Known as the little watering hole favored by expats, the long-standing restaurant of the late Murray Hertz is now part of The Bistro Group family. Murray and D'Vine is still offering their popular pairing of burgers and wine, and now adding more dishes to refresh their menu.
My first encounter with Murray and D'vine was back in 2009, meeting the Murray whom the restaurant was named after. Back then, he observed that there was a lack of burger options that elevated the sandwich from fastfood to gourmet. Mr. Hertz wanted to give diners something new to try — pairing burgers and sliders (mini burgers) with wine (D'vine stems from 'the vine' for its wine–the late Hertz was an expat keen on the Pinoy fascination with contractions and shortcuts–d'best!). Fast forward to 2016, and now we still have a great lineup of signature burgers, with the meatier addition of baby back ribs as a new protein of choice.
Their appetizer of Curly Fries (P125) is still found on the menu, and is still as nostalgic in flavors of cheese, bbq, or sour cream that taste of my childhood. Another classic bar chow, Nachos with Beef & Cheese (P225) remains on the menu and is still a crowd pleaser. If all those don't suit your mood to start your meal, then it's Fried Mozzarella (P195) to the rescue — ooey gooey deep fried cheese dipped in a classic marinara sauce never fails to please my appetite. New dishes introduced by The Bistro Group on the menu include flatbread appetizers, thin and crisp bread topped in different ingredients like Chicken BBQ (P265), Buffalo (P275), and Shrimp & Garlic (P295).
New on the menu as well is the Baby Back Ribs (P495/half slab, P795/full slab) served with fries, a hefty addition to their mains which is mostly all about their love affair with burgers. Get the Perfect Sampler (P695) for a little of everthing served on a platter: baby back ribs, a slider, and buffalo wings.
From its former burger menu featuring different proteins (there used to be pork, chicken, turkey, and ostrich), the signature burger lineup at Murray and D'Vine now puts the freshly grilled beef patty at the forefront, keeping it classic and satisfying. You can get it as simple as it gets with the Beef Burger (P325), or as Beef Burger Sliders (P375, three pieces) for sharing, with fries on the side.
Bigger burger cravings are satiated with their Cheese & Bacon Burger (P445) — you can think of it as a BLT sandwich with the special participation of melted cheddar cheese and a thick burger patty. The restaurant still charms through the years with its heart-shaped buns covered in sesame seed, and when it arrived with their longstanding showpiece burger, the Juicy Lucy (P425), I knew I was in for a mouthwatering treat.
This special type of cheeseburger was said to have been invented in Minneapolis (two bars claim to have dibs on this creation), and burger lovers are all the better for its existence. At Murray and D'vine, they interpret the popuar cheese-filled burger by stuffing their beef patty with Swiss cheese and sauteed onions. Underneath the half pound burger is a bed of onion rings.
The end result? Gloriously meaty, cheesy, and messy in every big bite. Every juicy chunk of the burger is a delicious explanation of why after all these years, the Juicy Lucy is still quite the luscious pick.
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Murray and D'Vine 'Burgers Ribs and Wine' is located at the ground floor of Serendra Piazza, BGC, Taguig. Like Murray & D'Vine on Facebook ("Murray & D'Vine Burgers Ribs and Wine"), follow on Instagram (@murrayndvine) and visit their website (www.murrayndvine.com).
