Burgers @ The Basket Burger and Sakaba, Yakuin, Fukuoka

 

Its quite sad to see some of my favourite burger places have been closing down. But like the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens. And with that in mind, let me introduce to you a new burger spot that I just found. The Basket, located around the Yakuin area of the city, is not a basket. I mean that goes without saying, It does sell great burgers though. I always pass this shop many times as I have friends who owns businesses around the perimeters. However, I have never stepped foot into it, until recently. They are known for their creative spin on things. yes, there are various classics here like a cheese burger and a fish sandwich, but there are also more unusual entres in the menu. Strawberry jam or teriyaki chicken anyone?

Quaint. 

I felt quite adventurous for my first visit so I got myself the King Berry, which is said to be their recommendation. Standing at 1610 yen, this is a hefty burger in terms of price. And I got to say although it was a bit on the pricier side, it was still pretty decent. The exterior is definitely something more bizzare with strawberry jam flowing around its crevices.

Jammy

 But after one bite, I know this was gold. The strawberry sweetness actually complimented the overall burger. If you had tried Ikea's meatballs with lingonberry jam, this was something similar. Or rather cranberry jam with your turkey. The sweet, savoury and salty elements seem to mix pretty well. The bun was soft and tender, but still was able to help the burger hold its shape throughout the entire eating experience. Double points for that. Then the rest of the dish was complemented by some tomatoes, onions and lettuce, standard veggies to round out a burger. 

Hand held dynamite. 

Having said that, the overall burger was quite nice too. The beef was grilled to perfection, and I can feel the granular bits of the patty. The meat was also very fresh and had a nice meaty taste that not pungent, which is the sign the meat is not that fresh. Each burger comes with a side of fries. it was decent, but to be honest you cannot really screw up fried potatoes, in my honest opinion. 

The original classic

Well, a gimmick burger is not what a true burger place should be built upon. So during a second visit I tried the proper cheeseburger. This one stood at a slightly cheaper 1360 yen. Even without the gimmicks this was a decent burger. In fact, I think this is the time where everything properly shines through. Without the strawberry jam to cover up the other elements of the burger, this is like coming in raw. The beef was in full display. it was well seasoned and grilled to perfection yet again. With each bite being so soft and tender, I wolfed this down very fast. 

The side that faces the window is my favourite

What I like about this place is also the interior. it felt like a retro American style diner and the vibe is pretty neat. The bar counter by the side also faces the main street of the area, making a nice place to admire the view and to people watch. Is this the best burger I had in Japan? Well, probably not. But it is pretty good and would probably drop by once in a while when I am in the area. So if you would like to try some interesting burgers then the address is as follows: 

1 Chome-12-15 Yakuin, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0022

Front of the house.