Love the idea of sinking your teeth into a juicy burger? Down under, we’re used to filling our buns with everything from beef patties and chicken schnitzels to cheesy slices, pineapple and of course, beetroot – but would you eat a burger that’s packed with these weird and crazy fillings?
Peanuts
If you’re a big fan of both burgers and nuts, this crazy burger – which can be found at ‘Matt’s Place’ in Butte, Montana – is for you! It features a thin meat patty topped with chopped peanuts that have been mixed with mayonnaise. Uh, yuck much? It’s obviously soft and crunchy all in one, but it sounds like someone simply raided their kitchen cupboard in order to create this burger beauty.
Calamari
It might not sound like a very appetising burger filling, but this mini calamari burger offered by the famed tapas restaurant Movida is a signature favourite! The calamari is doused in flour, flash fried and topped with mayonnaise and the restaurant produces around 150 of these calamari burgers per day for its hungry customers. And we can tell you from experience that’s its surprisingly delicious!
Donuts
Known in America as the favourite burger of the late singer Luther Vandross (and sometimes even called the “Luther Burger”), this treat is one sure way to get a sugar-burger rush. It’s not a filling exactly – but the donut is instead used in place of the burger bun and then the meat patty is squished in between. If you love sweet and savoury all in one, this burger is definitely worth a try.
Rice
While we’re on the topic of replacing burger buns, how about rice? In various McDonalds restaurants around Asia, rice burgers can be ordered – sticky rice is compressed into rice cakes, which are then substituted as the burger bun. Apparently it brings quite a sweet flavour to the burger, but you’ll have to try it to judge for yourself.
Emu & Kangaroo
Sounds like a staple for a true blue Aussie burger, doesn’t it? You’d be right! Our very own Coat of Arms burger – with a patty made from 80% kangaroo and 3% emu (who knows what else was in there) – was cooked and served by burger chain Grill’d last year in celebration of Australia Day. Some loved it, while others, of course, objected to this tasty use of our iconic animals.
Lasagne
Pasta-burger, anyone? This insane lasagne burger was crafted by the team at Dude Foods and features no less than a beef patty, some lasagne pasta sheets, cheese and tomato sauce. Not sure how “Italian” it really is, but it probably tastes damn good!
Goat
Never had a goat burger? In Chicago, you can pick one up at ‘El Chupacabra’ at The Bad Apple bar on Lincoln Avenue. It may look standard, but the goat’s meat chilli and goat’s milk cheddar will reportedly have your mouth watering. At this restaurant, other weird burger toppings include peanut butter and short ribs.
Gold Leaf
… Plus foie gras, caviar, lobster and truffles? All in one the one burger? Indeed – and only in a burger truck in New York! Nowhere else in the world could you create a burger with these toppings, name it the ‘Douche Burger’ and charge a whopping $666 for it. The most expensive burger in the world features a beef patty covered in gold leaf, with imported Gruyere cheese and Himalayan rock salt. Last we heard, they’d only sold one burger to some rich nobody – hope he enjoyed it!