Kubiertos

With the initial hype that comes with a new place gone, I was secretly hoping that Charlie’s would not be too crowded for lunch. It was almost 1pm after all so I fully expected that only the regular clients remained. But we arrived to find no table available and there was quite a wait for us to do before we were able to enjoy the food that many foodies have talked and written about.

Being so close to where I worked, many were surprised that I hadn’t even tried Charlie’s famous Philly Cheesesteak or their Buffalo Chicken Wings. I have long since resigned to the fact that there are certain expectations when people know you write about food. So my friends were supportive when I suggested we eat at Charlie’s and off we went and waited for a few minutes for a table.

About Php 175.00++

I, of course, ordered the house specialty, The Black Angus Burger with cheese, bacon and fries on the side.  We also ordered a half dozen Buffalo Wings, mild. We were able to sit at a table inside their air conditioned section with flat screen TVs and a remote control for every table. I could imagine trying to wrestle channels with another table. It would have been a funny sight.

The food came without too much fanfare. Instead, trying to fit everything into the tiny round metal tables caused so much ruckus as we had to put our food almost on top of each other’s so we could fit in everything we ordered on our table. 

I was so excited when I looked at my burger. The bacon strips were long and curly that I was literally dancing with joy as I went to bite into one. To my dismay, the bacon turned out cold and chewy. I had to pull with my hand and teeth just to get a piece of the bacon. Plus the bacon wasn’t the slightest bit salty. It was actually devoid of any kind of taste. I could not even sense the remains of the grease that I assumed was used to fry it.

So I turned to the burger for my order’s resurrection. Surely with so many people raving about it, I had made a wise choice. I chewed on a large piece of burger and bread and was silent for a few minutes as I pondered on what it was I felt about the house specialty. I could my friend’s eyes watching my expression. He was hesitant to blurt out what he wanted to say about his own burger, probably giving me first dibs on providing my feedback. When I uttered, “The burger is very salty.”, a sigh escaped and he immediately agreed and confessed that he first thought it was just him so he wanted to wait for someone else to confirm what he tasted. Funny, I used to be like that, as if the taste would change if someone else said sweet instead of salty. Taste buds vary so I try not to be swayed by how another person perceives the taste of a dish is.. and I am still trying.

Buffalo Wings Half Dozen Php 150.00

Disappointed with my burger, I turned to the Buffalo Chicken Wings in the hopes of getting a more delightful experience from them. And I did. The appearance of the chicken wings brought back memories of take out chicken wings in styrofoam containers that my friends and I order from the local bar in Phoenix. They were greasy and saucy and oh so spicy. We ordered mild but my mouth felt on fire with just 1 piece of buffalo wing. I knew I could finish more if only I drank soda at every bite but my stomach could no longer take the assault of tough bacon, salty burger and hot wings.

Without the hype and only the food, I must say that Charlie’s did not quite live up to the hype it initially came with. But you should take it as it is, a carwash cafe that offers something better than cheap pork burgers seasoned with a combination of mayonnaise and ketchup. I would still go back to Charlie’s if only to get myself through a half dozen wings. Maybe next time. Cheers!

Charlie’s Grind and Grills
16 East Kapitolyo Drive
Pasig City, Metro Manila
Tel No: 501-0137