Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t have ulcer and need a kind of special diet or need to recover from food-poisoning due to some horrible stuff some people offer here in this City and call it food. Food Rehab is the rather clever name of a kind of Fast Food Outlet/Burger Joint. As I saw some pictures of their stuff a few weeks back -and it didn’t look bad- I wanted to grace the place with my body odor to make a critical analysis which you are about to read.
My two ladies and I were at the Rizal Boulevard to witness the unveiling of the new Dumaguete signage. After some rather dreadful 45 minutes listening to prayers and noise coming from the horrible PA system, interrupted with speeches which had more “erm’s and uhm’s” than actual understandable words, we decided to have a bite to eat. First idea was to go just around the corner to Mooon’s Café at Silliman Avenue. However, as it was close too 7:00pm, we could not get a table inside and decided to go to a kind of Burger Joint called Food Rehab at Plaza Escaño.
Food Rehab at Plaza Escaño
If you wonder where Plaza Escaño is, just follow the Boulevard north, past Looc towards Hayahay. Don’t turn left into E.J. Blanco, but remain on Flores Avenue. After some 150 meters or so you will find Plaza Escaño. Food Rehab is located in the back-corner of the left building. You probably will see the TIKI Bar first. Just go past it and you are there.
Food Rehab in Dumaguete is a rather small place with four tables inside and some outside seating. We went inside as there is aircon. The place is somehow a “semi self-service” thingy. You get the menu and an order slip. The choices are not very extensive, but almost perfect to have a snack and a beer… or three. Some different Burger, Chicken Wings with different dips, Fries, some local dishes with more or less fancy names and a few all-day breakfast-offers. Well, Food Rehab opens at 2:
Our Orders at Food Rehab
We ordered 3 different Burgers – 1 Classic Rehab (P149), 1 What a Truck (P199), 1 Flaming Chick (P149), a “Chopped Something in Gravy with Rice” (P159) and some BBQ Fries (P99). Add to that some drinks. After filling out the order slip you go to the cashier with it and pay. All together the damage was just short of P1,000. The preparation time wasn’t too long either and when our food arrived it looked quite yummy, and actually like it is on their pictures on the wall and
Watch our Food Trip to Food Rehab here:
Taste wise is not much to complain. If spicy was mentioned in the menu it had indeed a nice spice to it. However, the meat content of the Burger dishes was a bit on the lower side. I can’t judge how the actual burger patty tastes, as there was really a lot of sauce that it was not possible to determine the taste of the pure patty. Having said this, the overall taste was satisfying, the portion size really good and for that price there is not much to complain. Then again, if I compare it to a burger at Casablanca Restaurant for just 50 Peso more, Food Rehab does not come close to the meat amount and quality of the CB Burger, which is without any doubts the best Burger in Dumaguete City.
After wrapping up, we left with a full tummy and a nice experience. The beers were cold, the burgers messy (which is always a good sign), and the Blue Lemonade just a notch sweeter than sugar-syrup, so probably perfect for the locals. Wi-Fi is not available at Food Rehab, which seems a bit strange to me in 2018, but as we are in the Philippines and most 86-ers don’t even know that there is anything else than Facebook (which probably comes with their cellphone load for free) it might be just fine having NO Wi-Fi.
Will I go again to Food Rehab in Dumaguete.
That’s a bit a tricky question and needs some thoughts. I would certainly not go there just for the food. However, if it occurs like last night that the place we wanted to go had no space it is a good alternative. It may also be fine to catch a bite to eat before heading to Hayahay to watch catch a live band. If living on the south of Dumaguete like in Bacong, Dauin or uphill in Valencia, I would spend the time driving there just to eat.
Then again, I am sure I will return there in not that distant future, as there is always something when your original plan gets busted by one reason or another, like “sorry sir, out of stock” or “maybe next week” or “We know you will spend 2.000 Peso, but we are too lazy to work” like it happened to us at Pasta King just 3 weeks a
