For burger lovers

By Shuk-Wah Chung (bestfoodinchina.net)
Updated: 2008-09-19 16:31

The world’s most expensive hamburger will cost you US$5000. You could, if you wanted, feast on a kobe beef patty, foie gras and black truffles sandwiched between a brioche truffle bun and washed down with a bottle of bottle of Chateau Pétrus 1990. Then again, you might just want to dine at 25 Degrees, a funky burger and wine bar that brings the casual chic crowd together in style.

Sister to the Hollywood, Los Angeles venue of the same name, 25 Degrees is perfect for that time when you just want the simple but fulfilling taste of a burger and fries. However this is no “slap-dash patty to grill straight onto buttered bun style” burger joint. Like a well-done (no pun intended) burger bar menu, you can build your own, choosing between beef, chicken, veggie and even hot dog. Add in something exotic -- like point eyes blue cheese, jalapenos and lemon dill sauce -- and you’ve just created a taste sensation! But for the indecisive ones, there’s also the set menu. Simply named Number One, Two, or Three burger, the sets also come with a choice of French fries, onion rings, or half-half.

Starting backwards, the Number Three burger consists of a chunky grilled chicken patty, green chili, manchego cheese, chipotle sauce and added Parma ham. The chicken was slightly dry and the Parma ham was tough, but tender, with an aged salt sensation demonstrating that only quality ingredients are used.

Number Two and One both feature beef but it’s more than just your “two all beef patties.” These babies are hand made using sirloin mince, bacon and pork fat (and not too much of it either). The beef patty is grilled to a perfect medium as evidenced by the reddish-pink centre and brown outer, coupled with caramelized onion, arugula (rocket), bacon, gorgonzola cheese and thousand island sauce (for Number One); or sundried tomato, parma ham, buffalo mozzarella cheese and pesto (for Number Two). Yep these definitely aren’t your regular burgers.

Vegetarians needn’t fret though. Their veggie patty is a colourful and hearty potato and sun dried tomato combination that is slightly grilled and holds well together.

Of course burgers wouldn’t be complete without fries and onion rings. Dip them with the specially-created sauces like the Kong Pao (using pinyin “Gong Bao” or westernized “Kung Pao”?) Spicy Sauce or the Hainan Black Pepper Sauce (I’d highly recommend the latter) and wash it down with another house specialty, the Guinness Milkshake. Now that alone is worth US$5000!

25 Degrees

Location: 7 Gongtixilu , Chao Yang District
Tel: (+8610) 65523600

This article is brought you by Best Food in China, the first and leading English website about local Chinese food and restaurants. For more information, please visit www.bestfoodinchina.net