It might be time to go out and get some elastic-waist sweatpants, because Bangkok’s best burger joints are reuniting again at Central World for a beefy showdown on Friday.
At the American Burger Festival, hosted by the U.S. Embassy, Bangkok’s 10 biggest names in burgers, such as Daniel Thaiger and Mother Trucker, will settle who actually has the best burger in town in a competition to be judged by Thailand’s executive chefs.
But that’s not all. On this rare occasion, the food joints will all sell their beef at the event for the public to taste. Can’t you practically smell the meat and hear the glorious sizzle already? If you missed the last event, it’s time to make up for it now.
The festival will be held from Friday – Sunday outside CentralWorld shopping mall.
The restaurants/food trucks competing are:
Jim’s Burgers
Happy Fish
Hashtag
Mother Trucker
25 Degree
PaperButter
Lobster Burger and More
Smashed Burger
Daniel Thaiger
Full Moon Café
For anyone who has been living under a rock and never heard of these places, here’s a short review on the burgers you might be tasting this weekend.
Jim’s Burgers and Beers
What started as three guys who shared a passion for burgers and booze became what we know today as Jim’s Burgers and Beers. One of those three guys is Jim, in case that wasn’t clear. They feature many international beers from around the world, and one of their burgers is called the Jim’s Apocalypse Burger — it features meat, fresh greens, fried onion, fries, and bacon all joined together under a bun.
25 Degrees
The famous 25 Degrees burgers that began in Los Angeles have made their way to Bangkok and into our waiting mouths. Customers are allowed to choose their own ingredients and sauce at this laidback, 24-hour burger spot.
Fullmoon Café
The Fullmoon Café is definitely known for trying to be different from other burger joints, especially since mac & cheese is one of their main ingredients. For anyone who has always wished for more cheese with their meat, this is where you can get it.
Happy Fish
This restaurant, which is situated near the river at Asiatique, has decided to join the fray in the upcoming competition. The restaurant boasts the theme of mixing fine dining with casual food, so sip on a glass of red wine with your burger.
If you haven’t heard this name, you either hate burgers or you’re fresh off the plane. Their stove is always running hot since they have so many customers waiting to get a taste. One that you should definitely try if you ever get a chance to visit their truck is the Mr. Steve Burger. It’s a combination of juicy beef with crispy bacon and rich cheese enveloped in a bun so soft you could just die.
READ: Interview with the man behind Daniel Thaiger, Bangkok’s legendary food truck
Hashtag
Real American burgers made by half-American brothers. These brothers import all of their ingredients from America in order to serve their customers authentic American burgers. What makes them stand out even more is that they use fruits as one of their ingredients.
Lobster Burger and More
Lobster Burger’s main focus is on their fresh ingredients, not their sauce. They want their customers to get a real taste of what they’re eating, especially the lobster that’s in between the buns. One of the condiments that they do serve from time to time is a truffle sauce that perfectly compliments their burgers.
Mother Trucker
It almost feels like you’re simply at a friend’s house when you eat at Mother Trucker, because that’s how chill it is. The fresh vegetables and burger dressings mix perfectly with the meat. Their two main burgers are pork burger and beef styles. The name might not sound enticing, but what they put in their burgers is enough to make you come back again for more.
PaperButter
PaperButter & Burger is a small outdoor place in Ari that every burger lover in Bangkok has to try once in their life. Their burgers come in four styles, but we recommend the “Chiang Mai Spicy Burger.”
Smashed Burgers
Situated in MBK, it’s hard to miss since there’s always a line of customers walking in and out. Their signature burger is the Smashed Burger, which comes with cheddar, bacon, jalapenos, fried onions, tomatoes, and regular mayo/ketchup mix served on a bun.
Is your mouth watering yet? Visitors will also have the chance to win some free burgers by participating on social media. For more information, check out the U.S. Embassy’s Facebook.
The American Burger Festival will be a a part of an even bigger event called American Food, Fun, and Family (episode 2). There will be a lot more to see and do (and eat).
FIND IT:
America Food, Fun, and Family Episode 2
Aug. 26-28, 1pm – 10pm
CentralWorld
BTS Siam
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