Food brings people and cultures together, and it can also tell a lot about a country’s history. From flavorful Spanish dishes to casual yet delicious
American food, many cuisines have made their way to our country and have helped shape the palate of the modern Filipino. So when casual yet delicious American food is mentioned, we can easily identify one of its classic crowd favorites: the trusty
burger. Flavorful, juicy meat enclosed in a fresh fluffy bun with a variety of garnishes?
Yes, please.
Metro Manila is already fortunate enough to have a number of burger joints. But while there are many options, that doesn’t automatically mean all are worth checking out. You need to be extra meticulous to discover where it is worth spending your precious bucks and time on.
Coincidentally, Yoorekka was invited by
Fatburger to have a true taste of the West without having to book any plane rides. In fact, all we had to do was travel a little bit to the south of the metro. Read on to see how we got a taste of the US at
Fatburger and get your taste buds salivating!
Check out this video:
The Humble Beginnings
Founded in the City of Angels in 1952, Fatburger was the brainchild of a hardworking foodie named Lovie Yancey who believed in the idea that a mere burger can be an entire meal by itself. Yancey used traditional cooking methods, only the freshest of ingredients, and a whole lot of love to make her burgers, which were strictly cooked-to-order. Paired with her undying enthusiasm, impressive work ethic, and natural passion for food, Fatburger has become an international brand with branches in the United Kingdom, Bahrain, India, and Saudi Arabia.
The True Hero
Trident Food Holdings, Inc. is the franchise/license holder of renowned international food brands such as Tous Les Jours, Cold Stone Creamery, and of course, Fatburger since 2011. Aside from carrying these international brands, the company has also developed its own brand called Pizza Warehouse. Trident Food Holdings, Inc. is the true hero of this story: if it weren’t for them, Metro Manila might have never gotten the chance to have a taste of Fatburger at all.
Fatburger came to the country almost three years ago in 2016, but in this article, we’ll take you to its newest branch in MOA which opened last May 11, 2018.
The Good Grub
Now we go to the most important part: the feast. Fatburger SM MOA pulled out all the stops and served us a feast fit for a king. It was so satiating that we’re still having dreams about it.
First up was the Double Fatburger. Imagine this: two impossibly juicy beef patties totalling half a pound, fresh pickles, crisp onions, shredded lettuce, savory relish, a juicy slice of tomato, tangy mustard on top, all enclosed in a freshly-baked bun ready for your consumption. We didn’t know heaven existed in MOA before this.
Next up was Fatburger’s Los Angeles Street Dog. As if the flavorful sausage in a bun isn’t considered a complete meal on its own, the flavor profile was further enhanced with grilled onions, bacon bits, bell peppers, mayonnaise, and Fatburger’s own sweet and spicy mustard recipe.
Rounding up the main dishes was the Kick’n Chicken Wrap. More ideal for people who are looking for lighter meal alternatives that will still keep them satisfied and stuffed, the wrap consists of flavorsome rice, fresh tomatoes and lettuce, generous pieces of Fatburger’s boneless wings complemented by ranch dressing—all enclosed in a fluffy tortilla.
These main dishes also came with two impressive sides: onion rings and sweet potato fries. The onion rings were crunchy, came in generous servings, and, most notably, were not oily despite being deep fried. As for the sweet potato fries, this side dish was a good alternative to the usual fries option. Surprisingly light, the fries went great with the mayo dip that it came with.
To balance out the palate, we also tried Fatburger’s famous milkshakes. We were presented with their cookies and cream milkshake but there are also other classic options such as vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. And while milkshakes have a notorious reputation for being too sweet and decadent, Fatburger’s version was a pleasant surprise. Aptly sweet, thick, creamy, and generously topped with whipped cream, the milkshake was the perfect ending to a dream of a meal.
The Post-Meal Treat
We thought we were done basking in food Nirvana, but we were gravely mistaken. After our filling Fatburger meal, we were led to
Tous Les Jours. Also represented by Trident Food Holdings, Inc., Tous Les Jours is a French-Asian bakery that uses ingredients from South Korea to make its products. With a total of twenty-one branches all over the country, “Tous les Jours” literally means “every day,” embodying the company’s desire to supply only the best baked goods to its consumers on the daily.
Tous Les Jours has a wide variety of pastries and baked goods fit for either special occasions or everyday consumption. Some of their classic bread options include bagels, pan breads, croissants, and baguettes. Aside from the regular bread options, unique pastry and pies can also be bought here. The sweet potato pie, sausage leaf bread, pineapple raisin pastry, and sausage pastry are just some of the frontrunners when it comes to rare bread options the bakery offers on the daily.
Tous Les Jours also has cake options that will make special occasions even more memorable. Delicious buttercream cakes, rich cheesecakes, and fresh cream cakes either infused or topped with fresh fruits are all available. It also has beverage options that pair well with its pastries such as iced café Americano, iced café mocha, and fresh fruit smoothie options like blueberry and mango smoothies. After our unbelievable Fatburger experience, Tous Les Jours was the perfect icing on the cake.