These are the Black Truffle Fries, one of their bestsellers. When this was served and we were told what the topping was, our first impression was: what an interesting mix of ingredients! Black truffle fries are made of fresh Igorota Idaho potatoes tossed in truffle oil and truffle salt topped with grilled chicken liver. First time I ever encountered fries with those toppings.

The soft texture of the chicken liver and its bitterness complimented the saltiness of the fries. My friend Maila couldn’t get enough of that chicken liver. In fact, she was the one who single-handedly finished the whole thing!

We were also served Dirty Fries which is a combination of fresh Igorota Idaho potatoes with rock salt and ground black pepper with bleu cheese, bacon bits, diced tomatoes, green onions topped with grilled chicken liver.  Truth be told, this is the first time I tasted bleu cheese. Some people aren’t fond of the sharp flavor of the bleu cheese, but I found it tastes good, especially when the fries are still hot.

We tasted three different fries from Charlie’s that night, the last of which was the Irish Nachos. I was expecting nacho chips as the name implied that it was nachos so imagine our surprise when the food arrived on our table and we saw fresh Igorota Idaho potatoes. Irish Nachos had the most toppings among the three fries: rock salt, ground black pepper, green onions, diced onions, diced tomatoes, black olives, jalapeno topped with sour cream and cheese sauce.

Out of the three fries, this was my personal favorite. The mixture of the toppings and sauce were right and can I just say Igorota Idaho potatoes are love! It smelled delicious, it looked delicious and yes, it tastes delightfully well! Like the fluffy potatoes with the sour cream and cheese sauce were bursting with goodness in your mouth.

Now for the main dishes. Let me start with Charlie’s newest offering, the oh-so-ma-umami Shrimp Pasta.

If Maila was the one who ate all the Black Truffle Fries, I was the one who finished the Shrimp Pasta! I normally don’t like seafood pasta. It’s the least item on the pasta menu I would order because the taste of the seafood can be overpowering  and I dislike that. But Charlie’s got it just right. It’s the deliciousness of the tomato sauce and the parmesan cheese that one would remember from this pasta dish.

And now for Charlie’s specialty, the burgers! We ate four kinds of burgers that night. First off, we had the Gourmet Chicken Burger, marinated fresh chicken breast patty with white cheddar cheese, butter leaf lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mayonnaise and honey mustard on a butter bun with mango chutney and banana pepper.

This is one of my favorite burgers. The chicken patty was flavorful and the veggie toppings of tomato, lettuce and onions were very fresh. The cheese, the sweet mango and the pepper chutney added an extra “oomph” to the burger, making it even more delightful to eat. If you’re feeling health-conscious, you can order this because the chicken is not fried, but grilled.

Another chicken burger we ate was the Chick’n Charlie, described in the menu as a no fuss all chicken meat goodness. You can have this mild or spicy.

I was hesitant to try this at first because I left the option to my friends whether to order it mild or spicy and the latter won. Luckily, the spiciness was not overpowering to the tastebuds. It’s a simple chicken sandwich with cheese and vegetable toppings but it’s good to eat as it is. No need for additional dressing.

We were also served the Wagyu Cheeseburger. If you’re craving for a burger, but are also concerned about the calories you put on, help yourself to this. Yes, it’s true: Wagyu beef is expensive. That’s because you’re getting a higher grade of beef rich in unsaturated fat. The meat is tender and beefy, but it’s something I only tasted after chewing on the beef like its juiciness is an aftertaste.

We also had the Black Angus Burger. This burger was cooked to perfection! From the very first bite, I already tasted its juiciness! The beef patty had a fine texture to it, the meat was grounded perfectly and the veggie toppings were fresh and crisp. We all could not get enough of this! At its price of Php200, it’s worth it!

Now we were really a bunch of hungry people when we went to Charlie’s. Perhaps they sensed it that food was overflowing that night! Because not only were we served fries, burgers and pasta, they also had us try their Buffalo Wings.

The first of which was the Reverse Buffalo Wings. I did not particularly like the smell, but that’s because it was coated in bleu cheese. Tasting it is a different story, though. It’s delicious. Well, I would credit the cheese for that. Most of us liked this dish. Maila wasn’t very fond of it. She personally found the cheese overwhelming. How can you go wrong with so much cheese? But again that’s me, the cheese lover.

Lastly, we had the Sticky Buffalo Wings. These were okay. There was harmony between the sweetness and spiciness. The texture of the chicken was also okay. Nothing really outstanding for a buffalo wing.

What sets them apart from other burger places in the Metro? They serve fresh and good food. We enjoyed dining in at Charlie’s. We had a feast! Would I come back to Charlie’s Grind and Grill? Yes, I definitely will. I’d love to bring some of my other friends to this place.

Charlie’s Grind and Grill

Greenbelt Radissons, 1a Aguirre St., Legaspi Village, Makati City 

Website: www.charliesgrindandgrill.com

Facebook: facebook.com/charliesgrindandgrill