Pinoy food spot Jeepney wins New York burger battle

The absolute best burger in all of New York City has Filipino origins.

Filipino food spot Jeepney’s Chori Burger was declared the champion of Time Out New York’s 2014 “Battle of the Burger.”

Time Out is a lifestyle magazine with 46 editions in 30 countries. The Time Out Group Limited has expanded over the past 40 years to publish travel guides, guides to specific aspects of cities around the world, and an online presence.

For the love of longganisa

Time Out New York’s Christina Izzo reported that “fun-loving Filipino canteen Jeepney captured diners’ hearts and took home the Golden Burger trophy for their standout Chori Burger, which comes shellacked in banana ketchup and Maggi aioli, and topped with chorizo-esque longganisa.”

The Filipino burger beat New York’s top 20 burgers like Burger Joint, Shake Shack, Five Guys, Donovan’s, Corner Bistro, and Steak and Shake.

Jeepney’s co-owner Nicole Ponseca said their big win only shows that Filipino food deserves a spot in the mainstream food scene.

“Winning that just wasn’t just claiming best burger. It was a win for anyone who wants our food to be recognized. It was a win for any Filipino out there that wants us to be part of mainstream,” she said.

Inspiration from Boracay

Inspired by the “chori burgers” of Boracay, Jeepney’s co-owner and executive chef Miguel Trinidad took it further by creating a Filipino-American version of the chori burger.

Instead of the full longganisa patties of Boracay, the award-winning burger is made from half longganisa and half beef, topped with a Pinoy favorite, banana ketchup, and atsara.

It comes with kamote fries, maggi garlic aioli dip, and served on a Jewish challah bun.

Highlighting Filipino food

Executive chef Miguel Trinidad said, “It was a way of introducing longganisa to Americans who weren’t willing to try Filipino food. If they see it in, which is more familiar, then they’re willing to try it.”

It’s worth noting that this year’s runner-up for the top Battle of the Burger award went to an entry from another Filipino-American—chef Dale Talde who owns a food spot called Pork Slope.