Australia’s most expensive burger: the verdict on the $368 whopper

[dricia]

AUSTRALIA’S most expensive burger is the sort of meal you might imagine president Donald Trump requesting for his very last.

The $368 whopper might not contain gold leaf or caviar. But it has every other ostentatious wannabe ingredient that, even if used alone, would signify wealth, indulgence and let’s face it, downright gluttony.

But if I have to plead guilty of any of the seven deadly sins, put me up there with Donald for number three.

Why? Why not, is the real question. It was the 500g of wagyu – mince and steak – that got my immediate attention. Then three layers of rich, smelly French cheeses, lashings of foie gras fried in wagyu fat, a trickle of Glenmorangie-based sauce, crisp jamon slices, a whiff of truffle aioli and mustard – all resting precariously in between a pillowy brioche bun. Oh, I forgot to mention the calories – 8000 of them, and a mignonette lettuce leaf and pickle to add a cleansing finish.

This monster – a clever gourmet take on one of the world’s cheapest fast food staples – is the brainchild of Barbecue Events Australia director, Ian McGivern who worked on perfecting it for six months.

He unveiled it for a taste test this week – to surprisingly positive results – at Varsity Project, the Morley dude food bar where four of them will be raffled to punters on Sunday.

The verdict? While impossible to get two hands around it and one bite into it hardly dented the side, it was not as rich or overpowering as one would imagine.

The hint of truffle was a perfect foil to the smokey, charcoal-grilled patty and steak. The jamon was crispy adding a salty touch, the melted Smelly Bishop cheese and a sharp vintage cheddar woke up the palate and the whisky sauce brought it all together. The bun – the most important aspect of the burger – held together beautifully soaking up all the meat juices.

And the all important pickle – the cheapest ingredient – was the piece de resistance.

Would I pay $368 for another one? Yes, if I had four friends to share it with.

(As long as Donald Trump wasn’t one of them!).