New burger specialty brand launched: Australian 9+ Wagyu burgers with Michelin-inspired recipes highly recommended

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▲ Taipei’s Tiancheng Hotel unveils its new food brand “Burger Lab. The Burger Laboratory.” The image above shows the classic double cheeseburger.

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

Recognizing the growth potential in the burger market, the brand has rolled out a new dining concept, "Burger Lab. The Burger Laboratory." In addition to traditional cheeseburgers, it also draws on the brand ethos of "deconstruction," "innovation," and "re-fusion" to develop new flavors including Southeast Asian satay chicken burgers, classic American BBQ pork burgers, and the Lipstick Pork Burger. Prices start from NT$120 for a single burger and NT$199 for a set meal, with the second set at half price before September 30.

What do “deconstruction,” “innovation,” and “re-fusion” mean? Shi Yiming, Chief Operating Officer of the Tiancheng Hotel Group’s Food and Beverage Operations Division, explains that for the Southeast Asian satay chicken burger, the elements of satay are deconstructed and reinterpreted, delivering an authentic taste of chicken satay in every bite. As for the Lipstick Pork Burger, it takes inspiration from red oil wontons, combining Chinese spices with the chef’s signature ultra-spicy Lipstick Sauce—perfect for those who love a fiery kick.


▲ Black Burger (Black & Spicy Burger).


▲ Michelin-inspired 9+ Wagyu Cheeseburger.



▲ Classic Cheeseburger.

Headed by Executive Chef Wei Jingzhen from the Western Creative Development Team of the Tiancheng Hotel Group, the burger is broken down into two core components: the patty and the sauce. The sauce is further deconstructed into spice marinade and simmered sauce. The meat is marinated with spices to infuse deep, rich flavors, and when the burger comes off the grill, it’s finished with a unique simmered sauce that harmonizes the inner and outer layers.

Additionally, the "Michelin-inspired 9+ Wagyu Cheeseburger" is named after a recipe by Chef Roberto Petza, a Michelin one-star and three-fork (Gambero Rosso) chef from Italy, who was invited to guest chef at Taipei Garden Hotel in March 2015.The burger features Australian 9+ Wagyu beef marinated in spices to enhance its natural flavor. The 5-ounce, 2.5-cm thick beef patty is paired with cheese, beef tomato, pickles, onion, and French mustard—making it one of the restaurant’s signature items.

Why open a burger shop? Shi Yiming explained that the first floor of Tiancheng Hotel was previously home to an ice cream store, but after years of operation, it could no longer grow. The management began considering a transition. After analyzing foot traffic along the north side of Zhongxiao West Road—estimated at 5,000–6,000 people daily, including office workers, travelers, and students—they identified high mobility and decided to target the takeout market. Noticing the success of the local burger chain Burger Ray, they saw the potential in Taipei’s takeout burger scene and thus launched "Burger Lab. The Burger Laboratory."


▲ Truffle potato stack. Order it as a free swap for fries in the classic double cheeseburger or Michelin 9+ Wagyu cheeseburger set meals. It's also available as a NT$30 upgrade for the other six set meals.


▲ Fries are self-service style, with options including French fries, sweet potato fries, and corn chips—or mix all three.


▲ Ordering counter.


▲ Ordering steps.

In addition to burgers, set meals include a salad, fries, and a drink. Salad choices are a fruit and lettuce salad, Thai green papaya salad, or BLT pasta salad (choose one). Fries, sweet potato, and corn chips can be self-served after ordering—you can choose just one type or mix a little of all three, as long as it fits in the provided takeaway container.

For sauces, the burger set meals offer French fries and sweet potato fries with three dip choices: Mexican salsa, Thai lime sauce, and ketchup. There are also eight seasoning salts, including Indian curry salt, Japanese matcha salt, Taiwanese plum salt, Southeast Asian satay salt, spicy herb salt, Japanese wasabi salt, American smoked salt, and Korean seaweed salt—providing a wide range of flavor combinations.

Burger Lab. First Wave Menu
Black Burger (Black & Spicy Burger): Single NT$120 / Set NT$199
Classic American BBQ Pork Burger: Single NT$120 / Set NT$199
Japanese Vegetable Croquette Burger: Single NT$120 / Set NT$199
Golden Tuna Tataki Burger: Single NT$120 / Set NT$199
Southeast Asian Satay Chicken Burger: Single NT$120 / Set NT$199
Classic Cheeseburger: Single NT$120 / Set NT$199
Classic Double Cheeseburger: Single NT$180 / Set NT$259
Michelin-inspired 9+ Wagyu Cheeseburger: Single NT$280 / Set NT$359

Taipei Tiancheng Hotel Burger Lab. The Burger Laboratory
Address: 1F, 43 Section 1, Zhongxiao West Road, Taipei City (MRT Taipei Main Station Exit M3)
Phone: 02-2311-8905#3321