Trend alert: Five new burger brands launch in Chennai with meaty menus 

Look out for Hokkaido milk buns and an assortment of fillings ranging from pulled pork to lobster!
Trend alert: Five new burger brands launch in Chennai with meaty menus 

Burgers just got way more rad. As a spree of new outfits pop up with menus curated solely around the American comfort food, it appears we have a trend on our hands. And chefs are upping the ante on tried-and-tested classics by rolling out buns that are far from commonplace —like the Hokkaido milk bun from Japan and vegan potato-infused creations. Also, expect curious filling innovations that range from healthy (cauliflower and quinoa) to indulgent (cheese burst) to a reimagination of the template itself... Ever considered a patty constructed as a well of gooey cheddar fondue? 

The Dough Heads
Asian innovation meets burger inspiration at this kitchen. Like the Korean Chicken with pickled red cabbage placed deftly between light-as-air Hokkaido milk buns. The surprise? A molaga bajji stuffed with mozzarella peeking out to say hello — and serving equal parts curiosity and crunch. And all of this wouldn’t have happened we’re told, if not for the lockdown, we come to find out over dinner with partners Girish Subash and chef Mathangi Kumar. With restaurants closed and projects on hold, Mathangi tells us, “I finally got the time to experiment with my baking.” Except instead of sourdough and banana bread, her sights were set on Asian breads. A vegan option we want to try next time is the dense mashed potato option beaten into the dough. As for our filling recommends on the menu of eight, we have two:  the Korean cauliflower and quinoa patties and juicy strips of pork in a hoisin glaze with pickled veggies. INR 350 to INR 450. Available online and for dine-in at Fromage, Egmore.

Porky’s 
The name is a good indicator of which burger you want to get your hands on right away. We sampled the Pulled Pork (marinated for 16 hours and cooked for six) and were straight off the bat in burger heaven. It’s no surprise this is one of the hottest sellers off the menu, in a brand helmed by Thirukumaran Roopkumar (30) who is venturing into the food biz for the first time with ‘Mad’ chef Koushik Shankar taking the reigns in the kitchen. Wanting to offer customers more options in the meat department with burgers, Thirukumaran shares, “We want to introduce a lot of pork and beef options like you would have at an American diner.” Don’t miss the Chicken Dogfather which we would order again — with generous portions of smoked beef chilli, bacon bits, chicken sausage and green chilli for a little heat. Also serves pasta, pizza, wings and fries. Burgers at INR 149 to INR 299.

GoBrgr
Burgers without a bun? Dive right into this ‘Power Bowl’ sans  the bread, courtesy Omar Sait of GoBrgr. Expect a juicy patty on a bed of lettuce, carrot and cucumber drizzled with those delicious sauces.  The recently launched brand has made their menu more interesting with two new variants that promise to entice and surprise. “The idea with these bowls is that you will get all the fun of a burger, but none of the carbs!” promises Omar. What’s more, you can add your favourite toppings like turkey bacon to 
customise your bowl. Apart from catering to the health-conscious, GoBrgr’s other new addition has the attention of seafood lovers. Their Lobstaah Grilled Cheese is an irresistible combinationof grilled lobster, ‘Dulleys’ signature seasoning, citrus aioli and Swiss cheese (INR 400)Veg starts at INR 280, chicken at INR 280 and beef at INR 325.  

Burger Bros
Local flavours, gourmet players. In what is possible a first for most folks, PricolGourmet Pvt Limited has a menu with curated fillings of South Indian favourites. Think Pepper Chicken and Ghee Roast! This new vertical from the company is set to launch next month as an addition of the brand’s already existing premium burger brand Double Roti. Menu aside, what sets the two apart is the accessible price range. After all, when was the last time you paid INR 79 for a burger? And we don’t mean the frozen, processed kind. “Right from the bread to the sauces —everything is made in-house,” says Nikesh Lamba, partner at the firm. His favourite from the lot? “Our newest range of cheese burst patties!” he responds. INR 79 to 200. Available soon at VR Chennai and on delivery.

Da Bang Burgers
This brand, which launched late last year, recently introduced some new options to their menu. The Hawkster offers a beef patty with a little depression in the centre that doubles up as a gooey cheddar fondue holder when the burger is grilled! We also can’t wait to try The Risotto Sandwich and the hand-pulled beef ‘Pullingo,’ a fun nod to Tamil pop culture. INR 275 to INR 400.
 

You heard it here first!
Flipside Burgers is all set to launch soon in Chennai. Their Instagram page promises “smashing burgers and sides.” Watch this space for more details!

Top photo courtesy: Mae Mu on Unsplash

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