Hello, Teddy’s! Hawaii’s best burger joint is finally in the PHL

The burger has always been on my list of top food cravings. It’s easy to satisfy my hankering for it since one can find it practically anywhere—from food stalls to fast-food restaurants, and even some fine-dining establishments. 

 

Not all burgers are created equal, though. Some are far superior to the rest, especially in terms of quality and taste. 

 

Teddy’s Bigger Burgers was established in Hawaii in 1998 by Ted Tsakiris and Rich Stula, who are both burger lovers. Their concept was born during their backyard cookouts in Hawaii, which inspired them to establish their first restaurant right on the side of Diamond Head—where they flipped burgers for five years and never took a day off.

 

New burger joint on the block

 

The years of hard work have paid off and now Teddy’s has 11 branches in Hawaii and the mainland. It opened its first international location in Japan, and its second one opened in the Philippines this August. 

 

“This is a landmark store for us,” said Stula. “We’re all so excited to be a part of this grand opening. To let you guys know what sets us apart—we have the anatomy of a burger sign over here, the quality of the ground chuck of the burgers that we make, the special sauce, the seasoning… It all fits together for a great burger. We have won best burger in Hawaii since 2001.” 

 

They plan to open eight or nine other stores in the next four years to ensure good burger quality.

 

Bigger is better

 

The conspicuous surfboard-inspired décor on the walls, tabletops, and even the lighting fixture gave the place a tropical beach feel. Despite having a cool and casual vibe, the interiors were still hip and modern. 

 

Another noticeable thing was the restaurant menu being flashed on three side-by-side big screen televisions by the counter. The menu was pretty easy to follow. Diners basically have to choose the burger variant first and the size next. 

 

There are four variants to choose from: Teddy’s Original Burger, Cheese Burger (Original Burger with cheese), Teri Burger (Original Burger with Teriyaki), and Monster Double Burger (Original Burger with Double Patty). Then, select the size that fits your appetite—Big (5oz), Bigger (7oz) or Biggest (9oz). 

 

Customers may also opt to order either a solo burger or a combo with sides and drink. There are also bun choices—potato, wheat, and lettuce wrap, but I highly recommend the fluffy potato bun, which the restaurant perfected after 30 trials of back-and-forth before getting approved for the market. 

 

You can also make your burger extra special by adding special toppings. Teddy’s has four options for all kinds of diners: the Cajun Burger (with Cajun seasoning and Pepper Jack cheese), Bacado Burger (with avocado, cheddar cheese and bacon), Hawaiian Style (with teriyaki and grilled pineapple), and Kailua Burger (with teriyaki, grilled mushroom, grilled onions, and Swiss cheese). 

 

Note that all burgers are cooked medium unless otherwise specified, and that each sandwich comes with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, dill pickles and a homemade special sauce, which is a sweet and tangy aioli. You can customize your burger by removing some ingredients or adding additional toppings and sauces for an extra charge. 

 

During my visit, I decided not to go too crazy with the toppings and kept it simple by getting the Kailua Burger, which is one of the bestsellers in Hawaii. I ordered the 5-ounce burger (equivalent to a 1/3 pounder) which I believe was more than enough serving for my five-foot-two frame. 

 

Also, I wanted the meat to be the star of the show. Teddy’s uses 100% corn-fed US Black Angus ground chuck that has a formula of 80% lean meat and 20% fat. Each burger is hand-pattied daily and charbroiled upon ordering.

 

“We really want to emphasize this part because we live and die by this information. We try to train all of our customers and guests to really understand what the difference is between a ground beef and a ground chuck. There is a distinct difference and we do not put any binders, there’s no soy in our product, there’s no fillers, there’s nothing to stretch out the profitability to make us more money and give you an inferior product. We actually made this the hard way. We hardly made any margin—thank you very much Rich—when we first opened up because of the quality of the meat. We don’t inject any flavor enhancers in our meat,” disclosed Tsakaris.  

 

When my Kailua Burger was served, I hardly saw the patty that was under all that lettuce, mushrooms, onions and cheese. My first bite was heaven. The potato bun was soft, the vegetables were crisp, the mushrooms were savory, the cheese was creamy, the sauce was tangy, and the meat was cooked just right. The patty was perfectly charred on the outside but still pink inside—moist, juicy, and tender. I regretted that I didn’t order the Monster Double Burger so I could have two burger patties in my sandwich.

 

I paired my burger with some crispy fries and a chocolate shake, which was super thick and creamy. Teddy’s uses 90% ice cream and 10% fresh milk in their shakes. What makes this beverage extra creamy is the butterfat content of the ice cream, which is 15%, compared to regular ice cream from the grocery (the latter contains around 10 to 12% fat content). 

 

Other must-tries on the menu are the beer-battered onion rings, tater tots, and the popular Hawaiian drive-in food, Loco Moco, which is a burger patty served on rice with gravy and fried egg. 

 

Also worth sampling are the new additions for the Philippine market: Tiki Wings, crispy chicken wings tossed in sweet and spicy barbecue sauce; and the Chicken Tenders, crispy chicken breast strips served with special sauce and extra crispy fries. — VC, GMA News 

 

 

Teddy’s Bigger Burgers is located at the 3rd floor of Greenbelt 3 Mall, Makati City. For more information about the restaurant’s promos, visit the official Facebook page. 

 

Get a chance to win a free burger by taking a burger selfie with wither the Teddy’s Bigger Burgers store board up or standees around the mall. Upload the photos on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #teddysburgersph.