R Burger? Roppongi Burger w/ STD Sauce?

[GuyJean]

..

I'd definitely try it. But eating a hamburger with a knife and fork is for pussies.. Of course, if I'm eating a hamburger with foie gras, I've already achieved pussy-dom..

GJ

[kusai Jijii]

Think I might of mentioned this before, but if we are on the subject of burgers, Layers' Burger in Nagoya rocks the free world. Its the city's ONLY saving grace.

[IkemenTommy]

Think I might of mentioned this before, but if we are on the subject of burgers, Layers' Burger in Nagoya rocks the free world. Its the city's ONLY saving grace.

I was in Nagoya and in the Hisaya Ohdori area today so I decided to give Layer's a try. Not bad. I went ahead and slapped on all the different options --cheese, avocado, pineapple, bacon, extra artery clogging lard, etc -- and holy god damn! It wasn't too bad. I should have gone all out with their double burger but I will do that the next time now that I know how much of a portion they serve, which I can say was not a whole lot.

[kusai Jijii]

[IkemenTommy]

I don't think so. Nagoya is like the holocaust. Never again. What a fuckin shit hole!

[Mulboyne]

Yomiuri: Tourists lured by towns' specialty burgers

Many municipalities are turning to spiced-up versions of the humble hamburger to attract tourists and boost local economies. The trend started with Nagasaki Prefecture's Sasebo burger and has spread to other cities. Sasebo, home to 250,000 people and a U.S. naval base, has 32 Sasebo burger shops authorized in part by the Sasebo Convention and Visitors Association. Each shop creates original burgers using local meat and vegetables and are often packed with tourists on weekends. It is believed the burgers became popular around the start of the Korean War in 1950, when shops around the base marketed the burgers to U.S. servicemen. The current popularity of the Sasebo burger started five or six years ago after several magazines ran features on the burger. Log Kit, one of the best known burger joints in the city, is famous for the size of its burger--more than 15 centimeters in diameter. The shop has expanded beyond the prefecture, with branches in Tokyo, Sapporo, Kyoto and Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. Another shop in the Kanto region is slated to open in summer. The association and accredited shops meet regularly to ensure the quality of the Sasebo burger brand. "Keeping the traditional taste goes without mention, but we also want to enrich our service to our customers," Nobuyo Maruta, owner of Log Kit, said.

The Name-pakkun is a hamburger made with a patty of catfish, a foreign species that preys on the local wakasagi smelt population, in the small city of Namegata, which is flanked by the Kasumigaura and Kitaura lakes in southeastern Ibaraki Prefecture. The 480 yen burger, launched in January at the initiative of a local chamber of commerce and industry, has been a hit, with visitors coming from as far as the Tokyo metropolitan area just to try it out. Young catfish are caught in Lake Kasumigaura and cultivated in fresh water to cleanse the mud out of the fish. The burger uses only the meat around the pectoral fins. Each three-kilogram to four-kilogram catfish can provide about 200 grams of meat, which is then kneaded with local lotus roots and onions and seasoned with tartar sauce and hot chili sauce. Toppings are made with local vegetables, including wasabina. Keiko Hirano, 50, a leading member of the chamber who led the burger project, said: "This is our product of pride that uses the power of the region working together. I hope people enjoy our burgers while taking in the Kasumigaura scenery." In March, a Koi-pakkun burger, which uses local speciality carp, will be launched.

The Mikunicho district in Sakai, Fukui Prefecture, started to sell the Mikuni Burger in April 2006. The burger is only available at Mikuni Minatoza, a tourist information center opened by local residents, but occasional stands selling the 550 yen burger are set up for events at department stores. The patty is made of beef and domestic pork, with the bun made from flour mixed with local Koshihikari rice. Many local ingredients, including speciality pickled shallots, are served along with it. The shop decided to develop the burger to target young tourists. The burger has been recognized by the prefecture as a local brand creation promotion project. Media coverage about local burgers also has given it an unexpected boost, shop manager Kazumi Izuchi said. The shop also sells a Shrimp Cream Cutlet Burger made from shrimp caught nearby. On some weekends, more than 100 shrimp burgers are sold. "We're looking to expand our menu," Izuchi said.

[Mulboyne]

This is the Burger closed their Hachioji branch at the end of February although you can still sample their fare at the remaining two shops in Kokubunji and Tachikawa.

Also, here's a clip from YouTube. The odd thing for me is that I know this bar very well and I had no idea they served this burger since all I've ever done there is drink endless gin and tonics until the early hours.

[YT]f-SSj0N4Kjg[/YT]

There are quite a few burger videos on YouTube. Here's a recent one which also claims to have found Japan's best burger:

[YT]RZfcRN444TU[/YT]

[Greji]

Also, here's a clip from YouTube. The odd thing for me is that I know this bar very well and I had no idea they served this burger since all I've ever done there is drink endless gin and tonics until the early hours.

Where is this place? I seem to recall a visit there in a drunken cloud, but can't place it. At any rate, if it was the same place, I was equally ignorant of the availability of any hamburgers...

[Captain Japan]

Where is this place? I seem to recall a visit there in a drunken cloud, but can't place it. At any rate, if it was the same place, I was equally ignorant of the availability of any hamburgers...

Looks like Uguisudani.

EDIT: I think it's actually Shinjuku 3-chome.

[Greji]

Looks like Uguisudani.

EDIT: I think it's actually Shinjuku 3-chome.

Damn! That's close to my running grounds now. Good've been the same joint!

[Mulboyne]

It is Shinjuku 3-chome. Helpfully, when Monster closes, there's a bar across the street to fall into for a few more hours.

[Greji]

It is Shinjuku 3-chome. Helpfully, when Monster closes, there's a bar across the street to fall into for a few more hours.

I should have known it was within your bailiwick!

[Captain Japan]

I should have known it was within your bailiwick!

Greji, don't worry]have any problems finding entertainment[/url].

[Greji]

Greji, don't worry]have any problems finding entertainment[/url].

That was complete unadulterated smut. Of little to no social value whatsoever. What's even worse is that they didn't give the number to call for the demae!

[Mulboyne]

A new gourmet burger joint will open later this month in Daikanyama, very close to the station. Grill Burger Club Sasa is the work of a former manager of Firehouse which got a mention earlier in this thread.

[GuyJean]

Actually, one of the best burgers I've had recently was at Rigoletto, in Roppongi Hills at lunch. (warning: Flash site from fucking hell!)..

Bun and meat were delicious, but they're cheap with the ketchup; Asking for more ketchup for my fries than the 1 packet given with the meal, they brought me 1 more packet.. Gee thanks, you bitch punk fuck!

GJ

[Samurai_Jerk]

[quote="GuyJean"]Actually, one of the best burgers I've had recently was at Rigoletto, in Roppongi Hills at lunch. (warning: Flash site from fucking hell!)..

Bun and meat were delicious, but they're cheap with the ketchup]

What is the deal with them being so kechi about the ketchup (and other condiments for that matter) in Japan. Is it that expensive?

[Mike Oxlong]

It's like getting veggies on your Subway here...a single olive slice for each half of the sandwich?! Doesn't even come out to one olive for the whole frickin' 12" sub!! Ask for more...told "sumimasen...chotto muzukashii desu.":confused:

[Greji]

Actually, one of the best burgers I've had recently was at Rigoletto, in Roppongi Hills at lunch. (warning: Flash site from fucking hell!)..
GJ

Hey GJ, I've been out of your area for a while, but that place looks familiar (after my eyes recovered). Has it been re-named? If so, what was it called and was that over around the Dead Puck's place?

[GuyJean]

Hey GJ, I've been out of your area for a while, but that place looks familiar (after my eyes recovered). Has it been re-named? If so, what was it called and was that over around the Dead Puck's place?

Puck's old place is.. (wait for it).. a women's clothing store! Surprise.

Rigoletto is on the 5th floor in the main tower. It's only 'difficult' to find, compared to the usual Roppongi Hills' shops which are 'fucking stupidly difficult' to find..

With the death of Lehman, pink slipping Golden ball-Sachs, and exodus of Yahoo!, Roppongi Hills isn't what it once was. Still some love nuggets walking around though.

GJ

[IkemenTommy]

Still some love nuggets walking around though.

That would be the Ara-Four hoes hanging out at Heartlands still trying to dish out the gaijin banker wankers when they all went home already.

[Greji]

That would be the Ara-Four hoes hanging out at Heartlands still trying to dish out the gaijin banker wankers when they all went home already.

Don't knock it Tommy! There's a lotta bargains on the loose out there now....

[prolly]

combo breaker

[Mulboyne]

The author of the "Hamburgers in Tokyo" blog says:

Since there was an article about this blog stating "updates are sparse", I will try to update this blog more frequently. If you are able to read Japanese, please check out the Japanese version of my blog, which can be found here. This English version of my blog is a summary of good hamburger restaurants in Tokyo.

[Samurai_Jerk]

The author of the "Hamburgers in Tokyo" blog says:

Any guy whose blog starts with this:

Tokyo's best kept secret... Awesome Hamburgers!!

doesn't know what he's talking about. Besides, I can tell by looking at the pictures on his blog that most of those burgers suffer from the two biggest problems you come across in Japanese burgers: too heavy on the toppings and low quality buns. A few look like they are made from mixed (pork and beef) ground meat too.

[IkemenTommy]

Any guy whose blog starts with this:

Tokyo's best kept secret... Awesome Hamburgers!!

You gotta be kidding me. Now that was the funniest shit I've read in a while. Fuckin Japan newbie

[omae mona]

You gotta be kidding me. Now that was the funniest shit I've read in a while. Fuckin Japan newbie

He does claim to have been riding the Odakyu Line for over 10 years on the Japanese version of his blog. That and the prolific Japanese output made me think he might be Japanese. Still doesn't mean he knows shit about a good hamburger.

Speaking of which, before I blow my money, has anybody been over to the new hamburger place in Daikanyama, "Grill Burger Club Sasa"? As one might expect with a Daikanyama address, it's pricey (e.g. 1850 yen for a double cheeseburger). One blog suggested it would be better just to go to Kua Aina. This blogger thinks the chef (who apparently worked at Firehouse) is cute, but she doesn't say much about the burger. I would love some input from an actual gaijin who knows what a hamburger is supposed to taste like before I venture over there.

[Samurai_Jerk]

He does claim to have been riding the Odakyu Line for over 10 years on the Japanese version of his blog. That and the prolific Japanese output made me think he might be Japanese.

I assumed he was Japanese just from his English blog. His English is excellent but he makes some non-native speaker type of mistakes.

[Doctor Stop]

I would love some input from an actual gaijin who knows what a hamburger is supposed to taste like before I venture over there.

I was there earlier this week, and yes, they serve up a tasty hamburger. Pricy, yes, but I've had pricier hamburgers in Japan that weren't anywhere as good as this one.

Soft drinks are expensive though. Either get a coupon for a free drink from the sign set up between the station and the shop (while they still have them) or go during lunch to get the discount drink set deal. The french fries are good but the portion size is skimpy.

It's a step up from Kua 'Aina.

[omae mona]

I was there earlier this week, and yes, they serve up a tasty hamburger. Pricy, yes, but I've had pricier hamburgers in Japan that weren't anywhere as good as this one.

Soft drinks are expensive though. Either get a coupon for a free drink from the sign set up between the station and the shop (while they still have them) or go during lunch to get the discount drink set deal. The french fries are good but the portion size is skimpy.

It's a step up from Kua 'Aina.

Thanks for the tip! I knew some FG would have scouted this out by now. Well, now that my funny money has arrived, I can go blow it on a hamburger. I'll give it a shot.