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In among all the speeches and outings held during Trump’s first visit to Japan as U.S. president, the one thing that stood out for many people was the fact that during his visit to a golf course with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the two chose to eat hamburgers.
While some criticised the decision to shun the country’s UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage-listed traditional cuisine, others immediately started searching the Internet to find out where they could get their hands on a burger deemed worthy to be served to the U.S. president.
It turns out that the burger comes from a small Tokyo business owner who operates two burger stands in the city – Munch’s Burger Shack in Shiba (pictured below) and Munch’s Burger Stand at Toranomon.
Both located in Tokyo’s Minato Ward, which is home to many foreign embassies, making it one of the most internationally diverse districts in the capital, the area is filled with burger joints catering to locals and foreigners with discerning burger palates. To be selected to serve the president of the United States is a huge accolade for the small business, and it’s been driving customers to visit in hordes to get a taste of what the president enjoyed.
The burger that Trump dined on was the “Colby Jack Cheese Burger“, which costs a mere 1,200 yen. At this price, which is significantly less than a night out at Sukiyabashi Jiro where Obama dined during his Japan tour, anyone can afford to try a presidential meal, and that’s exactly what everybody did yesterday, when it was reported that the Toranomon outlet had completely sold out of burgers by 2:30 p.m.
According to staff, their recent appearance on television – which revealed the news about their star customer – attracted so much attention that they were unable to keep up with demand, especially given that their Shiba outlet was closed on Monday, which drove even more customers to their small Toranomon store.
Check out the television news segment below, where 40-year-old owner chef, Yutaka Yanagisawa, reveals his burger-making method.
Yanagisawa, who was sent to the golf course to cook his signature burger for the two leaders, said that after their meal, President Trump shook his hand and told him the burger, which he requested to be well-done, was “very good”. Using 100-percent American Angus beef patties, the burgers are known for being juicy and delicious, and our very own Japanese-language reporter P.K. Sanjun can attest to that, having visited the burger stand last year. According to P.K., who got his chomps around a Homemade Bacon Cheeseburger during his visit, this is one of the best burger joints in Tokyo, and it’s continually busy with customers, despite being a 20-minute walk from the nearest station.
Now that the burger stand has become even more well-known following Trump’s Japan visit, there’s even more of a wait to dine inside, but according to happy customers, it’s worth it.
So next time you’re looking for a place to enjoy a burger in Tokyo, Munch’s Burger is the place to go. Now we’ll just have to wait and see whether or not the Trump Burger will appear on their menu in future, like it did at these Japanese burger joints during the election.
Restaurant information
Munch’s Burger Shack / マンチズバーガー シャック
Address: Tokyo-to, Minato-ku Shiba 2-26-1
東京都港区芝2-26-1
Hours: 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. (weekday lunch) 5:30 p.m.- 9 p.m. (weekday dinner) 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Saturdays) 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (Sundays and public holidays)
Closed Mondays
Source: Nikkan Sports via Hachima Kikou
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© SoraNews24
29 Comments
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CaptDingleheimer
When you're infuriated by what Trump has for lunch, you've got problems.
lucabrasi
Luddite
Chips and value for money?
I fear your Scottish roots are showing.... ; )
Jimizo
To be fair, I remember Bush senior throwing up in a soirée in Japan. I suffer with a stomach which disagrees with a lot of things. When I used to go overseas on business, I'd stick with what I knew. From what I've read, Trump has trained his stomach to accept pure crap only.
Strangerland
I might have to try this burger.
There are actually some really amazing burgers in Japan. It may not be a traditional Japanese food, but some of them have figured out how to do it really well anyways. One of my favorite places is Bareburger (there are a few). They make organic burgers, and they are delicious.
cleo
Oh, the humanity! I feel for you, Luddite.
Not interested in the burger at all, but the spuds look OK (but few, I agree).
goldorak
Agree. Plus it was supposed to be a quick business lunch not a 5-course meal. The same ppl who are bagging trump & abe for having a burger for 10$ burger would be throwing a tantrum if these 2 had had lunch at a $200-a-head resto (which they did for dinner anyway...)
As for the burger, looks good but buns are just too small for my liking. Would need 2 burgers and also more wedgies. And where's the sweet chili sauce and sour cream?
Luddite
Never mind the burgers - where are the chips? That photo shows just six, what a rip off. Either serve a proper portion or none at all, I hate going out to eat and getting a single figure chip allocation.
theFu
Sometimes you just want a burger. Nothing wrong with that, especially after a few days eating odd-to-me foods when traveling. The burger will play great to the beef-producing states back home.
Having ground beef well-done is generally a safety issue. Steaks - rare. Ground anything, well-done.
But sometimes a burger doesn't taste like a burger, though I've never had that issue in Japan.
Whenever I travel, I try to find the best pizza. Usually, it is disappointing, never terrible, and seldom bad, but I gotta look. BTW - Buenos Aires has the best pizza I've ever tasted - including NYC, Chicago, and 4 cities in Italy. BsAs FTW!
commanteer
Wow. The food snobs are out in force. Reminds me of my restaurant years. 99% of the people who see themselves as gourmets or foodies couldn't tell shoe leather from Kobe beef if the lights were out. But they all have strong opinions about the stuff.
Let Trump eat what he wants. And, if people want to eat what a celebrity eats, that's hardly unique to Japan. That's pretty standard everywhere.
Aly Rustom
I wasn’t. I was calling the people who are tripping over themselves to eat the same crap trump eats fickle and childish.
What are you talking about?? They didn’t even visit the venue. They just ordered the burgers from that place.
look who’s talking!!
Thunderbird2
Can you imagine how many calories are in that heart-attack-on-a-plate? It looks revolting... how can anyone eat that stuff?
percynjpn
how absolutely fickle and childish.
Why would you call PM Abe that? You do realize that it's normal protocol for the hosting leader to choose the venue, not the visiting dignitary? Silly comment.
Toasted Heretic
He could have gone for gyudon or soba. I like a burger as much as the next person but the man is a philistine.
There is a Lebowski Bar I know & they do a mean burger but unfortunately it's in Reykjavik.
nakanoguy01
but this is the appeal of trump for so many people: he's just like them! instead of eating sushi and blending in with his surroundings, he prefers a burger. how 'merican is that?!
Aly Rustom
Brother, what do you expect from a guy who gets his steaks well done with Ketchup?
Sorry bud. Can't help you there.
Would you even want to eat that?? Although it sounds like trump might like it- considering his steak preference.
Aly Rustom
Well the place with the link has it. According to their website:
Aloha and e komo mai friends! Welcome to Big Kahuna’s Restaurant online, home and origin of the one and only Big Kahuna Burger, as featured in the award winning cult-classic film, Pulp Fiction!
http://bigkahunasib.com/
No argument there.
Toasted Heretic
He comes all the way here, to one of the best places for food on the planet and... it's burgers.
Not enough facepalms for this.
Redtail Swift
@Aly I know the Big Kahuna Burger doesn't exist. That's a Quentin Tarantino thing. ( Pulp Fiction ).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnb_3ibUp38
I seriously doubt that Donald Trump knows what a "Tasty Burger" is.
TorafusuTorasan
Sure sure, but do you know where I can get a Big Lebowski burger topped with jerked jackalope?
Aly Rustom
Redtail Swift- apparently it does exist. Its a place near San Diego. Below is the link.
http://bigkahunasib.com/
nedotjp
Heads up Donald
Moose Hill Burger
〒401-0310 Yamanashi Prefecture, Minamitsuru District, 富士河口湖町Katsuyama, 3290−1
URaWA BASE
Saitama-ken, Saitama-shi Urawa-ku, Naka-machi 4-10-13
Redtail Swift
I'm sure this was a tasty burger. I love a great burger. I've gone out far and wide to taste any burger that claims it's the best or word of mouth praise. To this day, I have yet to find a unicorn burger or a "Big Kahuna Burger". With that said, it is true that Japan has mastered the art of making good burgers but I seriously doubt Munch's rules the roost.
There are even BurgerFesta's in Japan from time to time where up and coming burger shops show off their skills.
Here's my list:
1 Village Vanguard is the best! Hands down. Hands down. Their burger is so juicy, and delicious.
2 Shake Shack - The burgers, the atmosphere = Perfect.
3 Center 4 - Using Hida beef in Kanazawa. Scrumptious
4 Kuaina - A known favorite. Very popular. Not as juicy as the top 3 here but it gets the job done.
dcog9065
Damn never heard of this place before, surely can’t be as good as Kua Aina? Anyway will try it once it gets less crowded
lucabrasi
Well, I don't enjoy meat, and it's an over 50,000 yen round-trip on the Shinkansen, but it's got to be worth it.
Instant sophistication and social grace in edible form....
Bintaro
This is actually the most japanese thing ever.
The taste doesn't matter, but if a celebrity liked it...
gokai_wo_maneku
Abe was just following Trump's advice. This morning CNN played a clip of Trump during the election blasting the government for treating leaders to sumptuous dinners and said they should be taken to McDonalds instead.
Aly Rustom
how absolutely fickle and childish.