There is nothing wrong with American fast food restaurants experimenting with local flavors in foreign countries in order to attract customers, but this black cheeseburger coming soon to Burger King restaurants across Japan looks like it would do exactly the opposite.
Featuring a black bun, black cheese and black sauce, the "Kuro" (Black) Burger is an interesting assortment of flavors. The buns are colored black with bamboo charcoal (yummy). The sauce is a combination of onion, garlic, ketchup and soy sauce along with squid ink (delicious). The black cheese is also colored with bamboo charcoal (extra yummy).
Aren't you ready to fly to Japan and pick one up right this instance? No? Was it the charcoal that turned you off, or the cheese? Cheese should never, ever be black.
The burger does come in two variations: a plain burger or one with lettuce, tomato and onions. Maybe the onions will block out that charcoal taste? Both will be debuting in Japan later this month for a limited time.
Japanese McDonald's recently started serving tofu McNuggets, which doesn't actually sound like a terrible idea. The nuggets look golden brown, just like regular chicken McNuggets, but are made up of tofu, carrots, edamame and fish, served alongside a ginger dipping sauce.
Unlike Burger King's "Black Burger" stunt, McDonald's actually had a reason to create the new product. The tofu nuggets came after news broke that Chinese meat suppliers had been supplying expired meat to Asian fast food restaurants like McDonalds, KFC and Taco Bell, and offered a meat-free alternative for those weary the problem had not yet been solved.
That doesn't mean Japanese McDonalds aren't known for their wacky food items as well. McDonalds actually originated the "Black Buger" back in 2012, followed by Burger King a short time later. This is the first time black cheese has been introduced to the mix, however. Earlier this spring McDonalds restaurants in the country served a "Cherry Blossom" burger with a pink bun, taking inspiration from the blooming cherry blossoms all across Japan. That burger looks infinitely more appetizing than a burger with cheese as black as night.
