Chub’s Diner Cagayan de Oro
When in Manila, dining choices can be quite overwhelming, especially when you are in the mood for burgers, fries and milkshakes. But in the City of Golden Friendship in Southern Philippines, there is one place that offers upscale diner food choices served in chubby sizes that will surely fill you up.
Chub’s Diner is a cozy burger haven located in Cagayan de Oro City’s downtown district. Based on the pure love of food, a group of friends put up this business to serve good comfort food that is best shared with friends and family. Its façade is somewhat reminiscent of a vintage American diner and exudes a casual and playful appeal that complements its main attraction: the all-time favorite comfort meal.
The glass exterior wall is decorated with a yellow police tape decal that aptly warns customers to “leave belt at the door”, which is quite catchy and makes for a good conversation piece.
The interior has a cozy but pleasant appeal. I particularly like the old-fashioned blackboards lined side by side.
First up for this feature is one of their bestsellers, the Shroomburger (Php150). Although the bun can be improved, I salivated on the succulent patty that is made of 100% pure beef. It’s tasty mushroom gravy and deep roasty flavored caramelized onions complemented the juicy patty of the burger. If you want double the flavors, I recommend the Double Shroomburger (P190). And yes, the serving is “chub-sized”, so expect a full tummy after.
One of the owners of this cool diner told me that they only use fresh and natural ingredients for their burgers, so you can expect that there are no preservatives added. They also get their fresh produce like lettuce, onions, tomatoes and even rice from the neighboring Bukidnon Province to ensure quality ingredients while helping local farmers earn at the same time.
I also tried the newest addition to their potato fries line-up, the Chori Fries, made of pure potato wedges drizzled with ground chorizo and cheese. I must say I can eat a tray load of these as the chorizo bits perfectly complement the rustic taste of the potato chips. Despite its chub-sized serving, it is reasonably priced at only Php 110. Just make sure to eat it as soon as it’s served to enjoy its crispiness.
And who doesn’t dig milkshakes with their burgers and fries? The best ones I tried were the Banana-Nutrama Milkshake (Php 130) with a delicious combination of banana, homemade peanut butter and ice cream and Monkey Brains Milkshake made of mixed banana and cookies & cream flavored ice cream and biscuit.
Of course, my chub-sized meal wouldn’t be complete without trying The Smores Cup (Php 120) – a droolific treat made of crushed grahams, molten chocolate cake, marshmallows and vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup. I only have one word to describe it: heavenly!
For those who prefer rice meals over burgers and fries, don’t fret as they also serve breakfast meals that can be ordered any time of the day. One of their breakfast bestsellers is the hefty Crispy Pork Adobo (Php 190), which is made of crispy-coated pork cubes with bell pepper in special adobo sauce. It is served with two eggs, fried rice and your choice of unlimited brewed coffee, single-serve hot choco or bottomless iced tea. If you’re truly hungry, you might finish the whole serving all by yourself, or else bring a friend to share it with. It’s truly a must-try!
If you’re still not satisfied with your chub-sized meal, why not challenge the Godzilla-sized meal made of foot high burger, one pound of fries and a milkshake? The Chub’s Challenge is for an individual to finish the massive meal within 15 minutes or for a couple within 7 minutes to earn a place in the Chub’s Champions Wall of Fame and get a free T-shirt. Plus, you get the Chub’s Challenge meal worth Php 650 for free! If you’re thinking of trying this challenge, be ready with your own eating strategy to get a good chance of winning.
So, my dear When in Manila friends, if you ask me whether I would recommend this place “when in CDO”, my quick answer will be “oh yeah!” The price is a bit higher than regular fast-food options, but the quality and serving portion of the food make it totally worthy. You will also get a nice smile and great service from the staff as added bonus.
This group of students also enjoyed their meal at Chub’s Diner and told me they will definitely come back!
Chub’s Diner just turned 1 last October and will be opening its first branch out of CDO in Cebu City by 2014. After a year of operations, it is on its way into the mainstream foodie watch list. The owners also plan to expand their current space to include al fresco dining.
So, when you’re in CDO, don’t just go big; go chub-sized at Chub’s Diner!
CHUB’S DINER
Corrales Street (beside Metrobank Main/across Xavier University Gym), Cagayan de Oro City
09279108528 / (088) 880-2584
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chubs-Diner/340829109365065
Store Hours:
Monday to Saturday – 8am to 11pm
Sunday – 7am to 10pm
Mae Dizon with Noelle Juarez (owner, Chub’s Diner)
This feature’s photographer Judee Dizon and CDO Rugby Club Founder Noel Villa
Photographer: Judee Caroline D. Chaves
Photo Credit: Gelo Obrero (Chub’s Diner façade photo)
