Burger the Way You Want It

            So, what’s all this fuss about a burger joint from Davao breaking into Cebu territory just for the Sinulog weekend? Even if I’m trying to shift to a healthier lifestyle now, I just had to find out. I thought to myself, tasting wouldn’t hurt, right? Let’s see…

           I was honestly trying to ignore this burger stall but I couldn’t resist my favorite fashion blogger and foodie, Issa of issaplease.com, inviting me for lunch. Val of valentingabutan.com was also there to join us. So, I quickly headed down to Backyard Burgers camped within the vicinity of the old Baseline.

THAT in itself is a GOOD sign

            It was a shabby set up but big things come in small packages. This burger stall meant business. I didn’t see much people around but there seemed to be some sort of invisible loooong line because names for burger orders were barked out endlessly, and the owners of the orders just suddenly popped in from nowhere to claim their burgers.

            Looking at the photos of their menu on the wall, I had quite a hard time taking my pick. Everything looked sooo good! But since I’m a sucker for the bacon-mushroom-cheeseburger kinda burger, I had to get the Garshroom Bacon Burger. Issa got the Korean BBQ Burger and Val got the Japanese Oishi Burger.

Watching the assembly line was TORTURE. You’ll see what I mean…

             There was a point where Issa was silently munching her burger as if it had hypnotized her. And then I discovered that the only way to shut this girl up was to stuff a big, tasty burger in her mouth. Well, she does like them BIG. ;)

              This burger exploded in my mouth! Ohohoyeah! No regrets there! The first bite got me hooked that I suddenly got selfish and didn't really want to share my burger anymore. They definitely got it right, exactly how I wanted my burger - sloppy, oozing with cheese, and oh, that smokiness from chargrilling! Magnifique! Bravo! Magnifico! Kamikaze! Kumbaya! Shalom!  Hakuna Matata! Gibberish in my head! That first bite got me insane and without second thought, the “tasting” turned into “a hasty gobbling up of the entire burger”.

                This burger with a Japanese costume had the right kick from the light wasabi mayo. Wave that Japanese flag high and proud, baby! 

          I wanted so badly to go back for dinner and try the other variations, like their Signature Burger and Hussein Kebab Burger! And so they say, “I’ll start dieting… TOMORROW!” :))

            Backyard Burgers is only in Cebu until January 18. You’d hate to miss this. It’s an inevitable stopover anyway since they are along the Sinulog party route, so make sure to grab their burger! Prices range from P150 to P250 for these great-tasting burgers!

            Oh, and here's the catch! They'll also be having booths near Ayala and Fooda Mango for Sinulog Invasion so keep an eye on them! 

I heard that they are planning to open doors in Cebu for the long run soon, too. If so, I can seriously say, they would be a strong contender in the burger scene. They mean serious business. And I can say, once you’ve tasted it, this Davao bet is more than welcome in Cebu. I can’t wait for them to put up shop myself!

Like their Facebook page for updates on their whereabouts in Cebu!

“To know Cebu, EAT Cebu!”

oink oink,

Babe for Food

- your BFF in Cebu dining :)

Big n Tasty: The Magnum Burger?

             Forgive me for the fastfood post as I usually refrain from posting mainstream food  (fastfood) but I've been intrigued by McDonald's new burger since I've been reading local celeb tweets about it and a post by The Pickiest Eater back in summer. I haven't seen the tv commercial nor have an idea exactly when this new burger was released in the market but I have found an interest in burgers lately (like around last year. uh oh, there goes the diet!). I've actually been wanting to do a special burger post but haven't got the resources (moolah) and time for it yet. I'm sure you'll love it but I'll have to wait for the resources to be available til then.

             So... What's so special about this burger? Is it just another hype? Like a burger version of Magnum ice cream bar? I had it with McDo's vanilla iced coffee. The coffee's not bad. I like the balance of sweetness and bitterness to it -- bittersweet, just the way I like it. :)


             For now, the burger on top of my list is still Dong Juan's. It's been my basis for burger quality standards. 


             The Big n Tasty boasts of a quarter pound of pure beef patty, smokey sauce and creamy cheese. I've never tried the quarter pounder of McDo (as we Cebuanos fondly refer to McDonald's; I usually get the cheeseburger) but I was with Luis, who's an avid burger fan and has obviously tried the said burger, and he said it's slightly bigger than the quarter pounder. 


            The patty was too dry to my taste but we agreed that the sauce is the secret charm to this burger -- a seemingly bbq honey mustard sauce. I like the melted American cheese and I noticed that the inside of the buns are fried extra burnt compared to the usual burger buns which I think add texture and flavor to the burger. You can notice the light crisp as you bite into the buns with the patty and the buttery flavor of these buns that wonderfully add to the cholesterol count of this baby.  

McDonald's Big n Tasty - P120 a la carte

          I'm not a big fan of fastfood but I think this is more worth it than the quarter pounder and cheeseburger (though the cheeeseburger is a nice quick fix if your pocket's pretty tight). 


What do you think of this burger? :)

oink oink,

Babe for Food 

- your BFF in Cebu dining! :) 

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

Babe For Food

your new BFF in Cebu dining! 

Red Hot Double D. Double Dare Challenge

CALLING ALL HARDCORE FOODIES! 

A RED HOT CHALLENGE HAS COME UP! 

Dong Juan is stirring up the city with a burger eating challenge called the 

"Dong Juan Red Hot Double D, Double Dare Challenge". 

It's rare to find eating challenges in Cebu so this is really interesting and I'm definitely up for it; not exactly to bring home the bacon (although that would be totally awesome) but at least experience it. 


The challenge imposes one to devour a DOUBLE PATTY chili burger as fast as possible. Looks like it's about who has the biggest mouth and most calloused tongue. :))


The challenge was launched last October 20 and lasts til November 30. And the first record was set at 2 mins 46 secs by a team member of the Cebu Red Dragons. And the latest update stated that the new record is 1 min 44 secs! *Gulp! Battle is on from 2-5 pm at all branches - One Mango, Persimmon and Guadalupe. 


The last time I ate here (at the Persimmon), I had their chili burger and it definitely stung my nose and tongue. And that was the regular serving. Imagine one with a double patty and added chili! Let's see how this goes for me. 


I'll be taking the challenge on Monday, Oct. 31. I'm pretty nervous about it but I also wanna represent the girls team. They say that I'll be the first female to participate so far. I'm gonna need Adam Richman from Man Vs. Food for this. I'll try to get some strategies from him.  ;)


Wish me the best! Hope you guys could be there to cheer me on and watch me unleash my piggy powers. Or better yet, join me in the challenge! :3 

photo by: Barney Borja

Babe For Food

-your new BFF in Cebu dining! :)

Cebu Secret Chows: Cebu's Burger King -- Dong Juan

      I resided at Guadalupe since I was in grade school until 2009 and the only decent restaurant nearby that most of the community knew then was Mooon Café. But right along the street where Mooon is situated, a small house that seemed to be a restaurant caught my eye every time I passed by. The signage read “Dong Juan”. The anything local junkie that I am, the name interested me and made me wonder what kind of food they served. I was in high school then and only got the opportunity to dine there when I got to college because a friend of mine recommended the place to me for their juicy burgers. 

     I like Flame It but I was never a huge fan of burgers.... until the day I tasted Dong Juan's. The day Dong Juan's burger touched down on my tongue was the day I officially fell in love with burgers. I'd only settle for Flame It since Dong Juan isn't in Ayala. No other burger could compare to the sensation Dong Juan left me.
 

     Dong Juan first opened in December 8, 2007 at Guadalupe with a concept that catered to the Cebuano palate and  not to mention, pocket. It is a family-owned business and was intended to be a burger and pizza place where middle class to upper class can enjoy good meals at value for money. I have only dined there 4x but am always satisfied. I've tried their Dong Juan burger, sisig, pizza and gambas al ajillo pasta. I loved the pasta. It was topped with bonito flakes which gave a distinct flavor to the dish. I'd always recommend their burgers and pasta to friends who ask me about Dong Juan or a place to go for a food trip. This hidden treasure has flourished solely by word-of-mouth.

     Aside from the good food, one other item that contributed greatly to their popularity is the glass they use to serve their iced tea. They use a sake glass which is actually exclusively made for them. Their food is exceptionally tasty because most of their dishes and the corresponding components are made from scratch such as the sauces, coatings and even potato chips. They  also use quality ingredients.

     Last May, the second branch finally opened at Persimmon, M.J. Cuenco, Mabolo; near Ayala. The setting here is different from the pioneer branch in Guadalupe; a simple yet sleek interior retaining little signature details like their wooden bench chairs. Seating capacity can accommodate up to 60 pax and reservations for special occasions are also accepted. Before the second branch opened, Dong Juan was already packed even on weekdays since this year. Thus, reservation is strongly recommended.  

 
     I checked out this new branch with 3 of my college friends. Carl and Natasha got the Dong Juan burgers, I had the Chili burger and Jillian had the burger steak. We also ordered the onion rings for our appetizer. The onion rings really surprised me because they weren't just onion rings. They were ONION RINGS. HUGE! Battered and breaded and accompanied by a citrus chili sauce. That had to be one of the best appetizers I've ever had and definitely the best onion rings I've ever had so far. Dong Juan sure knows how to play with senses, entertaining both eyes and taste buds.   

ONION RINGS @ 109 php

Sizzling Burger Steak - 99 php

Their burgers are succulent and flavorful, half an inch thick. Burgers range from 99-149 php.

my chili burger - 149 php

Their pizza and pasta are also among their hot-selling items. Pizza range from 199-259 php. Pasta are at 99-149.

from left clockwise: Natasha, this writer, Carl and Jillian

Dong Juan is the place to be for great food, great company, and great value. 85% of the menu is worth trying.

P.S. I would like to apologize for not posting any entries for so long. I've been so swamped with school but I hope I can post something at least once a week.

I'd also like to thank Mrs. Aubrey Borja for sparing me her time to answer some of my questions about Dong Juan. 
      
You can visit or call for reservation at either of the branches of Dong Juan located at:

999 Emilio St., Guadalupe, Cebu City - 256 1796


Persimmon, MJ Cuenco Ave., Mabolo, Cebu City - 266 5826

Babe for Food

your new BFF in Cebu dining 

:)