We just love prime steak but, Chicago is a burgers and hot dogs happy city, but lately two recent entrants have upped the ante with ramen burgers and taco-inspired hot dogs.

(Ramen burger at Tokio Pub)

Unless you’ve been confined to a cave for the better part of a year, you’ve surely heard of the ramen burger. This culinary oddity was first concocted at Smorgasburg in Brooklyn by some mad scientist-like chef looking to fuse cuisines in one seamless, albeit messy, vessel. The resulting ramen burger was a juicy, beefy burger stacked between two ramen “patties” made by crisping piles of ramen in circular molds on the grill. Seems like a totally random, wtf-like idea, but customers went mad, and the idea spread like rapid fire in an Arizona desert. Before long, ramen burgers were more popular than Beanie Babies, ca. 1997. But curiously, there has still been a ramen burger-shaped void in Chicago. UNTIL NOW. Tokio Pub in Schaumburg fills that void with its own rendition of the ramen burger, and while I have no template to compare it to, it’s a mighty fine interpretation if I do say so myself. Listed under the “pub grub” portion of the menu, the ramen burger is made in limited amounts daily, featuring Angus beef, soy “molasses,” mizuna, and green onions. It’s an umami bomb on a “bun.” The noodles lend a welcome dose of crispiness to the experience, something lacking in standard burger buns. It’s a little bit wonky, but totally wonderful and fun.

(The Panchito at Underdog)

Still craving burgers and hot dogs?

SEE FULL STORY