Special Burger Review: Rice Burger

Photo by/Mark Avila

Date Visited: October 16, 2022

Location: Vancouver, BC
BurgerTours Rating: 8.5/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie, Gluten Free

Website

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Mark's Review

Hi everyone, this is Mark! And I’m back with another special burger tour. And as much as I wish I was still in Europe, we’re back in Canada. I’ve taken you the east coast, the prairies, and the territories and it seems like I’ve neglected the west coast. But, fear no more I bring you guys to Vancouver where I visit a rather interesting burger joint. A burger joint that I never thought would exist, a joint that took the concept of burgers to a different level. For this special burger tour, I take you to… Rice Burger!

Beef Yakiniku Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

Yes, you heard that right… Rice Burger. This was a rather unique find as I was curious if the concept of a rice burger was legit. And lo and behold after ordering… I was presented with a perfectly made rice burger! I was actually quite amazed the structural integrity of the burger and how well it was able to keep itself together. 

I guess before I get too carried away, I should probably tell you a little about Rice Burger. As a substitute to the traditional hamburger, the rice burger was first conceptualized in Japan which then garnered popularity across Asia, and eventually made its way across the globe. The fact that this Japanese innovation made its way to Canada surely reflects the diverse food scene that Vancouver is known for. I was very excited to try this! 

The Beef Yakiniku Burger is comprised of beef that is marinated in store and grilled to perfection. Taking that first bite, the rice buns gave an interesting texture of hard and soft. The top was soft and firm, while the bottom was unfortunately hard and a little burnt. The Beef Yakiniku saved the burger. It was sweet, nicely seasoned, and perfectly cooked. After the first couple of bites it started to fall apart. I eventually had to use a spoon and fork to flatten the rice, and ended up finishing it off as a rice dish. It took the burger experience out of the meal, but I can’t deny the exceptional flavour. 

I also ordered the Kimchi Fries as a side. Now, I thought it would be just a small tray of fries at first. But, when they brought it out to me in a huge container I was flabbergasted and thought to myself “how am I ever going to finish this meal?”. To my surprise, however, the fries were pretty light and were so good! They weren’t shy on the Kimchi as I got a full explosion of heat in my mouth.

Overall, the Rice Burger experience was one for the books. What started off as a well structured burger ended up as a rice plate. The flavours were phenomenal, and the concept was great. I don’t know if a joint like this exists elsewhere in Canada, but I’m happy I managed to find a place ‘not so close to home’. I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for an out of the norm burger experience, and looking forward to visiting again.

8.5/10