The dish arrives in a cloud of smoke — a magical burger with special effects like those in “Chef” (Chinese Title: 中华一番)

Reported by Hua Shaofu / Taichung

Located near Rainbow Village in Taichung, “Red Box LE ROUGE” has been officially open for less than a month. The shop specializes in unique burgers, including one called “Chain Smoker Burger,” which emits smoke upon serving, reminiscent of scenes from the show “Chef” where dishes are dramatically presented. Another standout is the “At a Loss” burger, combining meringue and Americano coffee, also sure to dazzle customers.

The buns are specially custom-made, heavier and sweeter than typical store-bought bread. All burgers are charcoal-grilled, leaving char marks on the bun. Side options also differ from other shops, with three choices: homemade pickles, imported gherkins, and Doritos. “We don’t sell fries — they’re free with any check-in,” a staff member said with a smile. For drinks paired with meals, you can choose from Coke, Sprite, black tea, or Americano.

▲ The Dark Satan Beef Burger matches the image of one of the restaurant’s Satan chairs. (Photo / Reported by Hua Shaofu)

Dark Satan Beef Burger
Matching the image of one of the restaurant’s Satan chairs, this burger combines beef, bacon, lettuce, cheese slices, arugula, fried onion rings, dark spicy sauce, and a large red chili. The shop uses its own squid ink sauce mixed with Sichuan peppercorn and large chilies, reflecting a more Chinese-style preparation that results in a numbing and spicy flavor.

▲ The Chain Smoker Beef Burger delivers a magical effect akin to “Chef” when served. (Photo / Reported by Hua Shaofu)

Chain Smoker Beef Burger
This burger includes beef, bacon, lettuce, fried onion rings, smoked cheese sauce, and most notably, a cherrywood-smoked flavor. When served, it creates a magical “Chef”-like effect. The staff explains: “It’s not dry ice — we use cherrywood smoke, so when you open it, besides the surrounding smoke (similar to molecular gastronomy), customers can also enjoy the aroma of cherrywood while eating.” Notably, the cheese sauce is made by slow-cooking sharp cheddar, offering a unique texture you won’t find elsewhere. The scent is infused into the burger, making it distinct from others.

▲ The “At a Loss” meringue is baked at low heat of 90°C for two hours. (Photo / Reported by Hua Shaofu)

At a Loss
The meringue in the “At a Loss” is baked at a low temperature of 90°C for two hours, resulting in a texture somewhat like marshmallow while still maintaining some crispness. Since Italian coffee is on the bitter side and the meringue is sweet, the flavors blend well. The staff noted, “It’s rare to find such a large piece of meringue elsewhere — we want to stand out from other shops.” They added that the name “At a Loss” comes from customers not knowing where to start when it’s first served. “I’d suggest letting it soak in the coffee for a while. Though it takes longer, the sugar fully blends with the espresso for a more harmonious taste.”

▲ The cheese meat sauce fries feature meat sauce made in-house. (Photo / Reported by Hua Shaofu)

Cheese Meat Sauce Fries
The meat sauce is also homemade, cooked with Mexican chili for a spicy kick. The fries come with cheese sauce and topped with mozzarella.

Special Deal: Until the end of January, spend over NT$500 in-store and show the ETtoday News Cloud app to get a portion of cheese meat sauce fries (normally NT$150) for free.

Red Box LE ROUGE

Address: No. 6, Lane 56, Yongchun South Road, Nantun District, Taichung City
Phone: 04-2382-7057
Business Hours: 11:30–21:00, last order at 20:00, closed on Tuesdays

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