On the momentous occasion of International Burger Day, One Bite Kids (OBK) emerged as a burger business born from the brotherhood of young friends, setting its wheels in motion back in 2022. This pop-up shop has swiftly gained admiration, finding its place amidst different hangout spots, particularly within the beloved Molave Community Market (MCM).
“It started with small talks and a few beers with high school friends from different colleges. Until an invitation came from one of our partner’s brothers. Small talks became business meetings and a few beers became post-shift huddles,” said Rex Roland Balgos, co-owner of OBK.
While business experts often caution against starting a venture with your best friends, friends like Gerald, Rex, Luke, Kester, Kevin, Alnerson, Tomas and Brian boldly defy this advice and prove that OBK’s brotherhood is the recipe for success.
“‘Kids with Buns’ was the first in mind, but the more we kept saying the name the more it started to sound weird. That’s when we decided to name it ‘One Bite Kids.’ It suited us and our burgers,” said Rex.
Despite the saturation of burger businesses in the market, Cebu’s burger scene remains on a quest, constantly elevating the standard of quality burgers. It is within this context that OBK felt an urge to answer the call and bring better burgers to the people of Cebu.
“We noticed that there were no shops offering the thinly smashed patties that create a crisp texture with a soft brioche bun married together with our house sauce,” said Kester Bennet Hamoy, OBK co-owner.
If you’re wondering what smash burgers look like, it truly resembles its name. This technique involves shaping ground beef into balls and pressing them onto the grill, resulting in thin but still meaty patties.
For OBK, first you need the highest temp you could get on your flat griddle. Place the ball of meat to the pan and immediately smash as thin as possible to produce crispy edges. When the meat is candied, scrape it with a spatula, turn it over and marry the cheddar sliced cheese with some steam. On the other side of the griddle, they butter and toast its soft and milky brioche bun and combine the patty with its secret sauce and sauteed onions. And serve.
“This burger is ideally consumed directly to enjoy the melted cheese and crispy patty. But we tried some cold ones and it did not disappoint. We really needed to master every step of our cooking because the technique is the product,” explained co-owner, Brian Miguel Martinez.
And it’s not just a visual preparation that lingers in your mind or behind the chef’s counter. At One Bite Kids, these techniques are skillfully executed right before your eyes as you place your order and as they serve it to you. This adds an extra layer of charm to OBK’s exceptional offerings.
OBK has two smash burgers on its menu. “Intro” for P90, which is the basic burger consisting of patty, house sauce, cheese and pickles. This burger is a great introduction to OBK’s flavor, hence the name.
“Bridge” for P140 is a double patty with a special sauce, double cheese, pickles, smoked bacon bits. Its savory taste will leave you wanting seconds.
For OBK’s sides, “Strings” for P90 which are shoestring cut fries, chili con carne, smoked bacon,and melted cheese. “Mariachi” for P90 is made up of nacho chips, chili con carne, melted cheese with a side of salsa.
“Our first official date was July 14, 2022 in front of the Casa Venna Building in Punta Princesa, which was owned by the father of one of our partners. Friends and family went to support us and we are really grateful for them,” said Gerald Augustin Baclaan, OBK co-owner.
“The real challenge was handling operations and customer service. We were inexperienced and had different schedules. But with the guidance of our mentor and the feedback from our customers, we were able to learn from it. The challenge became our strength,” said Tomas Inigo Tan, OBK co-owner.
Alnerson Nuque, co-owner of OBK, fondly recalled that initially their customer base consisted mainly of friends and family. However, an interesting change occurred when they encountered a new face who not only became a regular customer but also brought along a steady stream of people to OBK’s pop-up shop.
They also thank Willow Hoods of the Molave Community Market and Rad Times PH for the generous space they provided for OBK’s pop-up shops. Soon, they plan to grow big and have their own shop dedicated to smash burger.
“Pop-up shops are fun though because we get to know a lot of people and meet different personalities. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to fulfill that goal. As of now, we are focusing on expanding our brand and building connections with the community,” said Luke Augustine Diola, OBK co-owner.
One Bite Kids, steadily elevating, possesses the potential to evolve from a humble pop-up shop to a full-fledged establishment. Yet, its deliberate decision to continue with pop-up shops adds a heartwarming layer to its story. OBK transcends the realm of business transactions, valuing friendship above all else, and embracing heartfelt connections before commercial success.
“The relationships we make with our customers and fellow pop-up shops, the experience we gain and learning how to improve on what we already know and do, seeing new people taste our burgers for the first time and the satisfied faces of customers after one bite are our favorite parts about OBK. Overall it’s a fun experience, and who doesn’t want to have fun on the job?” said Kevin Von Anthony Hamoy, OBK co-owner.
Each bite carries not only flavor but also the warmth of brotherhood and shared experiences. One Bite Kids is open every Saturday and Sunday in front of WWorkshop.Studio on Molave St. located between Gorordo Ave. and Archbishop Reyes Ave., Cebu City. S