My Burger TRYathlon

So sorry if this update came out really late. I've been sick and had problems uploading the videos because they're pretty long.  

Anyway, I finally came face to face with THE Dong Juan red hot double d chili burger on Oct. 31 (Monday). It actually haunted me the night before, not letting me sleep well from dreaming all night that I was already doing the challenge. It felt so real, like I was really biting into those hot juicy patties with the time running after me. I guess burgers are into halloween, too.

Waking up groggy and nervous as ever, I only ate some fruits (a banana, an apple and a mango... if you wanna know.) and a little rice and pork for breakfast around 10:00 a.m. after which I left my belly to starve the rest of the day 'til the challenge. I worked out in the gym for 2 hours which included running 4.5k in 30 mins and did stationary cycling for 20 mins. The rest of the time was spent for weights and core exercises. That's a little idea for you what else this piglet does aside from eat. :)

Arriving at Persimmon with Chadd, Paul and Nekie, my hands were ice cold and shaky. It was 4:10 p.m. We signed our waivers and filled up the registration forms as if it were our last will while waiting for Dan, Edjay and Joel. Dong Juan's proprietors, Barney and Aubrey Borja also arrived shortly. 

me and Chadd giggling with nerves

Chadd warming up?

With no further ado, here's the video of my shameless feat:

I lost all sense of taste as I was stuffing myself with this HUGE Frankenstein creation of Dong Juan. I was able to handle the heat of the Malaysian chilies but the 1 pound of burger was so overwhelming and the pungent smell of the chilies mixed with prawns were also bothering me. I really struggled with swallowing it and I was regurgitating in my last few bites. The patties were  juicy though so I didn't need water to lubricate my throat for swallowing. Great job, Dong Juan!

Chadd and I each ordered a can of coke and creme brulee to cool us down. I definitely needed this. Sweets therapy! 

This wasn't bad at all. I enjoy creme brulee because of the crisp caramelized sugar lid covering the creamy custard; not just the taste but also the sound when you break into it. Aaahh...

I finished in 7 mins 12 secs with a burnt tongue from the hot patties and looking like Joker from Batman, red around the mouth area. I was miles away from the record to beat which was 1 min 44 secs so you can imagine what a monster the record setter was. But I still felt like a winner with all the support and company of my City Sports Club gym friends and Mr. and Mrs. Barney and Aubrey Borja. They waived my bill for the challenge as credit for being the first female challenger. Thank you so much! It was definitely worth experiencing although I don't think I'll be doing any speed eating contests ever again. I can eat a lot but not in a blizzard. That goes to say, I have a big appetite but I can't eat fast. I'm pretty proud I got to finish the whole burger though. :D

Sincerely, I believe Dong Juan will go a long way with their solid concept, great food, and cozy ambience. They currently have 3 branches ready to serve us at Guadalupe, Mango and Persimmon and will be opening 3 more very soon at the Crossroads, A.S. Fortuna and I.T Park! They're on a roll!

I would also like to make a special mention about the paintings in all the branches of Dong Juan. These are from Paul Arenas, one of my friends from gym. I just found out recently that I had a friend painter! How cool is that?! Lol. So do check them out because they're really pretty. He uses oil paint on canvas and is inclined to pastel colors. I love that his paintings have a touch of patriotism, like this Filipiniana interpretation:

pastel domination :)

Sorry for the poor pictures, my camera really sucks.

with Paul Arenas, my manager :D

the only girl/one of the boys
challengers for the day: me with [forgot his name... sorry], Chadd and Edjay

After the challenge, some of us stayed for dinner. Of course, I didn't take dinner cuz I was stuffed to the brim. We discussed the difficulties of the challenge and how to possibly overcome these. 

Dong Juan's proprietors Mr. Barney and Mrs. Aubrey Borja are some of the warmest people I've met. They really know how to make their customers leave with a smile. They even sat and chatted with after dinner. 

from left: Barney Borja, Aubrey Borja, author, Nekie, Paul, Dan

This was definitely a day to remember. I've set a record for myself. And, no more eating contests for me. Haha.


Hope you guys enjoyed this post. :)


I encourage the ladies to join the challenge! Challenge is still going on until Nov. 30 and top ten best time records will be chosen for finals on Dec. 2! So c'mon! I'm sure my time is easy to beat. ;)


Thanks again for the opportunity and complements, Mr. and Mrs. Borja! More power to you! 


video by: Nekie Macalolooy and Dan Garret Mojares

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