FRIDAY FOODFEST: the chokeslam from zark's burger

i have always been a fan of burgers. since my childhood days, the big mac has remained a fascination to me despite its decreasing size lately. i have tried burgers from here and there - from cheap thrills like burger machine's double bartburger (because it's buy-one-take-one) to in-and-out burger's 4x4 and animal style (oh i miss san francisco). personally, i consider the "big d" burger of dayrit's as my favorite burger of all time. as sinful as they can be, burgers are part of my "to avoid" list in my dietary regimen. but sometimes i can throw that away and just indulge in such a treat.

two weeks ago, i went to this burger place along taft avenue (across la salle... yes, you read it right. the "L" word) named zark's burger. vea has been telling me about their burgers as well as the "jawbreaker" and "chokeslam" challenges (like finishing the burger and fries according to a particular time-limit), and i was raring to give it a try. though i already lost four kilos since the start of san jose seminary's biggest loser challenge, i decided to give in to this side of the challenge - on the "green" side of the playing court.

i actually intended to take the jawbreaker challenge. but since this is my first time to go to this burger house, i'd rather enjoy and savor my first zark's burger experience. on the day of the challenge, i posted the photo of the jawbreaker in my facebook page and and it garnered a total of 26 likes. right after the meal, i posted my burger of choice for the night - the chokeslam - and it had a total of 23 likes. my former student commented: "Cher, that's going STRAIGHT to your ARTERIES! Masarap ba?" i would be a liar if i said no.


zark's actually features a wide number of burgers in their menu, divided into three categories (minor league, major league, and the best pound for pound) and mostly named after wwe and nba personalities or signature moves: like the three pointer includes three kinds of cheese in the burger, while the black mamba takes pride in its barbecue rum sauce. but what caught my attention are the burgers from the highest weight class - the best pound for pound - which includes two of their signature burgers: the jawbreaker (triple cheeseburger with spam, bacon, and fries) and the tombstone (two pound cheeseburger with 200 grams of fries). since i'm here for the experience and not much for a challenge, i picked something in between these two: the chokeslam - four cheeseburger patties topped with an egg and a spam.

i tried dissecting the burger myself by dividing and eating it in three parts: the bottom (patty + veggies + lower bun), the top (upper bun + egg and spam + patty), and the middle (two patties).

after 15 minutes... it's gone! hahahaha!


overall, i enjoyed the chokeslam. it was greasy just as any burger can be, but i liked the creativity and the innovation behind the burger. i find this gastronomic experience quite satisfying. i guess i'll be back soon for the tombstone. but on second thought, the tombstone challenge is too much to take. 10 minutes for the burger and fries? enjoyin ko na lang yung pagkain! hahahaha!

RATING: 3 1/2 KNIVES 

special thanks to vea for introducing and accompanying me to zark's burgers! let's take the tombstone challenge soon!

COMING SOON on FFF: scenes from the world food expo, the search for the best liempo in town, a KMU staple, and a favorite from my xavier days.