Army Navy: #YouDeserveDelicious

Army Navy is a quick-service restaurant established in 2009 specializing in a unique burger and burrito concept. I’ve known the restaurant since then because the food joint is just so popular. But I became more engaged to Army Navy later on because of three reasons.

First, it’s near DLSU. Second, a branch is also near our condo. And lastly, it satisfies our late-night cravings as it is one of the few restaurants that is still open up until midnight. When in Manila, you would just see us ordering burritos from Army Navy through Grab.

Here are some of our faves so far.

Steak Burrito

My boyfriend is the kind of foodie that will order the same over again if he wants a certain dish. In Army Navy, it’s the Steak Burrito. It was his first ever dish here and it never changed. I can understand why. It’s literally a full meal in a wrap. It has meat, veggies and carbs. It has generous fillings indeed. You could see it in its size. I just hoped it was wrapped tightly. The steak is the chewy type and not that juicy ones though so the wrap lacks contrasting flavors. It would be helpful to add sauce, cheese or something like corn.

Plant-based Burger

The bread is kinda dull and dry. My first thought was “What I can expect with a plant-based food?” But when I had a bite of the patty, my mind shifted to “There is no way that this is plant-based.There ain’t no way in this world that vegan tastes this good.” I wonder what’s inside that patty because the flavor is totally meaty. It even excretes juiciness. I recommend to try the double-patty or triple-patty instead because with buns this big, it needs more filling.

Carnitas Tacos

Aside from burgers and burritos, soft tacos are also recommended. I chose Carnitas to feel that Mexican vibe. Carnitas is the main ingredient but it was the cilantro that lifted the tacos. The pork was kinda bland so it was dominated by the intense flavors of the other fillings. I hope that they opted for pulled pork instead of chunky cuts. The addition of tomato salsa and lime made it so much better.

Bacon | Tapa

The Tex-Mex fast food has also adapted to Filipino preference as they offer silog meals. I was able to try both Bacon and Tapa rice meals. I’m happy that they have an option to double the meat! The egg is totally great. Though it has crusty bottom, the yolk is still runny, like how I want it to be. The long strips of bacon are crispy. The tapa is quite dry. I hope they made thinner strips of tapa, too, because they are hard to chew. It also lacks in flavor. It’s a good thing that there is vinegar, which made everything right.

Tortilla Soup

Tomato soups are my favorite. I always love that thick and tangy hot broth. However, since Army Navy is a Tex Mex fast food chain, it’s different from my usual Italian soup. This has chunks of tomatoes and corn kernels. But this version of tomato soup is delicious and heartwarming as well. Each spoonful has a kick of jalapeno and savor of cilantro so its distinct and undeniably great. instead of grilled cheese, it is served with tortilla chips which are okay.

Querida Mia

Querida Mia is defined as an open-faced quesadilla by Army Navy. It’s like a tortilla pizza, which is affordable for its price. It would be better if it has crispy crust but I don’t know. I think, they are really following the softness of quesadilla’s shell. Charlie Bravo, which indicates the cheese and bacon toppings, is similar to what they put on a pizza. Bacon even tastes like pepperoni since it has mild tartness. I just realized while writing this blog that I tried two bacon dishes in Army Navy. But the two gives different bacon goodness.

Churros

Army Navy succeeded on making the rays of the Churros’ star crunchy and center soft. However, it’s very plain both in appearance and in taste. The dough mix is bland and has no creaminess at all. I suggest that they add cinnamon and sugar powder to make it more special. Plus, it looks like the Churros were deep-fried in oil that has been used for savory food. That’s what O can taste from it. I’m glad they serve a good chocolate, which is sweet and delectable. It tastes like Krimstix chocolate.

Libertea Agua Fresca

Since Libertea and Army Navy are brand partners, Libertea drinks are offered in Army Navy branches. We were attracted to the jar packaging so we ordered Agua Fresca. The first thing I noticed is the sparkling water effect on it. This is not what I expected. I thought that it would just be a water-based drink, sweetened with flavorings. For the strawberry flavor, the soda was dominating. I like the cucumber better since it got the flavors I’m looking.