In light of my upcoming move back to the US, I have been digging through old photos from the past year that have not made it on to the blog. Not surprisingly, almost all are still food related.
Like this burger. We found it at a Buddhist vegetarian restaurant last summer in Beijing, near the Lama Temple. On the menu it was called a “Taiwan burger”. None of us, including my globetrotting vegan friend Seb, had ever heard of such a thing. We figured there would be some sort of tofu or seitan involved. Even if you can’t use meat, garlic, or onions, an edible burger is still possible.
Not here. True, there are worse things in life than a mouthful of Cool Whip and lettuce. I just can’t think of any at the moment.
Lotus in Moonlight
Building 12, Liufang Nanli Community, Liufang Street
Chaoyang District, Beijing
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Geez, they could at least put some avocado or something in it.
What’s this I hear about you returning to the US? Just when we’re about to leave to Malaysia! Oh well.
Cool Whip on a burger?!
This is just astounding. How do people eat cool whip and lettuce on a burger bun? And why do I see red on the cool whip is interesting too. Wonder why the restaurant sold it to you in the first place.
out to shock people. It would certainly stop me in my tracks if it was displayed in a shop window.
Phoebe – Yet they kept it hidden in the recesses of the menu. Since the restaurant’s other dishes were good, it seemed like a horrible experiment-gone-wrong from a well-intentioned chef.
Nate – You’re going to Malaysia for vacation or to live?
I cook so yummi burgers with tofu mmmmm.
I can´t understand those ideas which mix vegetarian food with just eating lettuce.
I remember a fascination with whipped fluff (cakes etc)from my China days, even in the 80s (when I think the fluff may have been made entirely from synthetics). But this is something new. And frightening.
I think I understand why it’s called a Taiwan Burger…it’s not really a burger at all. Or food for that matter.
It’s a dessert topping…
It’s a floor wax…
It’s a burger!
Wrong in so many ways.
Well this is an interesting”burger.” I think I would have to pass on it!
ROFLMAO That’s the funniest thing I’ve seen in days!
Far funnier on the web than it would be on my plate, though. . .
sorry to see that.
the is the most misleading food I’ve ever seen.
the real Taiwan burger should be the steamed bun filled with pork belly, peanut powder and cilantro, which is super yummy.
http://tinyurl.com/n9otxo
remind me to serve this at my next vegetarian-friendly bbq…
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Que aproveche!
Why would something being classified as ‘Taiwan’ not be real food? Is that a jab at Taiwanese cuisine, Chinamatt?
Let’s not forget that the greatest Chinese chefs migrated to Taiwan during the communist takeover and brought the truly great cuisine with them. This is true of art as well. That and the influx of a Japanese influence counts for some incredible dishes unique to the worlds around them.
Okay, that’s funny!
Lolsss that can be a diet burger may be but not a real burger but then again burger can never be a diet food,I know how disappointed you feel when you are hungry like a hell and you expect something and get something it seems like all your bulbs will fuse now and you will explode into bits of tiny pieces.But its really funny and funniest of all A burger with lettuce and cool whip lols….
It is a shock to see it. I’m from Taiwan and I have never ever saw any buger like that here. I don’t see any connection between the buger and Taiwan.
Besids doesn’t cool whips are used on desserts and sweets?
if they are running out of tofu and indegrents for their buger, they should just told the customers they don’t serve Vegettarian buger today.
Shame on them!!!
Cool whip is so not Taiwanese.
I’ll try to play peace-keeper. I *think* ChinaMatt was sarcastic, referring to the fact that since Beijing doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a real country, it named a fake burger the Taiwan burger. It seems to be more of a jab at the mainland than at Taiwan.
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Thanks Diana, that’s exactly what I was going for. (I should’ve paid more attention to reply sooner.)
China’s renditions of western food are always priceless…priceless meaning GROSS in the vast majority of instances! Why, China? Whyyyyy?!!
that is so funny, and totally gross
at least.
this looks sick.
Oh my, that would construe as diet food, wouldn’t it?! LOL! Thank you for sharing this, I’ll remember this next time I order a surprise item off of a menu.