. Based from the reviews and articles I've read about it, the burger seemed promising. I also thought that Toby might like this since he's a big fan of steaks. Besides, I was already getting tired of the promo burger meals that we usually get whenever we dine at Burger King.


Convinced with my request, Toby placed two orders on their Classic Steakhouse Burger along with my ever favorite apple juice and some onion rings. This was actually my first time to try their onion rings.

Initially, I was a bit hesitant to ask Toby to order it for us because of my traumatic onion ring-experience way back 6th grade when I had eaten a bag of nasty onion rings which I bought during the school fair. Ever since, I've always been cautious of it. But earlier was like my redeeming moment, from what I thought to be something sickening was now one of my most enjoyed snack. Burger King's Onion Rings were amazing!

Classic Steakhouse Burger (200php/meal)

But enough about that, lets move on to the burger. First of all, the Steakhouse Burger is more expensive than many of the other items on the menu, but Burger King justifies it by claiming that it is a higher-grade meat and it is of good size.

Well, they are right on both accounts. This burger does not taste like your typical burger from Burger King. Though, overall, I think that they truly have excellent burgers simply because they put an effort to make it healthier by flame-broiling their patties. Speaking of patties, if you compare Burger King's Angus Beef Classic Steakhouse to other burger joints who offer the same kind of meat; theirs is cheaper by a whole lot. Awesome, right?


I was quite pleased with the tender and juicy meat, and I was impressed with the thickness and size of it, too. I also loved the deliciously crunchy fried onions that came on top of the burger! Yum! Also on the burger were cheese, mayonnaise, tomato and lettuce – the poor bun could barely hold it all! This sandwich, quite frankly, overflows a little too easily because there is just so much on it. I gladly ate the entire Steakhouse in minutes.

On the other hand, Toby had a lot of complaints with his burger. I guess he just didn't think it was worth the steep price. Oh well.


Minus Toby's unwelcoming attitude and the argument we had before eating, I can say I've enjoyed the stay and the meal at Burger King. It was definitely something different, well the food at least. So, if you're in search of a burger fit for a king, I definitely recommend that you give BK’s Classic Steakhouse Burger a try!

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Finally met the Champ!

I've always wonder how good really is Jollibee's Champ. Well today, I finally had the chance to take down this bohemeth burger that had got me craving these past days.

My craving for Champ began when I saw its ad on the theater the last time we watched Clash of the Titans at Eastwood. I've actually seen the same ad on TV which I never really payed any attention to, until I saw it on the big screen. I've also read in other reviews that their ad can be misleading and that Champ is not really as good and as big as they say it is on their commercials. I beg to differ! From all the burgers I've had, this is the biggest and one of the best by far.

I was actually thinking of whether I should make a face-off of this against McDonald's Big Mac, just like my entry on their spaghetti and regular burger meals. But, I find that Big Mac fairly does NOT compare. Sorry, McDonald, but that's the truth! Also, since this was my first attempt on Jollibee's Champ, I guess it deserves to have an entry of its own.


It was mid afternoon, temperature was way up than usual that I really didn't want to go anywhere else. But since I didn't get to see Toby yesterday, I decided to go with his plan and we drove off to the recently established Jollibee at Ligaya, Pasig.

The place was nice, fresh, and I loved that they had an al fresco area for customers who would want to stay outside. Also, it wasn't crowded during our stay which was good since the weather was just too humid to be staying somewhere full of people.

But enough of the place, let's meet the giant!


Upon ordering, the cashier said that it'll take them 12 minutes to serve a Champ. I actually didn't mind waiting, I thought it was just appropriate that they were made to order. While waiting, I observed that most of their customers had the same purchases as ours. Funny, no? There was even a group of grown men, not that far from where we were seated, that placed an order for several Champs! Wow!

I was too busy snooping on other people's orders that I didn't notice queuing was up and our Champs were already in our presence. Halleluiah!

It was amusing how my reaction was when I was about to open the box of my burger. I was like a kid on Christmas eve, about to open a present with extreme excitement and joy in my heart for what I was about to have. Yes, it was that dramatic. Hahaha!

Champ (132php/meal)

But honestly, I was also anticipating for something disappointing. Well, like I've said, not all the reviews I've read about the Champ were convinced and that they blame the ads to be scamming. Thankfully, disappointed I was NOT. Their Champ was good. I mean REALLY good!


My eyes popped when I saw the burger. It was nothing like I imagined. It was bigger than I thought and looks as appetizing as their ads depict. It was a thing of beauty, from its look to its smell, I was impress.

Now, how did it taste? It was asdfghjkl great! I actually didn't bother to talk to Toby the whole time I was eating the burger. I was just too engrossed into taking the Champ down. Hahaha!


I loved how it was not too greasy, and that it didn't taste like a biteful of unhealthy stuffing. I also loved how generous the serving of their ingredients were on the burger. Toby's Champ had its tomatoes sliced thicker than those served on normal burgers while mine had too much mayo in it that I probably gained 10lbs from all the extra calories. But whose counting, right? Hahaha!

I simply had a fun-filled experience on my first try of Champ and I'm pretty sure this won't be the last I'll see, or rather taste, of that beefy goodness. Thanks to Toby for an awesome treat, I'm all set to fast for the coming Holy Week!

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What's for breakfast?

Tropical Hut, Q-Plaza branch

Toby writes:

Breakfast is the most important and Pen's favorite meal of the day. And, only one restaurant acknowledges this fact; it's none other than Tropical Hut with their delicious Hamburger Meal.

I've been enjoying this for a really long time, and when Pen got tired of the usual breakfast we were having at a very popular fast food chain, I suggested that she should have a taste of Tropical Hut’s breakfast meal for a change. I'm really glad that she was delighted to try when I brought it up to her.

Hamburger Meal (90php)

The meal consists of 2 fried eggs, a burger patty, 3 butter toasts, and a slice of tomato and cucumber. The meal is accompanied by a cup of brewed coffee, which has one free refill, and a glass of juice of your choice. Talk about complete diet in the morning. The burger patty is juicy and tender, the eggs are cooked to our liking (sunny side up), and their toasts are sweet, buttery, milky, and very tasty (literally and figuratively). Having a first bite of this gives you something more than taste but a breakfast dining experience as well. The meal is really heavy and you can go through most of the day without eating lunch. A real value for money!

Tropical Hot-brewed coffee

If you are tired of the same old routinary breakfast meal you're having for years now, then we suggest that you treat your taste buds for a delightful and filling meal, the Tropical Hut Hamburger Breakfast. Oh, and after trying, don't even try making one at home; you'll just be disappointed.

Pen, thrilled to have her favorite breakfast meal

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