BURGER AND CO.
No. 49, Tong An St.
台北市大安區通安街49號(02) 2784-0182
MRT: DaAn or LiuZhangLi
website: Burger and Co.'s FB page
hours: 11AM- 10PM
$-$$ Cash only
Kid friendliness: limited seating but some room for strollers; kid friendly burgers and fries
Delivery: Available with minimum NT$250 order and NT$50 delivery fee
Delivery: Available with minimum NT$250 order and NT$50 delivery fee
Visit reviewed: 12/16/2013 and 12/26/2013 (returned twice in 1/2014 and upgraded my review to strongly recommend)
Opened a few months ago by a New Yorker, Burger and Co. serves a limited, but tasty menu of handmade burgers, wings and fries. Some readers have compared it to Shake Shack or In N Out when telling me about it. I found myself comparing it to the also new-in-Taipei BLT Burger which I had also recently tried. I liked Burger and Co's food better, at half the price of trendier BLT, but of course BLT has foot traffic and visibility at their Vieshow location and BLT name, which some may recognize from Hong Kong, NYC or Vegas.
Burger and Co.'s space is tiny, but cozy with pops of ketchup red and mustard yellow. There are only three tables inside and a row of counter bar seating so groups bigger than four would have to split up, and there are a few tables outside open for seating when the weather is nice out. Look for happy hour specials for beer and free wifi.
After two visits and trying a few things on the menu, my favorite things were the bacon cheeseburger, the BBQ pulled pork sandwich, the buffalo wings and truffle cheese fries. The menu keeps it simple- burger, wings or fries. Choices include burger, cheeseburger, double stacker (two patties), veggie burger or bbq pulled pork sandwich; three types of wings, classic fries, cheesy or with truffle cheese. At lunch, if you order a burger with fries, you can get a soft drink for free. I wouldn't mind seeing milkshakes on the menu too.
While waiting for my friends, I ordered the truffle cheese fries (NT$150). The truffle flavor isn't dominant, but enough to give the handcut fries the extra layer of savoryness. The fries are mostly soft with a touch of crispness since they are made from fresh russet potatoes unlike the golden fries (previously frozen) prevalent at most Taipei eateries.
A bit spicy, a bit sweet, I really enjoyed the BBQ pulled pork sandwich (NT$150) with the red cabbage slaw, though I noticed the sweetness of the bun more with this sandwich than the burger.
The second time I got my order to go and I felt that the patty on my burger was softer than I remembered from the first visit, but the wings were still excellent. The key for Burger and Co. will be consistency and word of mouth (with their location being a little off the beaten path, but near the Tonghua night market). Thanks to readers Paul, Sean and others for the heads up.