by Mico Maglaque

Burgers, by far, are the next best thing to happen to mankind since the invention of the grilled cheese sandwich. The humble hamburger, in all its simplicity, represents the next-level upgrade from sandwiches by adding the ability to accommodate meat and several other toppings in between pieces of bread. For students like us, who have to juggle between doing homework, checking group updates, and other tasks that require sitting in front of a gadget, eating is something that often comes as an afterthought, and so, eating properly is something that comes as a challenge. In today’s fast-paced and digital world, burgers are, by far, the best complete meals one can eat while multitasking, allowing for typing on a keyboard with one hand, and holding a burger in the other. For the maiden article of Wildcard’s I.T. Out series (pronounced “Eat Out”, go figure), I go out of my way to seek the best burger around, in terms of price and quality, in the name of good food.

The Place

               After a jeepney ride going to the UP Shopping Center, a three-minute walk leads me to my destination. It’s the last place anyone would expect to find ridiculously good burgers. In fact, it takes a keen pair of eyes to spot it.

The place is called Snack Shack. Don’t let its simple appearance fool you: I’ve been here a few times before, and have seen people all over the metro venture here just to get a taste of its well-known burgers. It was 2PM on my watch, which was a good time to drop by. During peak hours, it can get somewhat crowded.

While looking around, I ask Jonathan, the person behind the counter, how long the place has been here, and he says it’s only been around for two years. A handful of local celebrities have already eaten at this branch in UP, but more commonly found here are athletes, who might be looking for their protein fix after a good game. The crowd here is diverse, as a handful of people come and go during my stay. The rustic vibe of the UP Diliman campus helps deliver a tranquil atmosphere, with none of the violent honk-blaring or vocal noise associated with establishments found in more urban environments.

The Food

               A quick scan of their menu gives the impression that aside from being student-budget-friendly, it was designed to take advantage of the lack of sitting room. You come here for their burgers, but I’ve read from several other food blogs that their sausages are just as good too. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to try them. I go for a quarter pounder with cheese.

Everything is made from scratch, so you better have something to keep you busy. I ask Jonathan how long it would take a single order of their quarter pounder with cheese to be served. It apparently takes 20 minutes, and that was just my order alone. On busier days, prepare to wait a bit longer.

After a few rounds of battle cats on my phone, the scent of grilled beef patties assaults my nostrils. I curiously take a peek behind the counter to see what was happening.

A fresh order of burger is assembled right before my eyes. The cook whips out a bottle of ketchup and mustard, and lightly coats the bottom piece of bread. He then selects the freshest lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions, and carefully arranges them on top of the sauce. The patty is added, and finally topped with another sesame seed coated bun. The burger is wrapped in paper, and placed inside a brown paper bag. The entire assembling process just takes about three minutes. I excitedly open the wraps, take a good, hard look at the culinary masterpiece, take a deep breath, and go for a bite.

Upon taking a bite, your taste buds are initially greeted by the crunch of the toasted layer of the bun, but as soon as you apply more pressure, a cascade of flavors then descends one by one, heralded by the tanginess of the mustard and ketchup, followed by the sweetness of the lettuce, the spice of the onion, the juiciness of the tomato, the sourness of the pickles, and finally, the meaty goodness of the patty. You immediately come to the conclusion that this is no ordinary patty, as it seems to have none of the preservative-like taste more commonly encountered in fast food burgers, and is seasoned only by the freshest ingredients around. The oozing cheese helps counteract the rapid shift of flavors, and creates a warm, chewy texture as you delightfully savor your first bite. As reflected by the photo on the right, the marks of a well-done burger are seen by the deep color on the inside of the patty, no doubt an effect of the slow-grilling process.

More bites ensue, and minutes later, I’m drawing my wallet out from my pocket to pay for another order.

If you’re looking for a quiet place to relax and get your burger fix, this is probably the best place to be. They also deliver, for a small extra fee.

Snack Shack is at A Roces Sr. Avenue Corner JP Laurel Street, UP Diliman Campus, open from Mondays to Saturdays, 11:30AM to 7:30PM. You can spot it right beside the PhilPost U.P. Post Office and U.P. Shopping Center.

Pro Tips:

• Plan your trip wisely. If you’re coming in from Katipunan, be ready for the traffic. The jeep I rode waits underneath the large bridge near Gate 1 of Ateneo. Just say “UP Shopping Center”, and they’ll inform you if they can drop you there, or right at the gate of UP, where you need to ride another jeep that takes you to the shopping center.
• If you can shell out extra, go for the garlic ranch dressing. Thank me later.
• If you’re the type who eats a lot, two quarter pounders with cheese makes a far better choice than a single order of a half-pounder. For an extra five pesos, you get more bread. That’s a better deal.