Flame It: Keeping the Flame Alive

Sometimes, we take for granted people or things because they've been around for a long time. You know how you get butterflies in your stomach during your first few dates with that special someone? And if it works out, you can't wait to be with that person again – the sooner, the better. Every moment together feels so special. Everything around you seems to disappear or go mute when you two are together. But somehow, the butterflies flutter away once you've grown accustomed to each other and you forget how special s/he is already.

-=-=-=-=-=-=- Yeah, yeah, enough of the cheese. Let's get real. -=-=-=-=-=-=-

          It's much like a fresh, new restaurant that just turned up in the block. Everybody wants to head over there and try it. And if it's good, they'll keep coming back until they get sick of it. But after 6 months, once most of the town has dipped their fingers in that restaurant – posted photos on Instagram and checked in at Foursquare – they'll just pass by it without even second thoughts of stopping by. Only a handful of restaurants get past this stage barely unscathed – those that have passed the test of time and have successfully embedded their names and dishes in people’s taste buds.

            What was once a small diner at Escario Street (now occupied by Surfin’ Ribs), Flame It! has proved to withstand the test of time. Having established themselves, they managed to infiltrate and remain a tenant in the first two major malls of the city – Ayala Center Cebu and SM City Cebu. For those who don’t know Flame It, they are actually the first local brand in Cebu to serve commercial charbroiled burgers. To date, they have been grilling burgers and sausages for 13 years now. I guess the anchor of their longevity through the years is consistency of quality.

            Refusing to be forgotten, they have recently come up with a new line of products to add to their regular menu – Crazy Fries, Chicken Poppers and Honey Mustard Chicken Burger. And why not? These more than familiar snack items are easily a favorite and if you’re not careful, can easily seduce you to order another serving. These aren’t your regular fries though. They’re jazzed up in three different flavors – Sloppy Fries, Chili & Jalapeño Fries, and Cheezy Fries.

Cheezy Fries (P95) and Chili & Jalapeño Fries (P95)

            What's cheesier than cheese-flavored fries? Cheezy Fries - it can't get any cheezier than this. Besides the mainstream cheese powder coating, it's sprinkled with loads of parmesan cheese, smothered with melted cheddar cheese, and topped with shredded cheese. It's a Cheese Overload! This one's definitely for the crazy cheesehead. 

                The Chili & Jalapeño Fries is said to be the bestseller, having a charming tartness from the jalapeños that cuts through the heat of the chili while teasing your taste buds with the cooling melted cheddar cheese. It's also doused with Flame It's very own Flaming Lips Chili Oil that leaves your lips swollen as if from a bite. If you're a "Heat fan", this has your name on it.

Sloppy Fries (P145)

            Hands down, I'd pick the Sloppy Fries over the rest anytime. It's got all the dreamy fried sidings that I'd crave for at Flame It - potato fries, twistee fries, and onion rings! Topped with extra creamy sauce, melted cheddar cheese, AND bacon bits! Sloppy is always best when it comes to such comfort food as these. 

Chicken Poppers (P80)

            As for the Chicken Poppers, I’d say they’re a rustic version of chicken nuggets served with a choice of 3 different dips: cheezy, honey mustard, and garlic mayo. These bite-sized chicken delights come in regular or spicy. I love mildly spicy food so the spicy chicken poppers appealed to me. I find that they are best enjoyed with the honey mustard and garlic mayo dips.

Honey Mustard Chicken Crisp Fillet Burger (P99)

            The Honey Mustard Chicken Crisp Fillet Burger is a more filling snack. The chicken is well-complemented with the honey mustard sauce and is given a light, refreshing touch with the coleslaw salad.   

Mini Sampler (P128)

           

            If you and your friends are new to Flame It, I suggest you get their Mini Sampler. It’s a melody of their best burger variants all in a platter, er, basket – Bacon, Mushroom & Cheese, Garlic Mayo, Cream Cheese & Garlic, and Chili con Carne. Then you won’t have to be confused and take so long to pick your burger like how I am especially when I’m hungry. 

The Patriot (P185)

                In case you're wondering what they're actual burger looks like, I also wanna share with you a new addition to their premium burgers - The Patriot. It's a premium Angus beef patty smothered with caramelized onions and topped with a slice of American cheese. Indeed, you can taste the genuine Angus beef in a succulent, aromatic patty.

               Since Flame It is strategically located proximally to the cinemas in the malls, I think it'd be a great idea to get these new snack items as movie grub. Those Chicken Poppers could replace popcorn and the Crazy Fries also make good company. 

              In other news, they also deliver and cater since their Mabolo branch is open until 12:00 mn on weekdays and 2:00 a.m on weekends. That's something to add to the midnight cravings list. You can hit them up on their contact numbers listed below for inquiries and orders, and stay updated with their promos through their FB page.                   

Flame It! 

Branches:

4/F, Ayala Center Cebu (beside Red Mango/Happy Lemon) 

3/F, SM City Cebu (near IMAX Theater and Bowling Center) 
G/F, Robinsons Cybergate, Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City
Juan Luna Avenue, Mabolo, Cebu City

Contact: (032) 260 0709 or 268 0905

Facebook: Flame It

“To know Cebu, eat Cebu!”

oink oink,

Babe for food

-your BFF in Cebu dining

Dong Juan: A Piece of Cebu in Quezon City, Manila

Hello, dear readers!

How have you been? I know I've been dormant on the blog for so long now. Do forgive me, I've been very occupied with school and Team Brownie. I'm on my final year in university so please bear with me. I hope you'd still look forward to my posts though they will be coming so rarely now. I'll still try to catch up on what I've been wanting to share with you guys. As much as I miss blogging, I am trying my best to excel in and not neglect my academics while juggling my little business on the other hand as well. I'll need all the encouragement and support I can get, so praying for me would be very much appreciated. For after all, none of my accomplishments are of my own strength alone. :)

Anyway, here's a post about one of my favorite Cebu restaurants opening their doors in Manila… Read up and enjoy!

===============================

If I'm not mistaken, Dong Juan, a Cebu home-grown restaurant, is one of the most featured restaurants in my blog. I think I have at least three posts about them (I even joined a chili burger eating challenge they once had) and I think that says a lot. I've mentioned before that Dong Juan and I go a long way back. It all started with that first bite of their burger three years ago that was probably the consummation of my "meat-lovingness". It was also one of the first few restaurants I wrote about on this blog.

Needless to say, I have always believed in this restaurant's potential. In its two years of commercially breaking through the Cebu food scene, Dong Juan persists to break boundaries beyond Cebu. Besides the growing empire they've built in Cebu (more or less 10 branches), they also have branches in Bohol, Cagayan, Davao, Pampanga, and most recently, Quezon City in Metro Manila! 

Dong Juan in Mother Ignacia, Quezon City is probably their most beautiful branch to date. It is set in an ancestral house, owned by Severino Reyes -  a Filipino playwright  more popularly known by his pen name "Lola Basyang"- across St. Mary's College. You can't miss it! 

Severino Reyes' painted portrait in the new Dong Juan branch 

I had the special privilege of being invited to their grand opening at the end of July with my entire trip sponsored by the generous hosts, Mr. Barney and Mrs. Aubrey Borja. I was flown in to Manila on a Friday morning and was accommodated in Tune Hotels, Quezon City. But before I was dropped off at my hotel, I was brought to Dong Juan for lunch. 

I was so amazed at how pretty the interiors were, all the while retaining their signature look with decorative blocks, tall coco dividers, and local painter Paul Arenas' lively paintings. I could say it evoked the same simple yet cozy charm of their first branch in Guadalupe, as if one was dining in a friend's home.

This branch had a staircase leading to the second floor where there were several rooms for special occasions or functions such as business meetings or intimate birthday celebrations. The entire floor is also available for exclusive bookings.   

They also have a cute little spot under the staircase if you feel like getting a bit more privacy. Since this branch is snuggly situated within the vicinity of the country's top TV networks, ABS-CBN and GMA, expect to find local celebrities dining here. And I bet this would be a favorite spot in the house.

For lunch, I ordered their Popeye Shrimps, Fish n Chips, and a Cheeseburger. Oops, excuse the gluttony. If you dine with me, you'll get used to it. I just like variety in my meals. ;)

There was not a trace of disappointment as all the dishes were just as good as their original branch! Well done, Dong Juan! Keep this up and the whole neighborhood will be scurrying to your doorstep again and again. 

The grand opening was to be in the evening so I headed to the hotel to rest from my early flight that day and freshen up for that night's affair. I was excited and curious to see which celebrities would show up. I was betting on Martin Nievera to be there because I remembered Dong Juan's post on Facebook, showing pictures of him dining in the Persimmon branch in Cebu and even going back the next day because he loved it.

When I arrived at the event, I was brought to the second floor where most of the celebrities were seated. True enough, the first person I spotted was Martin Nievera! He was very jolly, friendly, and talkative - the life of the party. We were introduced and chatted a bit along with his friends. It was to be a festive night - unlimited burger steaks, chili wings and crispy pata, and not to mention, the spontaneous crooning of the guest entertainers in the likes of Martin Nievera, Luke Mejares, and Jimmy Bondoc. 

Of course, I had to have photos with some of the celebrities I spotted:

with Martin Nievera
(hanging the giveaway gifts on each of his ears)

with Ogie Diaz

with Jimmy Bondoc! 

spotted: Claudine Baretto

Dong Juan Mug Cake

Dong Juan's Manila settlement looks promising and definitely something Cebu should be proud of. Expect to find familiar Dong Juan menu staples such as their burgers, pizza, and pasta. They also have a new addition to their dessert menu - mug cake which comes in 5 flavors: Dark Fudge, Red Velvet, Salted Caramel, and Speculoos Cruncy Cookie Butter. It's quickly becoming a favorite by many and I really recommend you try it. Other dishes I'd recommend are their Gambas al Ajillo pasta (a personal favorite), Onion Rings, Pork Sisig, and Sizzling Pochero. So, I'm inviting everyone in Metro Manila to drop by Dong Juan and have a taste of one of Cebu's most innovative restaurants. :) 

Ze "babe" with Dong Juan's sweet couple Mr. Barney and Mrs. Aubrey Borja & their friends

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Borja! Keep soaring and more power to you!

Dong Juan
72 Mother Ignacia Ave. cor. Scout Reyes
Quezon City, Manila

Contact: (02) 374 0265

Facebook: Dong Juan Mother Ignacia

  

Have a Burger-ful New Year at Dong Juan

            As promised, here’s my take on Dong Juan’s Kimchi Burger. Mr. Barney of Dong Juan had invited me weeks ago to try it and our friend Paul has been convincing me as well. So, as soon as my last day of classes for the year ended, trying that feisty burger was first on my to-do list.

            Kimchi on a burger patty; I thought it was unique but not odd at all. I imagined it to be just like the typical match of kimchi and samgyupsal. My foodie buddy Luis thought otherwise though and I wanted to prove him wrong. Hehe.

         It was a sweet surprise to find that Mr. Barney and his wife Aubrey awaited us for lunch together at the pilot branch where it (burger affair) all began for me. The original branch is now spruced up, refurbished with new tables and chairs and the signature details of the franchise design. However, despite the polished, vibrant atmosphere, I found that they managed to retain its sentimental element.

Cebu Secret Chow Update: Dong Juan, No Longer A Secret

         We all have that sole or handful (excuse my lame pun) of resto's we develop a special attachment or respect for when we've been there before it became a common name or franchise superstar. Everytime I hear the name of this particular resto, nostalgia and pride flows through me as my first memory of it flashes by in a second. 

         Dong Juan, that humble little hole-in-the-wall in Guadalupe and now a steadily growing franchise chain, is where I became a burger convert. The girl who used to give no attention to burgers was suddenly feeling butterflies in her tummy at the sight of big, juicy patties sandwiched in a bun since that day she had her first bite of Dong Juan's burger back in 2010. 

The culprit: The Dong Juan Burger

Birthday Giveaway!

Hello, dear foodies!

       I just turned 21 a few days ago. Since I've been mentioning that I'd have another giveaway after the Sprockets one, here it is! This is actually a collaboration with a Manila-based food blogger, The Pickiest Eater, who's blog I utterly enjoy reading. You can find his latest post on the left side of my homepage where I have a list of my fave food blogs (Foodies I Love). Like me, once you read one of his posts, you'll keep coming back for more. ;)  

        If you're into burgers, burritos, tacos, and hotdogs, or if you've heard of Buddies and wanna try it, this giveaway's for you. I'll be giving out 2000 php worth of gift certificates from Buddies! 

            Buddies is the home of the ultimate burger challenge in Cebu. It's also a fastfood diner that offers quick and satisfying meals. Must try's are the steak burrito, nachos, sizzling burger steak and philly cheesesteak.

The gift certificates will be divided to THREE winners as follows:
Grand prize - P1000
Second prize - P600
Third prize - P400

What does it take? Here's how:

1) Like Buddies on Facebook! (https://www.facebook.com/BuddiesBurgers)

2) Like Babe For Food on Facebook! (https://www.facebook.com/babeforfood)

3) Like The Pickiest Eater In The World on

    Facebook! (https://www.facebook.com/thepickiesteater)

4) Share this link on Facebook, tagging Buddies, Babe for Food, and The Pickiest Eater In 

The World: 

“I want Gift Certificates from Buddies so I’m joining Babe For Food and The Pickiest Eater 

In The World Giveaway!”, while tagging two friends (don't forget to tag!)

5) Follow Buddies Burgers on Twitter @Buddies_Ph


6) Follow Babe For Food on Twitter @babeforfood


7) Follow The Pickiest Eater on Twitter @therealrichiez

    Tweet about this Giveaway: 

     @babeforfood and @therealrichiez are giving away GC's from @buddies_ph ! Join   

       today! (with the link to this blog post)

Optional on Rafflecopter (+3):

9) Comment on this post: What dish from Buddies are you excited to try?

             All mechanics should be followed except no. 9 which is optional (but gives you more chances of winning). Worry not, Rafflecopter makes this easy as ABC for you. Just log in Facebook through the widget on the upper right corner of Babe for Food's homepage and you can breeze through it. The contest runs through August 6 - August 25. 

Winners will be announced on August 27 (Monday) and will be individually informed through Facebook message or email.

So, for those of you who haven't won any of my giveaways yet, here's another chance! :D

*Only for Cebu City residents.

*Please comply with all the mechanics through the Rafflecopter widget on my homepage.

Cebu Secret Chows: Buddies - Home of the Ultimate Burger Challenge

           It's rare for me to visit a resto twice in a week but this one was a pleasant surprise. Actually, it's a funny story I wanna tell you; one of my biggest blogging bloopers to date. So it's epic. Sit tight and enjoy the ride. :))

FIRST VISIT:
           One of my foodie family friend couple whom I meet in church every week invited me to this new resto for lunch one Sunday. They're just such a nice couple -- Tito Nic and Tita Rachel -- who support my blog by reading it or occasionally treating me meals out and telling me about new places they found through other blogs as well. Tita Rachel was the one who led me to Surfin Ribs with her resto update one time. 

           This new resto, BUDDIES, was a bright, neat place that has a diner setting. What's special about it is it's the only legit resto with a burger eating challenge like the ones you hear about or watch on TLC, more popularly on Man Vs. Food with Adam Richman. They have a wall of fame for victors and give out free shirts to the worthy. It seats around 40 people. 

              Like most fastfood diners, self-service is the system here. It's still convenient though. They have condiments and what else you need on a tray at the end of the counter.

           The ultimate burger challenge is to finish their quadruple burger in 5 mins and you get a souvenir shirt and your photo on their wall of fame. It's the real thing! :D 

the wall of fame

burger slayers

These huge posters on the wall make me drool!

It's a great way of enticing customers and recommending the best dishes of the resto. 

           Since they have a burger eating challenge, I went for the basic Buddy burger to know the taste in case I join the challenge someday. ;)

         Who knows, I did join Dong Juan's burger challenge last year. Would be nice to see a girl on that wall of fame. :D

Buddy Burger - 89 php

              I was excited to taste their burger but after the first bite, I found the patty too soft for my preference. I like my burger patties charred crisp and juicy on the inside. It wasn't bad though. 

           Tita Rachel made the orders and she asked for the philly cheesesteak sandwich, chilidog and steak burrito. We all cut up the orders and shared it to get a taste of everything.

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich - 150 php

           This was a pretty thing. I loved the steak and the bun. It wasn't just an ordinary bun, it was a hoagi bun; much like a baguette, crisp exterior and chewy interior though a little softer than a baguette. The steak was flavorful and juicy. 

           I missed to take photos of the chilidog and the steak burrito but anyway, the chilidog was nothing extraordinary. The hotdog used was a good quality but I think it was quite pricey for a sandwich. The steak burrito, I loved. They got the distinct Mexican flavor just right and the tortilla wrapper was also good. That's something to go back for. I noticed they're steak products are pretty good. 

What we had:

Buddy burger - 89 php

Philly Cheesesteak sandwich - 150 php

Buddies Chilidog - 130 php

Steak Burrito - 135 php

SECOND VISIT:

     

             Now for the funny one... I had received a text from an unkown number inviting me to Buddies for a feature. He said he was JP. I know two JP's and I thought this was one of them -- JP Fernandez, a close friend of Doyzkie of iluvcebu.com, since he'd be the one most likely to invite me to features. We agreed to meet on Wednesday. 

           I was wondering why he was the one who invited me when Doyzkie could've asked me himself. And when I asked him if Doyzkie was coming, he said he wasn't but that I could invite him. And I wondered even more, why he'd tell me to invite him when they're the closer friends. (you must be as confused as I was by now) 

           So, when I arrived at Buddies with my food blogger classmate, JM of Big Food, I saw a man wave at me and I figured he'd be the owner so I just waved back. Then, he approached me and introduced himself as JP. WOW. Mind blown. This wasn't the JP I was expecting to meet. He had some friends as well and introduced me to them. I was just so stunned, I was speechless. I still didn't know his family name so I wasn't sure if he was familiar or not.

            He welcomed me warmly into the resto and when we settled down, he ordered his recommendations for me. I then explained myself, why my text messages were unusally casual and how I mistook him to be just one of my friends. I was just really so embarrassed I couldn't stop laughing at myself. (Yes, I laugh at my own bloopers.I'm silly like that.)

             Anyway, so, laid before us were steak tacos, nachos, a Buddy burger and sizzling burger steak silog. 

steak tacos - 120 php

        I think most of us would usually picture out the hard shell tacos at the mention of the dish but Buddies offers the soft shell type which I think I prefer more than the hard shell type. 

nachos - 85 php

         This, I loved! Well, I've always been a fan of nachos but the carne asada's flavor pleased my palette well and I just couldn't stop popping this in my mouth despite being stuffed with the rest of the dishes before us. This serves two but if you want a medium heavy snack or an appetizer, have this. 

sizzling burger steak - 85 php

         This is one of my favorites in the menu. I liked the consistency and flavor of the gravy and it went really well with the burger patty. Buddies isn't just about the buns and the burgers. This is a rice meal you'll be coming back for once you've had a taste. :D

JM (Big Food) with her Buddy burger - 89 php (not inclusive of JM. hihi.)

Big Food, Babe for Food, Bethany's Luis

            I needed these foodie friends to help me finish all the food! We were so stuffed. Happy bellies! :D

the Babe and the Buddies (from left) JP Chongbian and Nino Bascon with their friends Miguel and Rany :D

             So, I found out JP's complete name -- JP Chongbian, and that's when things started clicking in my head. He's actually the owner of Vudu and Formo. Oh well, funny encounter with this guy but he sure can be a 'buddy'. He explained that the resto was named Buddies because it is owned and managed by 3 high school buddies, JP Chongbian, Blake Go (not in the photo) and Nino Bascon. 

             It was definitely a pleasure meeting these buddies. I'm glad that another decent resto is finally added to Talamban (nearby my residence), where it isn't as resto-endowed as Banilad. Haha. Now, residents of Talamban and Cabancalan can hover at Buddies for a decent quick fix for quality fastfood cravings. 

Buddies
Piazza Elesia, Talamban, Cebu City 6000

Operating Hours:
Mon - Thurs     11 AM - 2:30 PM, 5 PM - 10 PM
Fri - Sun          11 AM - 2:30 PM, 5 PM - 11 PM

Like them on Facebook - facebook.com/BuddiesBurgers


To know Cebu, eat Cebu! :D

oink oink,

Babe for Food

 - your BFF in Cebu dining! :)