Burger lovers, take notice.
Possibly the fanciest and priciest burger to come to Calgary can be ordered at Vagabond Brewery. The dish, created by chef Dale Neisz, has only been on the menu for about a month but it’s already a popular choice. Lee Borschowa, the owner of Vagabond, says, “We’ve sold 18 of these burgers so far. Most people will share them … and you’ll be ‘Thanksgiving full.'”
How big is this pricey burger? “It’s hard to say,” says Borschowa. Even though he couldn’t share a quantifiable diameter, he says the burger is bigger than most.
Here are four reasons why this burger is worth $100 – and worth trying.
The Quality Beef
The meat in Vagabond’s $100 burger is made of Wagyu beef. Wagyu beef is high quality, intensely marbled and lower in cholesterol than other beef. It’s so good that one patty isn’t enough; Vagabond’s burger has two eight-ounce patties. That’s one pound of pure meat.
The Unexpected Extras
Here’s where things get fancy. The burger includes seared foie gras and duck confit; the duck confit comes all the way from Quebec. If this wasn’t enough, the burger also comes with black truffle cheese.
The Heirloom Vegetables
Here in Cowtown, the focus of a hamburger is rarely the vegetables. However, the burger does include a leaf of fresh, crunchy lettuce and, to keep things high-end, a slice of an heirloom tomato.
The Buttery Bun
Such an extravagant burger would be out of place on an ordinary bun. Vagabond’s $100 burger is made on a brioche bun, a French-style bread that is soft, light, buttery and deliciously eggy.
Perhaps best of all, the Vagabond staff don’t see this as being a temporary menu item. Borschowa says, “At this rate we’ll keep it on the menu. And I think in about four months or so you’ll see other bars and restaurants in town selling something similar.”
This might be the new burger of choice after a night at the Saddledome.
(Vagabond Brewery, 1129 Olympic Way S.E., 403-474-0699, vagabondbeerworks.com)
This story was part of Avenue‘s free weekly Food & Drink Newsletter. Sign up now and get fresh dining news in your inbox every Tuesday.