With an ambience reminiscent of a simple hole-in-the-wall restaurant in New York, Lazy Bastard is dedicated to serving customers their ridiculous comfort food, as one of its partners, Mr. Justin Qua, puts it.
And at Lazy Bastard, ridiculous is a good thing: Hotdogs topped generously with ingredients such as meaty chili con carne, or honey and parmesan cheese, and burgers made from 100 percent beef sandwiched in soft potato buns. These potato buns are a winner; it absorbs the meaty flavors of the beef, therefore enhancing the gastronomical experience for anyone who partakes of Lazy Bastard’s burger creations.
Lazy Bastard wasn’t in the plans of the owners at all. Initially, managing owner Patrick Cuartero wanted to open a speakeasy–a clandestine liquor bar inspired by New York during the Prohibition, a time in the 1920s when sale and manufacturing of alcohol was prevented by law. This gave birth to ABV (Alcohol by Volume) in Jupiter Street, which has been ranked #1 in Manila and #14 in Asia for Asia’s Best Bars.
The idea for this restaurant, as Qua recalls, was actually an unexpected gem. “Lazy Bastard was supposed to be a random side business to serve as the front to hide the bar for the speakeasy. However, when we first opened it on Jupiter Street, we’d notice that a surprising amount of people would come over craving our food in the wee hours of the morning,” says Qua. “So we thought, hey, maybe this could work.” Hence, Lazy Bastard was born.
Apart from the food that simply makes cheat days better, Lazy Bastard prides itself in having a service-oriented staff, as well as its attention to detail. Today, however, Lazy Bastard has permeated Taft territory. In the newly-opened branch in Archer’s Nook, the staff is highly accommodating and more than willing to answer questions regarding the menu. Furthermore, their fast service shows a high standard that goes beyond merely providing customers with comfort food— when it came to overall experience and satisfaction.
Qua highlights the value of attention to detail in Lazy Bastard, saying: “To this day, despite having opened three branches already, we still put a lot of our heart into the food we serve.”
The use of potato buns in their burgers and hotdogs, for one, makes a significant difference, as potato buns absorb meat juices more than regular buns do, giving the entire meal a highly savory taste as expected of comfort food. This kind of attention to detail is also what makes Lazy Bastard different from similar restaurants with similar cuisines.
Another mouthwatering characteristic of Lazy Bastard is its generous use of bacon in most, if not all, of its items in their menu. Its battle cry, Long live bacon, greatly establishes the fact that bacon just makes everything better, and every day is bound to be a cheat day thanks to that. Thanks to its comfortable and welcoming ambiance, it’s indeed difficult to resist Lazy Bastard’s highly tempting creations.
Overall, Lazy Bastard is far from lazy with regard to service and quality; a friendly staff and varied menu choices make the dining experience unique and fun. Furthermore, the place itself is perfect for lunchtime hangouts during breaks, or simply just walking in to satisfy a craving for some savory grub. No doubt Lazy Bastard’s food offerings are worth getting out of bed (or couch) for.
And, of course, long live bacon.
Lazy Bastard branches: 22 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air, Makati City
Third Floor, Phase 2, U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Loyala Heights, Quezon City
Second Floor, Archer’s Nook Center, 2464 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila
