Best Burgers In Bangkok

[jfchandler]

As promised, the culinary delights of Tommy's Burgers in Los Angeles...

$2.70 (92 baht) Double hamburger with Tommy's trademark chili

$1.75 (60 baht) Sausage and egg breakfast sandwich with chili

$2.35 (80 baht) Chili fries with tomato and diced onions on top

If only we could get anything close to this, at these prices, here... It was a joy to stuff myself silly...

In all honesty, their burgers (the meat itself) are so-so. But the overall package (taste) with chili is pretty great.

[jfchandler]

The other "best burger" i had in BKK was at little place just round the corner from Cheap Charlie's on Soi 11.

100 bht gets you a burger, bun, side sald and baked potato. Baked potato comes with sour cream. All served on a china plate with metal knives and forks and accompanyments. They even deliver it to Charlie's.

They have a small restaurant outside and in. There's a BBQ outside too. You can't miss it. They have a small menu and the chicken kebabs are big and tasty. Again, 100 bht.

Value for money, the best burger in town by far

I passed by there the other day and believe I spotted the place you are mentioning, called BKK Express Diner... It's a little hole-in-the-wall place on the side soi off (parallel to) Soi 11, just behind Cheap Charlie's location, just before you get to Sabai Sabai Massage and Tapas Cafe (which are a bit further in on this same side soi that parallels Soi 11).

I haven't tried their food yet, but here's a shot of their pretty eclectic poster board menu... It shows they have hamburgers (80 baht), and also baked potatoes (60 baht).... But it doesn't seem to show the hamburger automatically comes with a baked potato.

[russianrobert]

............looks like their prices have gone up then. Last time i was there was a couple of months ago.

Still, well worth checking out. The Fish and Chips are still 100 bht. I've had those too. Pretty good.

Edited June 22, 2009 by russianrobert

[jfchandler]

And lastly, the Fuddruckers Burgers, a chain from the USA, this one located in Orange County south of L.A.

One nice thing there is you can choose your own size burger, from 1/3 pound, 1/2 pound, 2/3 pound or a full pound... Wish some other places would give customers a similar choice...

I chowed down on their 1/2 pound burger priced at $5.69 (195 baht), which came with just the burger and bun. Added my choice of cheese (cheddar) for 75 cents extra. Passed on an array of $2 apiece extra toppings such as grilled mushrooms and guacamole.

Added an order of french fries for $1.99 (68 baht) and a refillable soft drink for another $1.99 (68 baht). Total bill with tax came to $10.81 (367 baht).

One nice thing about Fuddruckers is although the burger comes absolutely plain, they have a pretty expansive salad bar type counter with a lot of the basic burger fixings you can add to your heart's desire -- sliced tomatoes, lettuce, diced jalapenos, sliced pickles, onion slices, relish and more.

Thus the end result looks something like this...

Can you get your mouth around this???

Supposedly, they fresh bake their own hamburger buns. And it was a good bun, and sized perfectly to fit the burger. And their meat patty was done properly, with just the right thickness vs. diameter dimensions. They're not serving up a big mealball, nor a bun than overwhelms the beef. And of course, they cooked the burger to order in terms of doneness.

For their soft drinks, they probably had 10 different choices, including (caffeine-free for some reason) Mug's Root Beer and regular Dr. Pepper. Since both are pretty hard (or impossible) to find here in LOS, I started out alternating glasses... But pretty soon, the Mug's just tasted too good, and it had probably been 25 years since I'd had any of their root beer... So I washed down the rest of the burger and fries with quite a few frosty, ice-filled glasses... Mmmmmm......

All in all, I'd say Fuddruckers is a good burger choice, enhanced by the fact that they have locations throughout the country and some in other countries...unlike Tommy's, which is just local to Southern California. I love the option of ordering a honking large burger, and even better, the ability to garnish it exactly as I want...

Unfortunately, their french fries are pretty mediocre, coming as soft cooked and pretty tasteless potato wedges.

But the burger and all-you-can-drink soft drink/root beer.... I love it!!!

[Curt1591]

If I was to take someone to Tommy's, I would take them to Tommy's, located at the corner of Rampart and Beverly.

This shack has been known to pump out 3,000~4,000 burgers per day, plus countless dogs and tamales.

[onethailand]

If I was to take someone to Tommy's, I would take them to Tommy's, located at the corner of Rampart and Beverly.

This shack has been known to pump out 3,000~4,000 burgers per day, plus countless dogs and tamales.

This shack is also known to be a favorite stopping point for the rich and famous... boy the memories I have of this place! Probably the only restaurant I know with a full parking lot at 3 am!

JF - I'm jealous. But I hope you had a good time chowing down!

[bkkjames]

If I was to take someone to Tommy's, I would take them to Tommy's, located at the corner of Rampart and Beverly.

This shack has been known to pump out 3,000~4,000 burgers per day, plus countless dogs and tamales.

This shack is also known to be a favorite stopping point for the rich and famous... boy the memories I have of this place! Probably the only restaurant I know with a full parking lot at 3 am!

JF - I'm jealous. But I hope you had a good time chowing down!

yes John lives a life of burgers and restaurants, that's how he keeps his shape That being said, it's been ten years since I had fudruckers - thanks for the trip down salivary lane.

[polecat]

thanks for the trip down salivary lane.

You make out as if that's the end. We've got another 8 pages of Best Burgers in the USA to go

[jfchandler]

I want to offer my heartfelt apologies... I didn't want to pull us off-topic from the subject of BKK burgers... But folks were asking me about the trip back stateside, and I promised a full culinary accounting... which I have now delivered... Back to BKK Burgers....

As an aside, though, in my meanderings, I came across this amusing web site that some of you might enjoy...

Take a gander.... http://www.fcusd.k12.ca.us/chsweb/Burgers/burgerindex.htm

The trip back to my past home did reinforce one thing for me... Although various folks here decry the quality of Thai beef, I returned to Thailand with the firm belief that it should be very possible to create a good or even pretty great hamburger using Thai-French beef or otherwise -- provided the other ingredients are up to par...

As I mentioned above, I really don't think the fried burger patties at Tommys are all that great, but it's the overall presentation (and principally the chili) that make them distinctive. Likewise, at Fuddruckers, it is the ability to choose your own size burger and then garnish it exactly the way you like, that makes the place special.

If somebody here would use decent beef, give a choice of burger sizes, have a decent, non-Wonder Bread bun and offer a decent selection of garnishes, and not shape the burgers like meatballs or season them with Lipton's onion soup powder, they ought to do a good business... And is char-grilling really that difficult??? I'm waiting.....

PS - I'm not holding out much hope for chili, though... I ordered a chili burger awhile back at one of the bars in Washington Square, and the resulting dish was truly awful and nothing that could remotely be considered chili in any state anywhere in the U.S. or Mexico....

Re char grilling, there was a brief ray of hope with the late Bistro Eurogourmet, where charcoal grilled burgers were much advertised. Unfortunately, the burgers served there were charcoal grilled in the factory, then frozen, then reheated via microwave (or water bath depending on which account you believe). Not exactly what I was hoping for...

Build a better burger, and they will come...

[Ulysses G.]

Re char grilling, there was a brief ray of hope with the late Bistro Eurogourmet,

The Big Mango used to char grill theirs. Is that no longer true?

[SpoliaOpima]

Don't be so silly. It is not just Americans. Most Brits say that the best Indian food in the world is served in England and a lot of people agree with them. The ingredients are much better there than India and most people can afford to spend a lot more for good meat or other ingredients.

The Mexican food and Chinese food in America was developed by immigrants who suddenly had a lot more money to spend and better meats and vegetables and they could add things like avocado and sour cream that they could not afford in their own country.

It is not about changing things for Western tastes, it is about spending a lot more on good ingredients to make dishes taste the best that they possibly can.

Sorry but I about fell out my chair laughing What you mean is *wrong* ingredients, maybe Using that logic, the Mosburger beats American burgers because the Japanese use *better* ingredients. Everything is better in Japan, didn't you know that? More developed country, old boy, so they can afford the best, unlike those stringy Yanks

In my *opinion* Indian food in India and Mexican food in Mexico uses *better* ingredients than in the UK or the USA. Not talking about street food, but the popular cafes and restos of Bombay, Mexico City etc. No the UK and the US do not come close. So let's just agree to disagree.

And I'm American by the way, Jingthing and your palate is no better than mine, old chappie

As always .... YMMV.

[Ulysses G.]

Using that logic, the Mosburger beats American burgers because the Japanese use *better* ingredients. Everything is better in Japan, didn't you know that? More developed country, old boy, so they can afford the best, unlike those stringy Yanks

Sounds like you have never been to Japan - it is not more "developed" than the US - or Mexico or India or China for that matter. Why do you think that it is almost universally agreed that Chinese food in China is not as good as Hong Kong, Singapore, or KL? The quality of the ingredients is not as good. If you think otherwise, then you are a strange bird indeed.

Edited June 23, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[SpoliaOpima]

Sounds to me like you've never been to Japan, Mexico *or* India my friend. I've been to all three and your theory is 'Useless G'.

It's food we're talking about, so in the end it's just opinion after all.

Except when you're wrong, factually. Japan ranks 8, USA ranks 15 in the UN's Human Development Index

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count...velopment_Index

Now you may not accept the UN's index, and that's fine, but then 'it's just your opinion, man.' We all got 'em.

Edited June 23, 2009 by SpoliaOpima

[jfchandler]

I say...take the best of both worlds....

Americans know how to make good hamburgers, Japanese don't. Japanese produce real 100% kobe beef... Americans don't...

Put the two together, and you have a kobe beef burger... MMMmmmmmm......

[Ulysses G.]

the UN's Human Development Index

You've got to be kidding.

[polecat]

Americans know how to make good hamburgers, Japanese don't.

Based on what? Your sampling of a Mos Burger in Bangkok? Freshness Burger, my dear chap, Freshness Burger.

I like Mos Burger. It's tasty and pretty good value. Then again I also like White Spot at CentralWorld, Garage at All Seasons Place, Woodstock on Thong Lor and even the dam_n Bull's Head. Whether they use onion soup mix or not is completely irrelevant. If it's a tasty burger it's a tasty burger. Trying to elevate it to something other than tasty fast food is like explaining Angels Disco to the Jonas Brothers: pointless.

Now, how about some pictures of Philly Cheesesteaks?

(My, my I'm crabby this morning )

PS - To the poster who quoted Wikipedia... I'll get to you later.

Edited June 24, 2009 by polecat

[jfchandler]

Pole, I love Japanese food, and have eaten tons of it thru the years, including sometimes Japanese-prepared hamburgers. On the basis of that experience, Japanese-prepared hamburgers tend to be more like meatloaf burgers.... not traditional hamburgers...

If you like that style, that's fine. Or veggie burgers or rice burgers or the various other iterations. But don't confuse those or put them in the same category as a real, traditional pure ground beef hamburger.

PS - I see the photos of your "Freshness Burger". But I have no idea what or where that is....

PPS - To say... "Whether they use onion soup mix or not is completely irrelevant" is more than enough to get you promptly kicked out of the BKK Hamburger Club... That's heresy!!!!

Americans know how to make good hamburgers, Japanese don't.

Based on what? Your sampling of a Mos Burger in Bangkok? Freshness Burger, my dear chap, Freshness Burger.

I like Mos Burger. It's tasty and pretty good value. Then again I also like White Spot at CentralWorld, Garage at All Seasons Place, Woodstock on Thong Lor and even the dam_n Bull's Head. Whether they use onion soup mix or not is completely irrelevant. If it's a tasty burger it's a tasty burger. Trying to elevate it to something other than tasty fast food is like explaining Angels Disco to the Jonas Brothers: pointless.

Now, how about some pictures of Philly Cheesesteaks?

(My, my I'm crabby this morning )

PS - To the poster who quoted Wikipedia... I'll get to you later.

[polecat]

Arf!

Freshness Burger is a Japanese chain. I think they have them in HK too. I like 'em.

BKK Hamburger Club? Pah, I'll start the People's Hamburger Club of BKK.

Real, traditional burger? You mean like frikadelle or rissoles, right?

Don't you like those rice burgers at Mos with the seafood inside them? Oishiii!

[jfchandler]

Your tastes speak for themselves... BAKA!!!

Edited June 24, 2009 by jfchandler

[onethailand]

LMAO...

Freshness Burger is Japanese - haven't been able to try them yet though, and I've never seen them in HK. I do agree, however, that most Japanese burgers I've had were more like a meat loaf - tasty in their own way but not a burger as we Americans know it.

I happen to like both styles, but if I'm looking for a burger, I mean an American burger. Oishiiiiiiii!

[SpoliaOpima]

the UN's Human Development Index

You've got to be kidding.

Sorry I already antipicated, and pre-empted, that response.

Of course you're a great authority on development.

Perhaps that’s why France gasped when the 2007 Michelin Guide to Tokyo gave 191 stars to Tokyo restaurants, and only 65 to Paris. "Tokyo is a shining star in the world of cuisine," said Michelin Guide’s director Jean-Luc Naret, declaring Tokyo "the world leader in gourmet dining." But Los Angeles, which once held sway as a great restaurant city, has been wheezing for years and, as the 2007 Michelin Guide to L.A. indicated, the city really doesn’t have any three-, or even any two-star restaurants anymore.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/executive-style...ge#contentSwap2

(thanks to think_too_mut)

Edited June 24, 2009 by SpoliaOpima

[Ulysses G.]

Japan ranks 8, USA ranks 15 in the UN's Human Development Index

What does this silly "statistic" have to do with Mos Burgers? Are you claiming that they use Kobe beef in their burgers? Well they don't nd they can't because it is WAY too expensive, but American beef is used in Mexican and Chinese food in the U.S. and it is far better than beef in those countries and so are many of the other ingredients.

They also use better ingredients in Chinese food in Hong Kong and Singapore than mainland China. It is about available ingredients and the price of those ingredients, not one's place on the "UN's Human Development Index".

See how it works?

Edited June 25, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[SpoliaOpima]

Japan ranks 8, USA ranks 15 in the UN's Human Development Index

What does this silly "statistic" have to do with Mos Burgers? Are you claiming that they use Kobe beef in their burgers? Well they don't nd they can't because it is WAY too expensive, but American beef is used in Mexican and Chinese food in the U.S. and it is far better than beef in those countries and so are many of the other ingredients.

They also use better ingredients in Chinese food in Hong Kong and Singapore than mainland China. It is about available ingredients and the price of those ingredients, not one's place on the "UN's Human Development Index".

See how it works?

Hang onto your memory now. That relates to your argument that Mexican food in the US is better than Mexican food in Mexico because there are 'better' ingredients, ditto for Indian food in the UK, better ingredients than in India. Your implication is that ingredients in the US and the UK are 'better' than in Mexico and India because they are more developed countries. By that logic burgers in Japan should be better than burgers in the US. (You denied that Japan was more developed than the USA, so I provided a link to a highly regarded index on human development.)

If that wasn't your implication, then there is zero logic to your original argument.

In fact I don't agree with the 'better ingredients' line of argumentation. Restaurants in the US and the UK are incapable of producing Mexican and Indian cuisine as good as that in Mexico or India in my opinion, except in relatively rare instances (and in those instances it has more to do with the skills of the chefs than availability of ingredients, the lack of which on the contrary handicaps ethnic restaurants in the US and the UK, generaly speaking). Ditto for Thai food, nothing I've ever had in the US or the UK has been as good as better Thai restaurants in Thailand.

Just my opinion.

[Ulysses G.]

Is Chinese food in China usually better than Hong Kong? No.

Is Indian food in London usually better than in India? Yes.

Are better ingredients for hamburgers available for an easily affordable price in Japan as opposed to the United States? Certainly not.

You are right about Thai food in America being inferior, simply because many ingredients are not available in the US for a reasonable price. The opposite is true of Mexico and China.

[onethailand]

CentralWorld has a place called Eat's My World - on Thursdays, unlimited burgers for 249 baht. Anyone tried a burger here yet?

[bonobo]

What does this silly "statistic" have to do with Mos Burgers? Are you claiming that they use Kobe beef in their burgers? Well they don't nd they can't because it is WAY too expensive, but American beef is used in Mexican and Chinese food in the U.S. and it is far better than beef in those countries and so are many of the other ingredients.

They also use better ingredients in Chinese food in Hong Kong and Singapore than mainland China. It is about available ingredients and the price of those ingredients, not one's place on the "UN's Human Development Index".

See how it works?

Hang onto your memory now. That relates to your argument that Mexican food in the US is better than Mexican food in Mexico because there are 'better' ingredients, ditto for Indian food in the UK, better ingredients than in India. Your implication is that ingredients in the US and the UK are 'better' than in Mexico and India because they are more developed countries. By that logic burgers in Japan should be better than burgers in the US. (You denied that Japan was more developed than the USA, so I provided a link to a highly regarded index on human development.)

If that wasn't your implication, then there is zero logic to your original argument.

In fact I don't agree with the 'better ingredients' line of argumentation. Restaurants in the US and the UK are incapable of producing Mexican and Indian cuisine as good as that in Mexico or India in my opinion, except in relatively rare instances (and in those instances it has more to do with the skills of the chefs than availability of ingredients, the lack of which on the contrary handicaps ethnic restaurants in the US and the UK, generaly speaking). Ditto for Thai food, nothing I've ever had in the US or the UK has been as good as better Thai restaurants in Thailand.

Just my opinion.

Not to keep this derailed in a burger thread, but I have to tend to Ulysses' side of the arguement here.

"Most" people worldwide tend to agree that CHinese food is better in Hong Kong, Singapore, or San Francisco, for that matter, is better than that found throughout most of CHina.  And Indian food in the US or England is better than in India.  Many types of Sushi are better in Los Angeles than in Japan (hence the charter flights which used to fly from Tokyo to LA just on eating trips) and ditto Korean BBQ's in LA versus in Korea.  Ricetaffles in Amsterdam are considered better than in Indonesia.

All this is opinion, but this opinion reflects more than the other way around.  And I would tend to agree with the "quality of ingrediants" arguement here.

On a personal level, I find American Thai food to be pretty bad, and while Mexican food in the US is good, it doesn't beat that in Mexico.  On the other hand, Fogo de Chao, one of my favortie restaurtants, is better in each of its American restaurants than in any of its Brazilian restaurants, and this is not only my opinion, but also that of at least two managers with who I have spoken.

As far as burger, no, I have not had a good burger in Japan despite living there for three years.  It is a matter of the method of cooking, not the ingrediants. I can see the quality is there, I just have never cared for the taste as much.  I am American, so I am partial to the Amwerican-style burger. If you like the MOS Burger or the European-style beef burgers, all the more power to you.  But outside of the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Philippines, I am not sure I have ever had a good hamburger, (although one in Toulon, on French bread and then smashed flat, was outstanding, if not quite a classic hamburger).

[SpoliaOpima]

"Most" people worldwide tend to agree that CHinese food is better in Hong Kong, Singapore, or San Francisco, for that matter, is better than that found throughout most of CHina.  

Most people huh? I guess you've taken a poll? Even if you could reference such a poll, like someone once said, if cuisine were democratic we'll all be eating pizza.

Personally I don't believe it's true. Sounds like an American urban myth to me ...

Secondly both Hong Kong and Singapore, along with Taiwan, are Chinese-majority societies, so it would be very surprising if they weren't serious contenders with China. In fact Hong Kong is once again China, after a temporary colonisation

San Francisco is around 25% Asian. Personally, having eaten many Chinese meals both in SFO and all over China, SFO loses by a long shot. Nothing near the variety of course, and the ingredients in SFO can't compare either. That's my personal opinion and I could care less how many people might disagree. Certainly no one whose palate I consider reputable would But if you prefer it, fine.

You can't cite the cuisine in China 20-30 years ago as an example, because the Cultural Revolution drove good cuisine underground. When I first went to China in 1982 the food was pretty bad. I've since made many trips and can report that the cuisine has returned to its former glory.

"And Indian food in the US or England is better than in India."

I respectfully disagree. I have never had an Indian meal in the US or the UK that compares to the best Indian meals I've had in India. Perhaps you just don't know where to go in India.

"Many types of Sushi are better in Los Angeles than in Japan (hence the charter flights which used to fly from Tokyo to LA just on eating trips) and ditto Korean BBQ's in LA versus in Korea.  Ricetaffles in Amsterdam are considered better than in Indonesia."

The 'ricetaffle (rijsttafel) is a Dutch invention, so it ought to taste better in Amsterdam. The charter flights from Tokyo to LA to eat sushi? Sorry I don't buy it - reference please?

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2003/10...ose-dishes.html

"All this is opinion, but this opinion reflects more than the other way around.  And I would tend to agree with the "quality of ingrediants" arguement here."

In that case, point in favour of my argument that the Japanese can rival the Americans when it comes to burgers.

On a personal level, I find American Thai food to be pretty bad, and while Mexican food in the US is good, it doesn't beat that in Mexico.  

Here you and I agree completely. But you and UG diverge here

As far as burger, no, I have not had a good burger in Japan despite living there for three years.  It is a matter of the method of cooking, not the ingrediants. I can see the quality is there, I just have never cared for the taste as much.  I am American, so I am partial to the Amwerican-style burger. If you like the MOS Burger or the European-style beef burgers, all the more power to you.  But outside of the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Philippines, I am not sure I have ever had a good hamburger, (although one in Toulon, on French bread and then smashed flat, was outstanding, if not quite a classic hamburger).

So ultimately your remarks more or less leave the 'better ingredients argument' in the dust, and support the 'method of cooking' argument.

Anyway obviously some of us like one thing and some of us like another. Vive la difference.

[DP25]

On a personal level, I find American Thai food to be pretty bad, and while Mexican food in the US is good, it doesn't beat that in Mexico.  

A lot of Thai food in America is pretty bad, and a lot of Mexican food is pretty good. This is mainly do to the size of the communities, 200,000 Thai Americans vs 30 million Mexican Americans.

[Joe1241]

The Best Burger I had In Thailand came from Woodstock. Very good and juicy. Had from a few other places like Larry's Dive and The Garage. Not the same as Woodstock.

[bonobo]

 

Aside: Americans are so funny, gotta have their Chinese food in the American style, or Mexican food in the American style, etc, but heaven forbid another country would try and interpet American cuisine in innovative ways that some of us like just fine.

In your opinion Mosburgers suck. In my opinion, best burgers in Bangkok for the price.

Why is that so funny?  People everywhere want the food to which they are accustomed.  I have watched tourist after Japanese tourist at the Honolulu airport jetisoning Japanese food which they brought with them so they can eat on their vacation to the US (they can take 30 kg per bag from Japan to Hawaii, but tehn only 20 kg per bag from Hawaii to California, hence the jetisoning.)  I have a British friend bemoaning his fish 'n chips every time he comes to the US even if I think our fish 'n chips tastes pretty much the same.  And I have a friend from Belgium who simply refuses to eat any American mayo when she is in the US--she says it is garbage.

As far as European-style beefburgers or Mosburgers, they are fine to eat, but they are not "real" hamburgers. Just as American-style Chinese is fine to eat, but is not "real" Chinese.  If you like Mosburger, fine.  I will eat them on occasion myself.  But I think this thread is primarily slanted to finding American-style burgers in Bangkok.

(as an aside, just got back from a 10-day trip to the US, and I had my own grilled burgers one day and Fuddruckers another day.  Had my Mexican, too. My grilled steak was fixed with all the American trimmings: baked potato, corn-on-the-cob, Jack Daniels sauteed mushrooms and onions, tomato salad.  However, I did not opt for a typical US steak but got the Wagyu New York Strip.  So while I was revelling in my US meat feast, the steak was from a Japanese breed of cow.  And as far as that goes, I LOVE wagyu beef hamburgers!)