Patties get special and innovative

Hit by hunger pangs, the very first option that comes to mind is a juicy chicken or vegetable burger. Loaded with veggies, greens, sauce and a chicken or aloo cutlet, a burger is always a delight and filling too.

But since McDonalds and KFC burgers have become ‘regular’, offering limited variety, restaurants in the City have gone on an overdrive to innovate and come up with what is popularly known these days as a ‘patties burger’. And best it’s the ‘patties’ that are making the difference.

Monkey Bar in Vasant

Kunj is offering lamb-based shami kebab-inspired mini patties, fish and prawn mini patties which go into slider sized buns.

On the other hand Hard Rock Cafe is hosting ‘Legendary Burger Festival’ in which the menu boasts of varieties like Chicken Parmigiana Burger with marinated golden panko crusted chicken fillet topped with spicy arrabiata and parmesan, Kansas City Legendary Beef Burger, and Mediterranean Chicken Burger to name a few.

“You name an ingredient and there is a burger patty- from vegetables to lentils, cereals, seeds and nuts, red meat, poultry and sea food,” says head chef and CEO
Bakshish Dean at Johnny Rockets India.

He says, “Aloo patty has evolved into many exciting and interesting combinations, you could see avatars like potato and fresh herb patty (in European and Asian style), potato and mushroom, potato and corn, truffle-scented potato patty, spiced potato patty, potato and veggie patty, potato with nuts, potato and parmesan patty, potato and mozzarella patty, well the possibilities are unlimited.”

Chef Cyrus Irani- associate director, culinary, Hard Rock Cafe says, “Earlier,non-vegetarian patties would only consist of meat for all non-vegetarian burgers and for vegetarian burgers, products which were starchy would be used. But now everything is changed. We now use soya protein mix which serves as a strong binder. Since people are getting more and more health conscious, instead of frying the patties we grill and serve them. There are a variety of toppings which we serve to the customers along with special sauces which add a lot more flavour.”

To heighten the gastro-experience, chefs point out sauces for different patties. Chef Manu Chandra, Monkey Bar, says, “The Lamb Burger and Rooster Booster (a.k.a chicken burgers) patties are brushed with an in-house barbecue sauce when grilled.

Freshly made mayonnaise always plays a perfect foil to all our patties. The Shaami Sliders get an Indian twist with fresh mint chutney. The Seafood Sliders use a cilantro lemon mayonnaise in addition to grain mustard.”

Cyrus mentions about the Sri Lankan burger which is made in aioli sauce.

“For our Chicken Parmigiana Burger we use parmesan sauce. For Caribbean Veggie Burger we indulge in spicy mango jams and Charmoula sauce,” he says.