Charlie's: A Yummy Burger & Chicken Wings Combo

Manila is rapidly becoming more receptive of “hole-in-the-wall” restaurants, and this next foodie place is no exception. Imagine a diner beside a carwash...how hole-in-the-wall can you get? There’s no need for fancy introduction or build-ups because if you’re a foodie like us, you’d definitely know what place we’re talking about: Charlie’s Grind & Grill.

Internet-famous for their Black Angus burger and chicken wings, Charlie’s has become one of the most visited (and populated) food places in Kapitolyo, Pasig . That says a lot especially when the place is filled with lots of equally good dining places. Hello Mad Mark’s, Thai Dara, RUB (which we will review soon!), Milky and Sunny...the list could go on and on. Charlie’s has grown a fan base especially among the working people around the Ortigas area, so much so that people are willing to wait for “parking space” just to be able to grab a bite of Charlie’s famed burgers. And you know what? So did we.

A Burger-filled Boulevard

What makes a great burger? Oftentimes, people say it's all about the patty. Others say it's the cheese that makes it work. Others say it's the sauce that brings it all together. While most burgers have all these, it all boils down to which burger offers the best flavor at the most affordable price. There are already a handful of notable burger places in the Metro. No, we're not talking about Jollibee or McDonald's, or even Burger King. We're talking about unique burger places that serve mouth-watering burgers. One's just along Xavierville Avenue.

If you're the type who wants twists to your burgers, then Boulevard Diner is the perfect place for you. Located within the Katipunan/Loyola Heights area, this burger place has been fulfilling burger cravings since October of 2010. With unique burger concepts, Boulevard Diner has created a big market for die-hard burger fans who are looking for something better than the usual hamburger or cheeseburger. Mind you, these burgers aren't for the faint of heart. Boulevard Diner's burgers are packed with flavors that will surely give you an unforgettable burger dining experience.

A Bucketful of Sunrise, A Pocketful of Sunshine

Mouthwatering and irresistible Buffalo wings. That's what we always expect whenever we visit a food place that claims they have the best chicken wings in town. We gotta admit, most of what we tried aren't kidding at all. With the unique taste of their wings, they're bound to bring more customers to their place. If you ask us what the perfect chicken wing would taste like, we might not be able to answer you. Each chicken wings place we tried has that uniqueness that stands out from the others. What we can tell you, though, is what to expect at a chicken wings place, that is, if the chicken is tasty, if the sauce is delicious, if the skin is crispy, and if the dip goes well with the chicken. That's our job as food bloggers in the first place. To give you an example, we'll feature a chicken wings place that we think you might just love.

Just along Ortigas Avenue near Greenhills is a chicken wings place known as Sunrise Buckets. From it's name you wouldn't quite realize that it offers chicken wings. But, it already has attracted some loyal customers from nearby schools and establishments. Sunrise Buckets offers affordable and delicious chicken wings that you will surely add to your chicken wings list. The food place made sure that their wings would be close to the taste of the authentic Buffalo wings abroad. Sunrise Buckets actually categorizes their chicken wings into 3 - Awesome, Wipeout, and Cloud 9.  Included in the Awesome list are those that are suited for the Pinoy taste. Wipeout flavors are those that are similar to the American flavors. Cloud 9 are original flavors of Sunrise Buckets. Whichever flavor you choose, you won't regret it because every category has a best-seller. In fact, most of the flavors are must-tries. Aside from chicken wings, Sunrise Buckets also has burgers, shakes, and floats to satisfy every hungry customer. There absolutely is no excuse for you not to try this place out.

BonChon: A Chicken That's Hard to Resist

How can you make chicken irresistible? Simple. You just have to make it worth eating. And when you say that you have to make a chicken worth eating, it has to offer something new to the Filipino taste buds. It has to be uniquely exciting, especially for food lovers like us. So, have you ever heard of chicken that's twice fried? You might actually doubt the process, thinking that the chicken might get overcooked. Well, to tell you honestly, it's not. In fact, it actually makes the chicken healthier to eat, without cutting on the flavor. This is actually what Koreans do to their chicken.

Korean fried chicken is already becoming a big hit, not only in Korea, but in other parts of the globe as well. In the United States, for example, Korean fried chicken was actually voted the best chicken. Then came the success of the famous BonChon Chicken. Fortunately for us, we don't have to fly all the way to Korea or to the United States to taste this delectable dish. BonChon Chicken already has 2 branches here in the Philippines, and both are in Makati. We actually visited their Greenbelt branch to have a go at the delicious chicken people have been raving about. You might mistake BonChon Chicken for the oh-so-delicious Buffalo chicken wings, but they actually differ at some point. BonChon Chicken, like what we've said earlier, is twice fried chicken. The first fry is the frying process which removes the fat and makes the skin really crispy, while the second fry comes with the secret sauce. The result? Delicious Korean chicken wings that has less grease wrapped in a flavorful and crispy skin that you thought you could only find at Jollibee. BonChon chicken comes in two sauces, soy garlic and hot and spicy. As for the chicken part, they have chicken wings and drumsticks. Regardless which of the two sauces or which of the two chicken parts you choose, we guarantee that it will be very delicious. You may opt for the soy garlic sauce if you're not up for the spicy flavor of the hot and spicy sauce.