“Burgers Chose Me”: The Journey of Pingu's Burger and Healthy Fast Food

On an intimate, tree-lined street in the middle of Thảo Điền sits Pingu's Burger. By outward appearance, it seems like your run-of-the-mill burger joint, but there’s more intention here than one would expect.

Though she’s always cooked from her heart, Pingu's Burger’s chef Oanh isn’t sure exactly why she picked burgers as the focus of her business, simply telling Saigoneer, “Burgers chose me as a fate – it came to my mind for no particular reason.”

Perhaps it was her dog Pingu, described as a burger-loving canine and the eatery’s moniker, that manifested their owner’s culinary dreams and led her to open her burger delivery service run out of a kitchen in District 6.

Oanh found success, at least in part, due to the heart she puts into her food. This is apparent in the fresh, locally sourced ingredients used for her dishes – beef from local farmers, buns from a small family bakery and vegetables from the nearby market. When necessary, she makes what she needs in-house, like sauces made by her mother (and don’t worry, they still have Heinz available), vanilla ice cream sweetened with natural honey and freshly-squeezed orange juice. Like many chefs Oanh, finds meaning in making people happy with her cooking and the knowledge that she is using healthy ingredients.

Though the menu has items like fries and well-appointed hot dogs, burgers are the focus and most popular dish. Particularly well-received is the namesake Pingu's Burger which features a beef paddy topped with bacon and a fried egg as well as their classic cheeseburger.

This week, Pingu's Burger rolled out their seasonal Tết sliders that include special buns dyed with beet juice that transform them into a festive red hue.

The eatery itself feels like a home living room. Thanks to the plethora of plants, warm lighting and low-key tunes, one may find themselves opting to eat directly at the shop when picking up their delivery order.

Healthy fast food may sound like an oxy-moron and one would be right to be skeptical of such a claim from some international conglomerate. But from top to bottom, Oanh and her team are committed to making this concept a reality at Pingu's Burger.