2013 Burger Cup: Temple vs. 4corners

The Beijinger Burger Cup is back for another year and this is your chance to vote for your favorite burgers before we arrange a face-to-face cook-off in August to determine the winner.

This year, we begin with Burger Battles: a series of face-offs pitting Beijing beef patties against each other. These will not necessarily reflect the ultimate match-ups in our Burger Cup bracket, but give burger fans and burger chefs an idea as to how the product may fare in the final competition.

Visit our website often for Burger Battles, updates on the Cup, and more on how you can participate in voting and other burger activities. Voting in the Burger Cup begins July 15.

For Round Ten, we head back to the depths of Gulou and pit 4corners against Temple.

Temple: If you don't already know the story, Temple used to be a place where you could find just about any kind of show, from obscure '90s indie rock from the Netherlands, to Korean folk, to a one-man band in a cannonball suit. Then, they upped their game when the folks at Burger Counter decided they'd rather be where the party's at and began whipping up meat patties in Temple's kitchen. With Temple being in close proximity to one of the dopest places to dance in the city, it's no question that their burgers are feeding Gulou's 4am-ers with the ferocity that the 24-hour Dongsishitiao McDonald's does for the Gongti survivors.

The Burger: Last time we talked about the Temple Burger, I was sitting next to the bar's bathroom in a haze of smoke and sweat. The later it gets, the better these burgers taste, all thanks to a menu of creatively-concocted shots. For this reason, I decided to take the burger to the safety of my own home, where I could judge its merit with a clear head and nasal passages.

The flavors were all there: its essence was comprised of cheddar and mozzarella, slathered with a mild homemade chili sauce. I hadn't experienced spicy quite like it since I was 10 and reluctantly eating sloppy joes at my school cafeteria. Not the worst thing in the world if you don't mind being reminded of the time your mom made you buy your $1.10 school lunch with a hefty bag of coins and like a little kick to a patty that's already filled with gristly surprises.

On the flip side, this burger has a nice bun, properly covered in sesame seeds. It's actually quite difficult to find a burger in Beijing with a bun that isn't pita, foccacia or an English muffin. Sometimes I just want simple white bread, nothing fancy.

Price: RMB 55

4corners: Chef Jun Trinh originally told us that his 4corners menu was going to focus on Southeast Asian cuisine with a "contemporary North American twist." Whenever I hear 4corners mentioned, however, I don't hear about their pho or Vietnamese rolls. I hear about their burger. And now I know why.

The Burger: It was difficult to take notes when eating this monstrosity of a burger, mostly because you need both hands to tame this tall stack of meat and fixings. Then your digits get a dousing of tomato juice and bacon grease. I had to suck it up and eat, but I still managed to write "Tall, hard to hold" on my notepad before things got too messy.

The enormous meat patty falls apart in your mouth, not your hands. The hefty bun is sprinkled with sesame seeds and toasted, slightly sweet, and nicely chewy at the ends. The mushrooms and grilled onions add a pleasing texture and flavor. At the risk of being cheesy, I'll say that all four corners of this burger work together to make an unforgettable experience.

My suggestion, though, would be to lose the cheese. The thin slice gets lost in the toppings and just adds extra, empty calories. If you want cheese, you got to make it count (i.e., Great Leap's four slices). I had the same feeling about the ketchup and the spicy mustard on the side.

Price: RMB 78

The Verdict
4corners

Maybe it would have been more fair to pair these two burgers together after having one too many drinks. Then Temple would have prevailed because I wouldn't have been able to keep the 4corners burger under control. But that's the whole matter: the 4corners burger is out of control. Sure, the price may set you back a bit, but it's worth it considering you get a hefty serving of sweet potato fries and salad. You can even split it with a friend! Don't be fooled by the pho – order the burger (I'm half-kidding, the pho is good too.)