[Review] JD Burger Project - Iloilo City

JD Burger Project. Flickr/Jepf

If ever you are in Iloilo City and are suddenly craving a good burger, then you should give JD Burger Project a try.

I think JD Bakeshop has as long as I have been on this earth (go look it up and you will have a rough idea how old I am) and has established itself as one of the go-to places when you want to buy pasalubong from Iloilo City. I would characterize it as a middle-of-the-pack kind of establishment when it comes to baked goods. They do offer a nice dining experience with decent menu options on their restaurant but again it's nothing to write home about. So when I heard from a friend about the existence of the burger-themed spin-off, my curiosity was piqued but since you wouldn't necessarily associate JD Bakeshop with specialty burgers I was understandably skeptical. The restaurant is located along General Luna Street in Iloilo City right alongside a JD Bakeshop branch.

The first thought that struck me when we first visited the place was "Thank goodness this place has a spacious parking area!" There are slots along the main road in front of the JD Bakery restaurant and there is an additional parking area just beside where the JD Burger Project restaurant is located (they are separate places each with their own entrances). The adjacent parking area has direct access to the JD Burger Project restaurant through a back door.

JD Burger Project offers a diverse menu that caters to different tastes and preferences. From classic cheeseburgers to gourmet creations (it goes on without saying that the items on the menu range from the budget-friendly to the more pricey offerings), there is something for everyone. They offer a lot of sides and they even have rice meals. So how was the food you ask? Well, I cannot evaluate the entire menu of course and any observation that I can say is just based on a very limited sample size (with not much check on consistency). OK, here it goes:

- The burgers are decently sized and they were all delicious.

- The onion rings were really good!

- The burger steak was just OK and I liked the gravy.

- The quality of the burger buns is top-notch. I am a firm believer that the bread can make or break a burger.

- We liked the extensive menu options and the fact that customization of orders is allowed to a certain extent (we just added more patties - we were that hungry).

- One comment my friend made that I remember is that he thought that the burgers we tried so far were on the sweeter side. I didn't really notice it that much and I think it was just the caramelized onions which I don't mind at all.

The ambiance is cozy with subdued lighting and soft sofas available on certain tables. The sound system is also not overly loud so you can have a proper conversation with your friends while chilling. The temperature inside is just right although we have visited the place at night so I do not know how it is during the hottest part of the day. The seating capacity is a bit limited but we didn't notice any customers that struggled to find a place to sit. OK, having said that, I would like to point out that this restaurant does not have its own toilets BUT you should not count that against them since you can always go to the JD Bakeshop restaurant next door.

Our orders arrived in a reasonable amount of time and condiments and complimentary chilled water bottles can be requested from the counter (as an aside note, Iloilo City has a local ordinance requiring food establishments to provide free potable water upon request). The service crew is a small team and it has this self-service vibe to the place when you need water refills, more napkins, etc.

I quite enjoyed the dining experience and have since returned to the restaurant several times. I would definitely recommend this place to people who are visiting Iloilo City and want something uniquely local when craving burgers. I'd say they are roughly the same level as Zark's Burger (which I also really like).

Food: 7/10

Location: 7/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Value for money: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Overall: 7.4/10