Burger Brief: Frost's Signature Burger

Burger Brief takes a look at some of the top seeds in the Beijinger 2015 Burger Cup. This time around, we talk to Jeff Powell of Frost Coffee, Cocktails and Dining to see why their burger placed so high in the pre-tournament seedings.

Name: Jeff Powell
Nationality: US
Number of years in Beijing: 12 years
Venue: Frost Coffee, Cocktails and Dining
Name of signature burger: The Frost Burger

Tell us about your signature burger. What makes it the best burger in Beijing?
It's a basic burger with Australian beef ground on the premises with just the right amount of fat content – juicy but not greasy. We use an English muffin rather than a bun, and it works perfectly. It's served with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles with all the dressings served on the side: house-made habanero sauce, European-style honey mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup. It's not the biggest burger in town, but people really like it.

What does the burger come with?
A side salad of mixed greens, cukes and tomatoes with house-made lemon vinaigrette.

What drink from your menu goes best with the burger?
One of our nine beers on draft: we have Vedett Blond, Arrow Factory Whiter Shade of Pale, Asahi, Stella and Guinness, to name a few. 

What other burgers do you have on the menu?
We have a bunch of others: The Roadhouse Burger is a breakfast, lunch and dinner burger all in one, with a fried egg, hash browns, bacon and cheese. My most favorite is called the Melty Burger, which is our Frost Burger served between two grilled cheese sandwiches. The Waldorf Burger is served with blue cheese, apple and walnut. The Brat Burger features a house-recipe bratwurst served on top of a burger with cheese. The Sliders come in a set of three garnished with Tater Tots. And finally our Veggie Burger is made with a patty featuring smoked tofu, mushrooms, barley, and vegetable protein.

What was the best burger you’ve ever had, in Beijing or otherwise?
Two stand out: Wheeler’s Handout, a fast food place where I grew up in the US. It’s not a round burger, they call it “the long one.” They have their own ranch and produce their own beef … I don’t know how to explain it, it’s just the best burger. Next to that, I love the In-N-Out Burger Double Double. Every time I am in the US, if I’m anywhere near one, I go get one. Got to get it Animal Style – with grilled onions, pickles, secret sauce, and mustard.

Voting is now live in the 2015 Burger Cup! Vote here thebeijinger.com/2015Burgercup and in the meantime, read the rest of our Burger Briefs and go out and try some burgers!

Photo courtesy of Frost