If you want burgers the way you’ve always eaten them, then go to the fast food joint nearest you. If you want real burgers made and cooked the way they should be, then Charlie’s Grind and Grill is a place you must try.

Named after the man whose claim to fame was cooking the world’s first hamburger, Charlie’s Grind and Grill is a breath of fresh air in this day and age when everyone’s idea of a burger is processed meat sandwiched in between two bread buns. This fast, casual dining restaurant promises to serve high quality burgers that are ground on site, hand-formed, cooked, and seasoned to perfection.

Chef Robby Goco, owner of Charlie’s, describes it as a resto that caters to adults. True enough, the place serves several brands of beer all day, which go well with the restaurant’s famed burgers. Also, unlike your regular fast food joint, Charlie’s menu offers a wide array of food items that are fresh, high in fiber, low in sugar and fats, and with no preservatives–perfect for the health buffs who want their protein fix.

“We cater to adults because no one is catering to them anymore. Can you go to a fast food restaurant and order beer? Definitely not!” he said.

Although the restaurant’s target customers are adults, its branch in Ortigas Avenue in San Juan City exudes a modern vibe that attracts a younger crowd. The use of orange and yellow colors within the restaurant’s interiors gives it a fun and lively feel. Two flat screen televisions, which were tuned in to some hard court action at the time of our visit, add to the hip atmosphere.

Interestingly, the restaurant’s kitchen is open for everyone to see. On the way to the dining area, one cannot help but look at the area where the food is being prepared. Chef Goco himself encourages visitors to check out the kitchen, which more often than not, exudes the inviting aroma of burger patties being cooked the Charlie’s way—fresh ground beef first rolled into meatballs, flattened directly on the grill, then cooked to perfection.