This Low-Key Cubao Burger Shop Serves Smash Burgers for as Low as P69

(SPOT.ph) There is no question that smash burgers are good. The style reaps the benefits of the Maillard reaction, amping up the flavor of beef by giving us a lot of extra browning through the added contact between the heated surface and the meat. The issue is that as it has gained popularity, this humble burger has ended up taking on premium prices.

Which brings us to Shucks Burger, a little hole-in-the-wall on the corner of Columbia and Harvard in Cubao. They’re still largely doing the same thing other smash burgers are doing, but at about half the price.

Shucks Burger isn’t the most comfortable place to eat. It gets warm inside, and the seats aren’t the most comfortable. One might note the dust that has accumulated on the electric fans inside. But when it comes to the burgers, they’re doing everything right.

The burgers are cooked to order, the beef already portioned into little balls. They use a griddle, and they’ve got a heavy metal press for the smashing action. The buns are heated and softened in a steamer while the burgers cook, and then get a quick toast on the griddle as well. All the burgers are served with caramelized onions and a burger sauce. If your burger has cheese, it is added on top of the patties while they’re cooking so that they melt and forms a velvety blanket.

You can watch all of this happen. Shucks Burger is a small space, and the kitchen is right in front of you. You’ll see every burger laid out on the griddle and smashed into a pancake. You’ll hear the sizzle, and smell the meat browning. And you can watch them assemble each and every burger. 

And here is the real appeal: a single patty smash burger, which they call the Shucks OG, is just P69; add cheese, and it’s P89. Get a double patty smash burger, and it’s P99; with more cheese, it’s P129. The Cheesy Dobol, as Shucks Burger calls it, might be the ideal form of the smash burger. The bun is tender from the steaming, the beef is browned wonderfully and crispy around the edges, the cheese is melted, and the caramelized onions within are adding texture and more umami flavor. It is everything that you might want from a smash burger.

For those looking for a little more from their burgers, Shucks Burger has a number of variations. The B’Tlog (P149) adds bacon bits and a sunny-side-up egg. Debils Burger (P149) adds a little heat and some chili con carne. The Cheezmozza (P149) gives you cheese sauce and jalapeño bits. The menu offers up a triple patty burger for P169, though they also list extra patties for P50 if you want to quadruple or decuple it.

Shucks also serves hand-cut fries (P99), and just like everything else, they’re cooked to order. They’re very nicely seasoned and are a great accompaniment to the burgers. You can also get them loaded up with the chili from the Debils Burger, along with garlic sauce and cheese sauce. It’s a fun, very messy treat.

As of this writing, Shucks Burger has a promo where if you order two of the same burger, the second one is 50% off, so it’s even more of a deal than it already is. And it’s so easy to just get two Cheesy Dobols, because again, smash burgers can be pretty light, and the second burger might just get you to a more satisfied state.

The smash burger is a simple thing in the end, and while it is easy enough to acknowledge that there are some pretty exciting versions being done to it by chefs on the higher end of cuisine, Shucks Burgers is proof that the format doesn’t always need frills to hit the spot.

Good beef, lacy edges, melted cheese, and a soft bun. Honestly, what more do you need?

Shucks Burger has branches at the following locations: 79 Harvard St., Cubao, Quezon City; 48 Liwayway St., West Avenue, Quezon City; and 50 Esteban Abada St., Loyola Heights, Quezon City. For more information, check out Shucks Burger's Facebook page.