The Good Burger

When we talk about burgers, the first thing that comes into our minds is the cholesterol we'll get. Yep, burgers can be so fatty that you'd want to resist eating it if you're a health conscious person. So, it's ridiculous to call a burger a healthy food, right? Well, not for long. We've found a burger place that not only serves delicious and affordable burgers, but also healthy ones that you'll surely won't regret eating.

In Sikatuna Village, just further beyond Teacher's Village in Diliman is a small burger place called Good Burgers. It might not be noticeable during the day, but it's very much visible during the night because of the lighted signage and the many people who eat here. It might be small, but during our time there, every table was occupied. The owner (we think he was the owner hahaha) was forced to place extra tables and chairs when we came so they could accommodate us as well. The place can seat probably around 20 people estimate. Nevertheless, the place is kind of cozy because the tables are set outdoors. The only bad thing is that the place is hot because there are neither air conditioners nor electric fans. The place is more popular, though, for takeouts. When we were there, there were a lot of people ordering burgers to-go, probably to eat it at home since there are no more tables available.

The place is self service, just like a normal fast-food place. The difference lies in the food they serve. They serve very delicious burgers here and they serve it hot off the grill. Upon opening the wrap of the burger, you'll feel that it's hot, a very good indication that your burger is freshly cooked. You'll also notice that the cheese is melting (that is, if your burger has cheese). Plus, the service is quick.

Good Burgers offers healthy burgers that you'll surely enjoy eating. They don't offer oil-rich patties here. They'll either serve you a chicken patty burger or a veggie meat patty burger, depending upon your choice. Whichever you choose, you won't regret it since you really can't distinguish the difference of their patties from the normal burger patty. They're both delicious. The only difference is Good Burgers' patties are healthier. They're a bit messy to eat, probably because of the sauces and the melted cheese. But, you definitely won't regret every bite of their yummy burgers.




Here's what we tried at Good Burgers:

Cheesy Mushroom Burger, 75php (Good), 85 php (Better), 100 php (Best)

Glutton Guy: Nothing beats a good burger with lots of burger and lots of cheese. This burger is really delicious. It's not actually a bestseller of Good Burgers, but it really is a good burger to me. An added plus was the melting cheese in the burger. It's not too overpowering. I ordered my burger with chicken patties. You really can't tell the difference. In fact, in my opinion, I think Good Burgers' patties are even better than the normal patties. What I can say is that whatever burger you try here is absolutely delicious. : )

Glutton Girl: I enjoyed eating this delicious burger. Not only was it served hot, it was also the perfect burger that I was expecting to have. Every ingredient in the burger was delicious. I actually craved for more when I finished eating mine. Like Glutton Guy, I also liked the melting cheese in the burger. The burger patties were perfectly cooked. They were hot and easy to chew. It wasn't too salty as well. You definitely have to try this burger. It's absolutely delicious!

Persian Burger, 75 php (Good), 85 php (Better), 100 php (Best)

Glutton Guy: Another perfectly cooked burger, I must say. You can really taste the delicious onions and peppers. And the garlic sauce works perfectly! I thought that the sauce wouldn't blend well with the flavors of the onions and peppers, but I was wrong. The patties were also cooked perfectly. There was also a little bit of crunch from the onions which I liked. If Persian burgers were this good, I think even the Prince of Persia would endorse it hahahahaha : )

Glutton Girl:  I liked the garlic aioli sauce. There's the sweet-sour-salty taste from the sauce that complements the burger. I would have to say, though, that I didn't quite like the peppers. The onions, however, are perfect. The burger buns were soft, like a slightly bigger pandesal. The burger patties are once again the star of the burger. Again, this burger worked for me.

Garlic Barbecue, 75 php (Good), 85 php (Better), 100 php (Best)

Glutton Guy: Aside from cheesy burgers, I also like burgers with barbecue sauce. An example of such a burger would be the barbecue burger of Burger King. That, for me, is a delicious barbecue burger. However, when I tasted Good Burgers' barbecue burger, I have to say that the reign of Burger King's barbecue burger is over. Everything is just perfect. The patties, the sauce, everything worked really well. It's another must-try at Good Burgers. : )

Glutton Girl: The barbecue sauce worked well with the burger patties. I liked the sweetness of the sauce. It wasn't overpowering. I kind of didn't like the vegetables in the burger, though. I think it would be better for me if it was just mayo and barbecue sauce. Nevertheless, it's still a must-try burger.


Good Burgers offers healthy burgers for those guys that are looking for a healthier option. In here, you wouldn't worry about fats or cholesterol. All you have to worry about is what to order, because every burger is a must-try. So, if you wanna try something good, why not go for Good Burgers' burgers? Who knows, it might just be a start to a healthy yet delicious diet that you've been planning months ago.

Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Good Burgers has 4 branches: 1. 162 Maginhawa Street, Sikatuna Village, Diliman, Quezon City (Beside Mexican Express), 2. 106 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Barrio Ugong, C5, Pasig City (In front of Silver City), 3. 10 East Capitol Drive, Baranggay Kapitolyo, Pasig City, 4. One Kennedy Place, Annapolis corner Ortigas, Greenhills.)

Blacksoup Cafe+Art Space: "Arty" Meals for Hungry Peeps

We first heard about the art-cafe Van Gogh is Bipolar from the review in Philippine Daily Inquirer. It sounded like eating there was a quirky experience -- visitors are required to take off their shoes, to pick their own teapot and may write random scribblings on a red wall.

However, this is not a review for Van Gogh is Bipolar. That's for another post. It was closed when we got there, because they were shooting their new restaurant menu. So, we tried Black Soup Cafe+Art Space instead, which is owned by the same owners.

The place was a treat to look at. Photographs of landscapes were spread on the walls. There was a photo tree behind the counter. Even the rest room was decorated with photographs. The chairs were mismatched, and so were the tables. There was a spread of used books, DVDs and mix CDs, the latter with personally mixed selections by the owner. A guitar and a piano was on one side.

The service was really slow, as there was just one waitress/cashier, and one chef. Our food took about 30 minutes to arrive.

Here's what we tried during our visit:

(Oh, can just give special mention to their water. We really like the bottle idea. It's like we're drinking champagne or wine. It's super unique and cool. ^_^)

Lemongrass Tea, 30 php

Glutton Guy: It tasted ok for me. It's not the usual tea that is being served elsewhere. But I also think that the it tasted kind of weird. However, for 30php it's not so bad. It's nice to try something different once in a while anyway. I would recommend that it still be served as a hot tea rather than a cold tea. I think, at least for me, that it's more refreshing and soothing that way. : )

Glutton Girl: I also ordered lemongrass tea. Just like Glutton Guy, it was kind of off for me. It wasn't what I expected it to taste like. This lemongrass tea could be more flavorful. It really tasted bland for me. In my opinion, if it's iced tea, it should be more tasty. This, however, was not. You still have to try it though to see (or taste) what I mean.

Nachos, 85php

Glutton Guy: It was just like ordinary nachos with additional ingredients. Yep, this is a delicious appetizer, especially because of the tomatoes, onions, and balsamic vinegar. The nachos were crunchy and the beef was cooked really well. The tomatoes and the onions give the nachos an added kick. The cheese was just heavenly an it blends perfectly with the nachos. It's one of those dishes that even though you've already tasted a version of it somewhere, you just have to try their version here.

Glutton Girl: I super love the nachos a lot! It has a big serving, and a lot of tasty toppings. It's really worth the price for you food addicts out there. Why not go and try it out next time you go out with friends? It's really one of their must-tries.

Chicken with Basil and Cheese Stuffing, 150 php

Glutton Girl: I ordered chicken with basil and cheese stuffing. It didn't taste as good as I expected, although it was decent. I didn't have to go to the restaurant to taste something like that, because we already buy frozen chicken cordon bleu from the supermarket that tasted somewhat like it. The marinade on the chicken was okay... but I just was expecting something special and out-of-the-ordinary from a place like this.

Adobo Flakes Pasta, 130php

Glutton Guy: Well, it wasn't the best pasta I've tasted, but it's worth the try. The waitress did say it was one of their best-sellers, so I gave it a shot and ordered it. However, it did not excite me that much. Sure, it was different. But, there's just something about it that didn't quite hit the spot. It did not have a lot of flavor, so I had to add some salt and pepper to make the flavors work. And believe me, it took quite a lot of salt to finally get the taste I wanted. Still, I would have to say that you still have to try it out for yourself. I think that not being able to taste this or any other pasta would make you miss the Blacksoup experience. : )

Pasta Ala Victoria, 120php

Glutton Guy: This wasn't my order because we had a friend with us that time. He ordered Pasta Ala Victoria since I think it is another best-seller of the place. I got the chance to taste his food and it was just the same comment as my pasta. It also needed some more flavor since what I was tasting wasn't enough (That is, if I was really tasting anything). It was like carbonara, but with carrots, grean peas, and corn. With regards to the pasta, it was cooked nicely. It wasn't overcooked so it wasn't too soft. It was a little bit dry, though. Why not try it out? You might have a different opinion from mine. : )

Grilled Tuna Sandwich, 40php

Glutton Guy: This was also our friend's order. But, I also got the chance to taste it. For me it was just like normal tuna sandwich. Nothing special about it. Just normal tuna spread (I think they made this) in two bread slices then grilled in a saucer. It tasted good, though. Well, probably because I'm a tuna sandwich fan. : )

Guyabano Shake, 60php

Glutton Guy: I have to say, this is one unique and delicious shake. I've never tasted Guyabano shake before. My friend had me taste this drink of his and it really was good. (I would gladly swap my lemongrass tea for this hahahaha) If I had known that their Guyabano shake was this good, I would've ordered some for myself. This is a must-try for you guys out there, especially during hot times like this coming summer. : )

Go to this cafe for the novelty of the place and, well, if you want to be somewhere different, but if you're craving for food that's more than "pwede na", go somewhere else. We will try Van Gogh soon and report if it's any better.

Rating: Buddhalicious!

(Black Soup Cafe+Art Space is sneakily located in the courtyard of a yellow building on 154 Maginhawa St., Sikatuna Village. It's just before you pass Good Burger.)