Burger Brief: Delicious, Indulgent Foie Gras Burger, and Osmanthus Ale at Nali Patio's High Town

Burger Brief takes a look at some of the contestants in the Beijinger's 2017 Burger Cup. With High Town now into the Round of 32 (vote here), we spoke to High Town's owner Jenny Zhao about what makes their burgers special.

READ: Vote for Your Favorite 2017 Burger

Opened last December on the second floor of Nali Patio, High Town is not just a 300-square-meter brewpub, but also a comfortable restaurant with an expanded salad selection, a Cuban sandwich worthy of taking on the city's best (RMB 68), delicious quesadillas, pork ribs, desserts, and a brunch menu available from Friday to Sunday.

Now, High Town are upping the stakes with their signature Fortune foie gras burger (RMB 138), which comes packed with two thick blocks of foie gras and a chunky beef patty topped with arugula as well as a balsamic and honey sauce. The freshly-baked and crisp buns provide ample texture and support to the burger, and the combination works really well. The balanced ingredients and flavors are not overwhelmed by the foie gras and it's light and tasty enough for you to crave another one immediately after completion. We paired the burger with an osmanthus ale (4.5 percent ABV), the floral flavor and not-strong-malty notes of which making it a perfect accompaniment.

The mushroom burger is likely to equally satisfy the most ardent of vegetarians, with a creamy and earthy marinated mushroom patty, slices of cheese, and a thick patty. The mushroom is creamy and earthy. We paired this one with the High Town IPA (5 percent ABV) to cleanse the palate with its hoppy aroma, rich grapefruit and pine notes, and slightly bitter finish.

Tell us about your signature burger. What makes it the best burger in Beijing?
Our signature burger is the Fortune foie gras burger (RMB 138). To make it, our French chef adds foie gras, a classic ingredient in French cuisine, for a really smooth burger, whereas the arugula balances out some of the grease and makes it a tad healthier. The beef patty is made of Australian grain-fed imported beef, to which onion, salt, pepper, and mustard are added. We grill the patties at 300 degrees Celsius for 50 seconds, then put the burger in the oven for five minutes. After introducing our mini version (RMB 58) at the Burger Cup, we will release this larger version at the brewpub on June 1, alongside a beer promotion.

What drink from your menu goes best with the burger?
The osmanthus ale goes particularly well with the burger, thanks to its combination of interesting Chinese ingredients and a classic pale ale taste.

Aside from your own restaurant's burger, what was the best burger you've ever had?
The classic burger at Boxing Cat Brewpub in Shanghai, which is very juicy.

The Beijinger 2017 Burger Cup is sponsored by Bon App, Job-in, and Left Hand App. And of course, you can vote for High Town (and your other favorite burgers) now!

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photo courtesy of High Town, Tracy Wang