In the quest to find the city’s best burger, one doesn’t simple go to a burger joint and order their bestseller. Sometimes, you have to dig deep and search your soul in order to come up with the best burger in town.
That’s exactly the experience that you’re in for when you step in to The BRGR Project–a burger joint that lets you design (and name!) your own burger.
One Sunday evening, I found myself with my favorite eating partner (see: boyfriend duties) at Jupiter Street, Makati, one of The BRGR Project’s three branches.
Right as we let the door slowly swing closed behind us, a bus boy handed us two clipboards and a marker. Now, being a neophyte burgerista (as you may have noticed, I just made that word up), I did not expect such a detailed way of coming up with my own belly stuffer. I just thought we’d come in, look at their stuff, and point at what we like.
So, we sat down at a table and took our sweet time to come up with our own burger masterpiece–a burger reconnaissance, if you will. After about 15 minutes, we’re done. According to their studies, there are 259,200 possible burger combinations at The BRGR Project.
No wonder! In order to come up with your own masterpiece, you have to choose from five kinds of BRGR patty: 100% Angus Beef, 100% beef, Chori, Chicken, and Tofu; four buns: sesame seed, potato (I know, I’m curious, too), oatmeal, brioche; six types of cheese: bleu, mozzarella, gruyere, cheddar, garlic cream cheese, cheese sauce; eight delectable premium toppings: bacon, Canadian bacon, sautéed mixed mushrooms, chili con carne, pepperoni, fried Portobello, caramelized onions, onion rings; ten too-awesome-to-be-called-basic basic toppings: mango salsa, pineapple slices, jalopeno peppers, sliced red onions, sliced white onions, egg, sun-dried tomatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles; and then top your burger with one (or more!) of the eight sauces: wasabi mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, teriyaki sauce, marinara, pesto, buffalo wings sauce, special BRGR sauce, and garlic sauce.
I came up with my “Going Nats” burger (as homage to my coffee name: Natalie). To be honest, an accident taught me that barbeque sauce and pesto go really well together. I forgot to erase pesto in my checklist, but it turned out really really good. My creation is a juicy and perfectly tender 100% Angus Beef patty smothered in garlic cream cheese, topped with fresh lettuce and a giant tomato slice, succulently sautéed mixed mushrooms, crunchy and tasty Canadian bacon (like regular bacon, but nicer), and finished off with superb pesto and tangy barbeque sauce with just the right amount of spicy kick to turn “Going Nats” up a notch. A sesame seed bun tried its best to contain all the awesomeness.
I spent more time coming up with it than eating the entire thing. I devoured it with gusto. What can I say–fate and I make an excellent burger.
Yo decided to name his burger NGL’s BRGR (his coffee name is Nigel) and it had 100% Angus Beef patty with garlic cream cheese and cheddar, Canadian bacon, sautéed mixed mushrooms, and their special BRGR sauce. He enjoyed it immensely as well, vowing to come back for another masterpiece of our own. By the way, their special BRGR sauce is like your typical fry sauce: one part mayo, one part ketchup.
We also ordered their soda float (two scoops of creamy vanilla ice cream on root beer) and chili cheese fries (wedges of golden brown spuds doused with their chili con carne and cheese sauce). It’s impossible not to finish your meal when your food is that good!
Like Yo, I vow to come back to The BRGR Project to try their “Sloppiest Joe,” because that chili con carne is absolutely divine.
Visit The BGRG Project in 38 Jupiter cor Planet Sts., Bel-Air, Makati; The Grand Towers, Vito Cruz (Pablo Ocampo) St., Malate, Manila; and 122 Maginhawa, Teachers Village, Quezon City. You can also check them out at www.facebook.com/thebrgrproject.