Endless Rice + Fire Grilled Chicken Goodness at El Pollo Loco!

When they say Fire Grilled, they're not LOCO huh? This is El Pollo Loco!

See, I've always been thinking of this whole Fire Grilled Chicken since I last visited El Pollo Loco. For those who don't know, El Pollo Loco all started from a Mexican family recipe that was handed down to generations. Founder Pancho Ochoa sold it on the streets initially, and found himself catering to a line in no time. Then he opened his first shop in Southern California which bared the name El Pollo Loco.

In the Philippines, they are under the good people of The Bistro Group. If there's something good in El Pollo Loco like what I've tried in their Megamall branch for years now, it's the Fire Grilled Chicken. There's something about it that's quite mysterious, because it doesn't taste like the usual roasted chicken we have in the PH. It's got that little flair, something that has deep spice, something fruity, citrusy and a little savory. Plus it's expertly Fire Grilled, leaving a really soft, juicy, smoky chicken that you'll surely appreciate once you get a taste of it. Together with it is a side of salsa, freshly chopped and prepared every day, it was amazing!

It's pretty hard to explain in words, so here's a video of my food adventures that afternoon at their Venice Grand Canal Mall branch in Taguig:

 

"Endless Spanish Rice"

For Rice lovers, I bare good news about their current offer called "Endless Spanish Rice" which you can avail of when you order 2 piece chicken with salsa meal. That means, you can have as much Spanish Rice as you want when you dine in the restaurant. I had a few cups myself and I bet, you'll love how it would taste like since it's probably got a smoky paprika and annatto seed base, it's hearty and filling. Who knows, you could battle it out with office mates if you get to have meals at El Pollo Loco.

If you prefer other things on the menu, they've got a wide spread of Loco Sets, Sides, Tortilla, Tacos and those custom made for the Filipino palate. Here's a preview!

Barbecued Ribs, I don't have to convince you do I? It's quite tender, just dip it in the barbecue sauce that comes on the side.

If you've got room for dessert, there's this tortilla bread that they toast up with hazelnut spread inside plus honey and walnuts.

I didn't get to have this because I was already full, but friend says it's good! They had a variety, just ask!

To go with the Fire Grilled Chicken, you might want to have Salad first! They do it fresh!

And because the Venice Grand Canal had water, we might as well take photos under the sun! It was sun bathing! LOL!

There's just so many food items to discover with the El Pollo Loco menu. There are also other side dishes available, so I advise you to just go ahead and ask what's available when you get there. Aside form the Megamall and Venice Grand Canal branch of El Pollo Loco, I heard they're about to open new ones in Robinsons Magnolia, Eastwood City and Trinoma Mall in Quezon City. If you're all been asking yourselves where to eat, you might want to give El Pollo Loco a try this week. I like what I saw, I didn't have take out because I finished my plate, plus it's not that expensive. Meals could probably run around 3-500 pesos a head, depending on what you prefer to order. Go get acquainted with it before the new branches open, it's super good especially the Fire Grilled Chicken. I wouldn't recommend take out because you need to eat it while it's hot, fresh off the grill. Then again if you prefer that, I wouldn't stop you!

As they say, it ain't the same without the flame! Go follow their social channels via @ElPolloPH for more information about it!

The Goodness That Is WHAM! Burgers

This place is made of legends. You often hear Pak, Boom, Pow, Kablag every time an action sequence happens in comic strips. Here, you only hear one name and it's a lovely thing to see once it comes out of the kitchen and laid on your table. This is WHAM! Burgers.

The Interiors

It's a burger joint and the theme they were gunning for was whimsical and should stick to the comic strip thing they started with the name of the establishment. 

The red, white and yellow palette presents a more energetic vibe in the restaurant. They also made it simple with a few tables and chairs to maximize the small space.

The place gets packed on lunch and dinner hours much like other establishments in the area. It is advisable to go before those hours.

The place also has a small second floor which can sit around 8 or 10 people and the comfort room. It's a little claustrophobic in some standards but they've added mirrors to give you a full view feel. That was a nice touch considering how small this is.

Service is good. They don't have that much lines because taking and serving your orders takes a short amount of time. You have the crew to thank for that. They also have a very simple menu so understanding what you're getting won't be a problem. Condiments are complete and if you prefer a refreshing glass of pineapple juice with your burger, they have that as well.

The Food

The good is in the burger and WHAM!'s got that already in the pocket. It's the same reason why they've expanded to several stores in Manila. Later on, they decided to close some of it and concentrate on those which have higher foot traffic which proved very beneficial to the company. I am a fan of their branch in Katipunan and have been going there every now and then. The SM Mall of Asia's branch is bigger and I think they have more choices now than the last time I saw their menu.

This is The Slider Trio. If you come to a point where you don't know what to order once you go inside the store, then this is definitely a thing to consider. Think about three burgers, best sellers Wham Burger, Wham Burger with Cheese, then Bacon Burger. It's served in bigger than the usual slider sizes giving you a sampler of everything that is to experience in WHAM!... it's a good deal pegged at Php 250 only and taste wise, you can't say the difference between getting the actual burger and these guys. Get this if you think you can't finish the bigger ones and get to taste them all in one order! :)

This is The Whammer. Imagine a think 1/3 pound patty topped with cheese, crispy bacon, crispy onion shards, tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup and mustard. The crisp onion make this a good show of texture and makes it different from the ordinary burger. Pretty good.

To go with your favorite burgers, they have mean fries, wedges and onion rings that are so good. I specifically ordered more of the onion rings because theirs is sweet, something that I never knew would be found in this joint. Order this if you're in Mall of Asia.

This one's their Bronco Burger. They don't have MSG on their burgers and only use salt and pepper. You can really taste the beef content, like an 80% lean beef - 20% fat ratio is happening in every patty. I love the char grilled taste too and this one's like their barbecue burger with the exception of the crispy bacon below it. Pretty good in my standards. The serving is huge so it's all worth it.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Kapow. It does pack a punch. If you fancy mexican food and fond of things that are spicy then this is it. It tastes a lot like a burrito but of course it is a burger. The relish, the jalapeno peppers gives it a very spicy kick. I love this the most among their burgers, you should order this if you're a little adventurous because it'll definitely match your personality. Drink lots of water or soda right after as it's extremely hot!

You think it wouldn't work but it did. This is their Spaghetti Fries! It's got that oh so awesome Filipino sweet style spaghetti sauce that children would surely love plus shards of crispy fries topped with melted cheese. You think it's weird but no, it was something off the charts for some of the people I was with because they finished this in minutes. They didn't let go dipping each piece in the spaghetti sauce even if it was quite filling. If you want your kids to be busy and full in a short amount of time, please order one of this and they'll love it as much as I do. :)

The place is nice, prolly good for your man and kids. Their servings are big and the price point ain't bad at all. Try the Spaghetti Fries and Slider Trio for a more value for money treat. Else, you can get the major burger varieties that WHAM! has. It was worth the trip down south. Pretty good people, place and burgers. That is goodness... that is  WHAM! Burgers!

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http://www.whamburgers.com