I just came from glorious days of food tripping in Palawan and already I am talking about this restaurant in Antipolo City named Texas Embassy Burger and Fish & Chips I have come across with last night. Pardon the excitement, ever since I moved back in this town, one of my personal dilemmas is that there are not a lot of restaurants around I could write about save for the usual fast food chains we also have in Manila.
I bumped into some, yes. Yet, only few have given me the driving force to face my laptop and write about the experience. But I guess it is too early to tell, I am still in the process of reacquainting myself with Antipolo City and its restaurant scene, hence the Antipolo Food Trip series you will be seeing here at YedyLicious from time to time. We will just see how will this pan out.
My goal is to look for restaurants, locally owned if possible, which would give me the reason to just stay within the town and ditch the idea of braving the traffic along Ortigas Ext. and Libis-Santolan area (via Sumulong Highway) whenever I am craving for a full restaurant experience. Just like Tipulo Restaurant which I have written before.
While moving in Antipolo revived my love for creating my own dishes in my own kitchen using some ingredients growing in my backyard, I do not ditched the freedom to enjoy dining out entirely. I have been a food blogger since 2008 with main focus on restaurants in Manila after all, old habits die hard.
So when last night I chanced upon Texas Embassy Burger and Fish & Chips and tried their burger, I knew then that they'll become one of my favorites. I honestly had this sudden feeling of wanting to meet the owners and thank them profusely for opening this restaurant.
You see, during my first few months in Antipolo, I immediately scouted for burger joints in the area, but to no avail. There are some that specializes in this grub which got me excited at first. But upon trying, I was always given burger with patties screaming of extenders and fried to kingdom come I cannot even recognize the meat. Heartbreaking, I tell you.
Even my food blogger friends The Hungry Giant and Hefty Foodie could attest to that since I was with them when we visited this supposed to be a restaurant in Antipolo specializing in burgers. The place is now closed.
But Texas Embassy Burger and Fish & Chips is different. They gave me my money's worth with their cheeseburger which hefty beef patty was grilled to perfect submission making the meat tender and juicy. Heaven bless them for not frying the burger patty!
I could really taste the beefy meat of my grub. It was neither dry nor under cooked. For the price of Php140, it was big enough to satisfy a hungry me. I think the patty is close to a quarter pound, by my estimate.
The buns used were soft and fluffy that it easily deformed when handled with a little pressure - it's my kind of bread. Loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, ketchup, and a slice of cheddar cheese on top, Texas Embassy Cheeseburger is the best one I had in Antipolo by far. My only complaint is that they could use a little more mayo simply because I am crazy about mayonnaise. Other than that, it's fine the way it is.
Next time, I wouldn't mind having their double and triple patties.
Note however that if you are a food blogger or is someone who likes taking photos of your food before digging in, the lighting inside Texas Embassy during dinner service can be a bit of a challenge. The ambiance exudes an aura of a diner more than anything. But at night, it is more of a gimmick place (do people still use this term?) or a bar.
I only have with me my Samsung camera phone during my visit, I think around 6pm, and taking photos of the food was not a walk in the park. Although I bet everything will look great with natural light hence, I am excited to visit again on their lunch service one of these days.
I was already a happy camper with my Embassy Cheeseburger but my parents who I was with talked me into trying the food they ordered. The Caesar Salad (Php100) was of big serving portion considering its price. But the taste is the kind I can have anywhere else. I just have to give props to the food attendants at Texas Embassy because when I asked them to give me extra salad dressing because the one provided is just not proportion to the salad, they gave us one without an extra charge.
Now the Three Cheese Nachos (Php150) is nothing short of amazing. I love the nacho chips they used because it's thin and crisp and flavorful on its own. I am not sure if it's homemade or store bought, regardless, it's amazing. The three cheeses used I am guessing were cheddar, mozzarella, and cheese sauce. I didn't asked, honestly. I was too busy munching on it to be bothered.
At any rate, this nacho dish was really good. I regret not having Yosemite fries with my burger at first but then I realized the nachos made up for it anyway.
When we ordered Half Rack of Baby Back Ribs with Rice (Php180) and was given this serving, I was a bit surprised that it's actually big (photo below). I was expecting half of what was served to us but the attendant informed me that the whole rack is two pieces of that serving. I am guessing it is because the bones are shorter.
The portion kind of reminds me of the ribs I had at RUB Ribs & BBQ Restaurant, but the flavor is different. It has a fine balance between savory and sweet but it lacks the smokiness I want in my rib dish.While it does not have the hardcore fall-of-the-bone tenderness to it, the texture is good enough that it can be easily eaten nonetheless.
I was eyeing for their beef lasagna but we got too much meat on the table we opted for Texas Embassy's Mac and Cheese (Php100) instead. I love the texture of the pasta and the flavorful bacon bits on top. I also love the generosity of cheese and the inclusion of the garlic bread was a thoughtful addition. It was not something I would crave for but I did not regret having it as well. Next time, I will definitely try the lasagna.
Texas Embassy menu is short and straightforward. Aside from burgers, their specialties include Fish and Chips which we did not order since we just came from Palawan wherein we indulge on good seafood we decided to let it go this time. There are also rice meals on the menu and some promising line up of desserts. They do serve different kinds of beers which are good accompaniment to most of the items on their menu.
If anything, I would say that whenever I am craving for good burgers, Texas Embassy is definitely my go to place now. Other items on the menu which I have not tried will still be considered, but really, it's their burger that made them a happy place for me.
Texas Embassy is not really hard to spot, it is located at Claveria Plaza along Circumferential Road in Antipolo City. Easy landmark is Max's Restaurant and Servitek which is located the opposite side of Claveria Plaza.
The prices are reasonable by Antipolo rate. But if you know how these things are priced in Manila, you would say that they are affordable compared. Our tab amounted to less than Php800 only. The food attendants were kind and accommodating, always eager to check if we need anything on our table. They also have al fresco dining overlooking the busy Circumferential Road but the seats are limited.
Needless to say, Texas Embassy Burger and Fish & Chips really made me happy. I just fear that judging by the fast turnaround of restaurants in Antipolo, ( I was going to write about 2 restaurants in Antipolo, turns out, they closed down recently, it's sad) this happy place might relocate or close down as well. I sincerely hope not. And with the quality of burger they have, I am hopeful that they will last longer than any other restaurants in the area)
That is why I am super stoked to spread the word in my own little way, that in Antipolo City, there is a good burger joint called Texas Embassy you should visit.
2nd Flr. Claveria Plaza
Circumferential Road
Brgy. Dalig
Antipolo City
Contact No.: (02) 650-4340
Facebook: /TexasEmbassyMNL
