A REVIEW OF RIO's BURGER & MORE

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First off, what is a "hole in the wall"? A small modest place. Normally a restaurant. A place you thought did not exist. A pleasant surprise!
Let's all find out what RIO'S BURGER and MORE is all about.

RIO's can easily be located. It is alongside Petron Gasoline Station in Balagtas. Right behind the San Mig Convenience Store. Don't expect a dine-in restaurant because it's not. It's more of a kiosk. A 5-seater food bar. Black-themed. No frills.

But the place is noticeably clean. Kitchen is partly visible. This makes eating more pleasant and desirable.

What RIO'S may have lacked in ambiance surely made up for its food.

First off, we had their beat-the-heat drinks and refreshments. Their Mango Graham Shake has two varieties. CHEESE MANGO GRAHAM and HERSHEY'S MANGO GRAHAM. I'd go for the cheese variant anytime. The cheese flavor blended perfectly well with the mangoes and graham bits.

We also had the very refreshing CUCUMBER LEMONADE, OKINAWA MILK TEA and the OREO STRAWBERRY SHAKE.

The "bang in the buck" MACHO NACHOS came next. At P90 this appetizer is such a steal! And the mains came one after another. DOUBLE QUARTER POUNDER with FRIES, BACON CHEESE BURGER and the GREAT HUNGARIAN SAUSAGE. I am a sausage lover and I must say Rio's Hungarian tasted so good! It had a peppery flavor which matched their creamy dressing. Oh and I must say their patties were 100% pure beef no doubt. Their burgers will give the nearby fastfood restaurants a run for their money.

And then there were pastas. We tried the PINOY STYLE SPAGHETTI, MEATY CARBONARA and CREAMY PESTO. All were equally good but Mizi and I super loved the Carbonara! It had loads of ham to it, noodles were al dente and the sauce was ultra creamy.

We also had the MAMA MOJOS for the delight of potato fans and the CHICKEN PLATTER with hefty servings of Chicken Wings, Chicken Nuggets and Fries. This will be a great treat for the "barkada" or food groupies.

And last but definitely not the least was their amazing BUFFALO WINGS. This for us, is one, if not the best Buffalo Wings we've ever had! Spiced just right. Its crispiness and juiciness were awesome! A bite into it were like mini flavor bombs bursting in the mouth! There's a secret ingredient into it which I guessed right! Won't tell. It's for you to find out.

We come back to a restaurant for two reasons. It's the food of course and its people. And at Rio's their staff were simply great!

Both Ruth and Shai were accommodating and friendly. They were patient in answering my queries. And that infectious smiles on their faces are something customers look forward to whenever they visit.

Life is difficult nowadays. When eating out with family and friends, price now plays a major factor in making our choices. And in this category, Rio's did not disappoint.

Considering that they make use of high-quality ingredients from Sri Racha Sauce, dips, buns, bread. potatoes, etc. , their prices are very reasonable. Most servings are huge and already good for sharing.

*Wishlist:

I suggest that there's an appropriate Menu Board. It is best if you have a visual of what you are ordering.
Instead of cluttering your chicken bones, tissue paper, plastic gloves etc. on your cramped table, a covered Trash Bin outside could help.

If you are on the lookout for a comfort food place, then you have to include RIO'S BURGER and MORE to your to-go and must-try list! From burgers, to pastas, milk shakes, chicken wings and more. It truly lives up to its name! There's really so much more at RIO'S!