もえあつ
The other day, I became aware of the existence of a certain M〇〇 Burger through the TV show "Job Tune Jatchi Project," where Atsuko Oogiri, the main chef of Shogun Burger, served as a judge. Atsuko Oogiri is the main chef at Shogun Burger Shinjuku Main Store and also serves as the managing director of Ganesh Co., Ltd. Shogun Burger is a hamburger shop operated by the famous yakiniku restaurant "Taishogun" in Toyama Prefecture, hence the name "Shogun." They have stores in Shinjuku, Toyama, Machida, Chiyoda, Shibuya, Kanazawa, Chiba, Kanagawa, Osaka, and Okinawa. Atsuko Oogiri, after working as a flight attendant for ANA, pursued her love for meat and transitioned to Shogun Burger. Over the course of six years, she tasted new dishes every day, creating about 1,000 new menu items. Shogun Burger won the title of the first champion at the "Japan Burger Championship" held in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture from July 29th to 30th, 2022. Subsequently, they achieved 6th place at the "World Championship" held in November 2022, competing against 30 teams from around the world. I visited the Akihabara store, located on the second floor of the Akihabara UDX building. It was my first visit to Akihabara UDX, which has event halls and a food court. I ordered the "Avocado Cheeseburger for 1,580 yen" and the "Potato Drink Set for 480 yen." I chose the drink bar option for my beverage. First, you need to buy a food ticket from the vending machine outside. If there are no available seats, you wait. Once a seat is available, you keep it for yourself. Since I chose the drink bar, I had to go to the counter to show my food ticket and receive a drink cup from the staff. I poured cola myself and took it to my seat. When the hamburger is ready, you will be called by the staff at the counter. The style is such that you have to pick up the hamburger yourself. I couldn't help but think, "For such a high-end burger, why is it self-service?" as I picked it up (laughs). The minced black wagyu patty has a strong presence. The tomato is vibrant in color. Assembling the top and bottom buns yourself, you put it in a special bag to prevent dripping. The thickness is more noticeable when stacked. The patty has a strong umami flavor and a chewy texture, as mentioned. Occasionally, you come across chewy tendon meat. It requires some effort to chew. The first thing I noticed when biting into the burger was a crispy sensation hitting my teeth. I realized it was the crispy texture of the buns, which seemed to be grilled. The buns are grilled to a crispy texture on a hot plate. The texture is delicious. The sauce is like an Aurora sauce. As I saw online, it was indeed using Aurora sauce. In addition, mustard and a special Japanese-style sauce. The sauce is also delicious. Since my burger was the Avocado Cheeseburger, it had an added creamy texture. It was quite delicious. The staff's service was also pleasant. However, given that it is a high-end burger costing over 2,000 yen, the self-service aspect felt a bit out of place compared to fast-food burger chains. Nevertheless, it was a burger supervised by Atsuko Oogiri, and it lived up to its reputation. It's no wonder they were champions at the 2022 Japan Burger Championship!