Burger Lab in front of Taipei Railway Station serves burgers with an unusual twist, yet business is booming

The “Finger-Lickin’ Fried Chicken Leg Burger” is a mildly spicy Sichuan-style burger. (Photo / Tai Cheng Hotel Group)

Burger Lab’s “Thai Tom Yum Goong Shrimp Burger” is made by blending tender, juicy shrimp into a patty, then seasoned with Thai spicy and sour sauce. (Photo / Tai Cheng Hotel Group)

The “Thai Green Curry Beef Burger” combines Thailand’s green curry with the classic American beef patty, creating an unexpectedly delightful new flavor. (Photo / Tiancheng Hotel Group)

The “Southeast Asian Finger-Lickin’ Fried Chicken” has two layers of coating, resulting in an ultra-crispy texture. (Photo / Tai Cheng Hotel Group)

The patty in the “Southeast Asian Seafood Burger” is made by seasoning shrimp, squid, and white fish paste, then mixing with whole eggs and coating with breadcrumbs before pan-frying until golden brown. (Photo / Tai Cheng Hotel Group)

The patty in the “Italian Caesar Chicken Burger” is created by sautéing onions, paprika, and other spices, then hand-kneading them with chicken breast mince. (Photo / Tai Cheng Hotel Group)

The “Soy-Braised Matsusaka Pork Burger” is a Japanese-inspired wagyu-style burger. (Photo / Tai Cheng Hotel Group)

The Tai Cheng Hotel Group has opened a burger shop called “Burger Lab” on the first floor of Taipei Tai Cheng Hotel in front of Taipei Railway Station. While most burger shops sell “delicious” burgers—typically American-style—Burger Lab’s burgers are full of “unusual flavors.” Yet business is not bad; passersby often see stylish foodies enjoying their burgers inside.

The so-called “unusual flavors” refer to “international flavors.” Burgers are an American invention, and traditional burger shops mostly serve “delicious,” i.e., American-style, burgers. But Burger Lab, whose name suggests a research-oriented approach and aims to distinguish itself from conventional burger shops with handmade burgers, offers a variety of flavors including American, Thai, Italian, and even Sichuan-style, resembling a “Burger Republic,” thus attracting many burger enthusiasts.

Since the government allowed the import of Japanese wagyu beef, it has become very popular in the food scene recently. At Burger Lab, you can try the “Michelin Secret Recipe 9+ Wagyu Cheeseburger,” made following the recipe provided by Chef Roberto Petza of a Michelin one-star Italian restaurant. This 5-ounce burger features a 2.5 cm thick beef patty, along with cheese, beef tomato, pickles, onions, and French mustard. The bun is crafted by chefs from Tai Cheng’s Liu Guo Bakery using high-protein Japanese flour, sautéed onions, olive oil, and yeast, fermented for two hours and then baked for 20 minutes. Before baking, a sprinkle of rose salt is added to the surface, resulting in a soft yet chewy texture that instantly delivers the luxurious taste of wagyu.

The “Soy-Braised Matsusaka Pork Burger” uses finely textured, tender Matsusaka pork, marinated in the traditional Hakka-style salted pork method, infused with garlic, five-spice, cinnamon, and pepper. It is then roasted to render just the right amount of fat while creating a slightly crispy, caramelized crust. This unique burger doesn’t use a patty but instead features a whole slice of pork, delivering a “pure meaty sensation.” The burger sauce is a proprietary golden ratio teriyaki sauce made with soy sauce, malt, and sugar. During preparation, dried bonito flakes are soaked in the sauce to enhance its rich Japanese flavor.

The “Thai Green Curry Beef Burger,” a limited-edition offering for the month, was inspired by Chef Wei Jingzhen, Vice President of Western Cuisine at Tai Cheng Hotel Group, during his studies at a Thai culinary institute. He combined Thailand’s green curry with the classic American beef patty, creating a wonderfully novel flavor—a fusion of Eastern and Western cuisines in a brand-new burger taste.

Also in a Thai flavor, the “Thai Tom Yum Goong Delicious Shrimp Burger” features not beef but a patty made from tender, juicy shrimp blended into a paste, then seasoned, coated with breadcrumbs, and pan-fried until golden. The taste reveals the sweet freshness of shrimp. The sauce is the chef’s special “Thai Spicy and Sour Sauce,” made by mashing lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, cilantro stems, and chili into a paste, then stir-frying before adding fresh lime juice and Thai fish sauce, mixed with mayonnaise to create a uniquely tangy and spicy flavor. Essential to Tom Yum Goong, straw mushrooms are paired with juicy tomatoes, pungent purple onions, and refreshing cilantro for a crisp side dish—making this a “palate-opening burger.”

To cater to the preferences of young spicy-food lovers, Burger Lab has also launched a Sichuan-style burger this week—the “Finger-Lickin’ Fried Chicken Leg Burger.” The patty is made from boneless chicken leg meat coated and deep-fried. The “Sichuan flavor” comes from the chef’s inspiration drawn from Sichuan’s “Red Oil Wontons,” resulting in a secret sauce called “Lip-Singeing Red Lips Sauce.” This chef-special blend mixes bird’s eye chilies, Sichuan peppercorn powder, Worcestershire sauce, spicy oil, and mayonnaise into a numbing, spicy, savory medley. Paired with the chicken leg patty, it creates a fiery, lip-tingling experience that’s thoroughly satisfying.

In addition to the “Finger-Lickin’ Fried Chicken Leg Burger,” Burger Lab has also introduced the “Southeast Asian Finger-Lickin’ Fried Chicken.” The chef uses free-range chicken thigh meat, which is firm in texture. After cleaning, it is marinated in a specially prepared spice salt blended with rice wine, ancestral spices, curry powder, and a bit of water to create a golden-orange broth. The chicken thighs are soaked in this marinade for over 12 hours, allowing the flavors to deeply penetrate and absorb the essence of the spices. Before frying, the chicken is coated with a double layer of batter—the wet layer made from flour, rice flour, and cornstarch, dipped first, then lightly and evenly coated with a second dry layer of flour. The dual-layer coating results in an ultra-crispy fried chicken exterior.

(Commercial)