New on the Menu: Wagyu Burgers at Village Tavern

Village Tavern
Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City
Tel. No. 621-3245
Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Monday to Friday), 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. (Saturdays), 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Sundays)

(SPOT.ph) Ask any burger connoisseur and they will tell you that a burger is only as good as its patty. It doesn't matter how fancy or avant-garde the toppings are, serve up a burger with a dry, bland piece of beef in between, and the excitement’s gone. Josh Boutwood, corporate chef of The Bistro Group, knew that he had to use only high-quality meat for Village Tavern’s new burger menu.

Boutwood highlights Wagyu beef-the lauded cow breed from Japan known for its intense marbling (read: fat in the right places) which ensures that every inch of meat gets a dose of tender, flavorful juiciness-with four ingenious topping combinations, then sandwiched inside a homemade pretzel bun.

Truffle Burger

Tequila Burger

Take the Truffle Burger (P625). Truffle and muhsroom is a fool-proof combination that imparts a heady, earthy flavor to the meat. A grilled Wagyu patty is topped with Asiago cheese and sauteed Shiitake mushrooms. Fragrant truffle mayo is spread on the pretzel bun. Tequila, has always been a source of enjoyment, and Chef Josh uses it to make his burgers tastier. The Tequila Burger (P650) gets a splash of the feisty Mexican spirit in a patty topped with zesty cilantro mayo, habanero-infused cheddar, and sliced jalapeños.  Fans of Latin cuisine will surely fall for the fiery layering of spicy, pungent flavors.

Reuben Burger

Diners looking for comfort food will surely be coddled by the Reuben Burger (P590): the sandwich is treated with a corned beef brisket (yes, on top of the Wagyu burger patty), pickled cabbage, and a runny fried egg. The brisket is gently seasoned: you get the flaky texture of boiled beef without taking attention away from the true star of the show.

Foie Gras Burger

Then, there’s the slab of liver that somehow found its way in between grilled cheese, caramelized onions, and that succulent Wagyu patty. The sweetness of the caramelized onions is a classic accompaniment to the buttery Foie Gras Burger (P890), which is just over-the-top and outstanding.

What does the homemade pretzel bun have to say against all this meaty heaviness? The bread is a surprisingly light and fluffy foil to the filling, deliciously and graciously absorbing the juicy goodness from the patty and toppings. We recommend ordering the burger in medium or medium rare.