Another Make-Your-Own-Burger contender has joined the scene: 8 Cuts Burger Blends, from the same group that brought us Burger Bar, has opened in UP Town Center in Katipunan. While both burger joints boast of a selection of premium beef cuts that compose their meat blends, 8 Cuts tosses in an extra treat by introducing a new blend: the Ox Blend, made of the 8th meat cut, the ox tail. However, is the Ox Blend enough reason for 8 Cuts to be our favorite burger joint? We all know that Make-Your-Own-Burger is not a new concept, so what makes 8 Cuts stand out from the rest of the crowd?
Standing in front of 8 Cuts, anyone would be enticed to enter with its cool hangout vibe: neon signage, multi-colored chairs and tables, and cool decors adorning the walls—all visible from the glass façade. We settled into the high chairs in front of the open kitchen and immediately fell in love with the relaxed ambience—a perfect afternoon or evening hangout spot with friends!
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I loved the magazine style menu, which had that vintage feel and which used color schemes similar to my blog: black and orange! I seriously asked the server if I could take one home! Haha!
The open kitchen set up was interesting, as you can watch the cooks grind, hand-press, and assemble your burger.
The server let us study the menu, and came back when (he thought) we were ready to order. Honestly, the menu was easy to comprehend but we were overwhelmed with the choices; I wanted to have them all! I was so torn between ordering the Four Cheese (parmesan-crusted patty, cheddar, gruyere, mozzarella) or the Bleu (blue cheese, caramelized onions), that I just opted to Make-My-Own.
My choice: single-patty House Blend in a Kaiser bun, all toppings except mayonnaise—plus additional bacon strips. I threw in an extra P90 for a canned soda and French fries.
Make your own burger (single patty) for P190. Additional P25 for the bacon strips. |
The House Blend is composed of the short rib and rib eye meat cuts, and is meaty and juicy. I found it a bit too safe for my taste—by safe I mean too subtle and clean, remember my Zubuchon-CnT Lechon analogy? And though the patty is indeed juicy, it fell apart easily, as if slicing would result in an Arroz a la Cubana instead of a burger. I guess it’s because they serve all patties medium—their standard done-ness level. Some people would prefer that probably, but remind me to ask and request a burnt, very well-done burger next time!
If not for the bacon strips and for the fact that the patty was delicious despite defying the laws of cohesion, I would’ve hated my burger.
I like the bun though, and the skinny fries—I hate very crispy fries (Jollibee), and prefer soggy, heavily-seasoned types like McDonalds and KFC. 8 Cuts’ is exactly the type I’d stuff into my mouth.
The four of us ordered different types and shared them among each other. Criselle got herself a Steak Cut (sirloin plus chuck) in a Kaiser bun, with extra jalapenos (additional P25). Honestly, I couldn’t distinguish the Steak Cut from the House Blend, I guess I would have to try the patties alone: devoid of bread, sauces, or toppings.
Andrei was competitive as ever and assembled something similar to mine, except that her patty was Steak Cut, and she liked mayo on her burger.
The winner for that night was Thelo’s choice: Steak Cut in a Brioche bun, all toppings, with extra blue cheese. I regretted not ordering the “pre-made” Bleu Cheese Burger.
After pigging out on burgers, we were served some desserts. The Molten Chocolate Bottoms, their bestseller, is a sinful concoction of lava cake topped with ice cream, whipped cream, caramel drizzle and chocolate chips. I liked how the lava cake was served slightly warm, creating a delightful contrast with the cold ice cream.
Molten Chocolate Bottoms, P135 |
But though chocolate is perhaps the universal favorite dessert, I liked the Blueberry Cheesecake more: cream cheese ice cream, blueberry syrup, topped with whipped cream and a trickle of strawberry, all hiding a surprise cheesecake crust. The cream cheese flavor lends a sour hint to this dessert, which would’ve easily been too cloying for my taste—but which was, fortunately, not. I highly recommend it!
Blueberry Cheesecake, P135 |
By the time we finished our desserts, I thought I had already lost any skill at breathing!
In fairness, my 8 Cuts Burger Blends experience is a pleasant one. In spite of the fact that they were still on soft opening when we visited, service was fast, friendly, and attentive. The servers could use some more training on product knowledge, but I really appreciate their welcoming vibe. Everything, from decors to menu, stuck to the concept, and for me THEME IS EVERYTHING. Execution comes next, and at this 8 Cuts definitely did not fail.
What about food, you say. Why isn’t food included in my criteria? Well, good food is a prerequisite in ANY restaurant. Without decent food, concept and service and ambience are nothing—although these three complete the overall dining experience. 8 Cuts’ food is undeniably good, it’s just that by sticking to their standard medium-well patties, they might be limiting their customers. Of course, we can always make a special request, but we must be informed by the waitstaff! My problem with 8 Cuts is that they have delicious food but I want to enjoy it the way I want! A burger which can be eaten with bread only, and which doesn’t require you to throw in lavish toppings, is a burger worthy of being taken seriously. I’m afraid that right now, 8 Cuts is … well, not like that.
But still, I definitely would come back to 8 Cuts for the ambience—and remember to specify the kind of meat I want.
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8 Cuts Burger Blends
2/F UP Town Center, Katipunan, Quezon City
+639178182139
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