I love kimchi.

It all started back in high school, where a group of us would watch the same Korean drama over and over again. In one scene, the family makes kimchi. I had never seen anything like it and it was definitely a sight to watch! Prior to watching, I wasn’t accustomed to Korean cuisine and hadn’t even tried one single Korean dish. But the kimchi process was fascinating, and since that day, I have been (secretly) obsessed with Korean food and of course, kimchi. Cabbage never looked so good!

Fast forward to today, where you can buy kimchi from various Asian stores in Auckland, but the most exciting thing I have discovered of late is Tiger Burger – burger and fries heaven… but with a twist! Kimchi in their burgers and fries! The restaurant has been open for a while, but I only managed to go a few nights’ ago. I am so glad I did, because everything about Tiger Burger is awesome.

Firstly, we loved the simplicity of their food and drink menus. For food, there are four burger options – beef, chicken, pork and vegetarian (plus a special every week), a few sides (fries and bites) and two desserts.

Their drinks list is short too, with a few boutique beers, wines and cocktails (I tried their special of the week – ‘Bae Bae’ consisting of pear puree, El Dorado gold rum, ginger liqueur and cranberry juice, served in a martini glass. It tasted like pink grapefruit to me, but it was very refreshing). We also loved their non-alcoholic drinks – a must order is their Fentimans botanically brewed ginger beer!

For food, we ordered the Kimcheese burger, the Vegetarian burger and of course, their famous Kimcheese fries. They were all WOW, in particular the Kimcheese fries (which I shall attempt to make at home!):

Kimcheese burger – grilled beef, sauteed kimchi, aged cheddar and chilli mayo. This burger is part of Metro’s Top 10 Burgers, and I can definitely see why. It’s Juicy. Messy. Spicy. It oozes cheese. There’s sauteed kimchi (woop woop), and the buns taste like sweet doughnuts. What’s not to like about this burger?!

Kimcheese fries – we absolutely LOVED them! Definitely my favourite fries in Auckland to date (sorry Poutine from The Fed). Imagine fries, topped with kimchi, aged cheddar, creme sauce, kimchi ketchup and spring onion – absolute heaven. Definitely order these!

Vegetarian burger – this burger was top notch. The crispy shiitake and kumara patty was not dry (unlike other vegetarian burgers in Auckland) and was accompanied by a creamy slaw, yang nyum sauce and mayo – the perfect balance of flavours and very tasty.

We also loved the interior – it’s clean, the seating is wooden benches/bar stools (but it suits the place), the decor is black and white, with animal prints on the walls and there’s Korean signage. The vibe is also super cool, from the music to the friendly and welcoming staff.

I enjoyed every minute of my time at Tiger Burger and I’m sure you will too!

Tiger Burger
Address 549 Great North Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland
Open Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Sunday, 5 to 9pm + Friday/Saturday, 12-2.30pm & 5-10pm
Recommended All the burgers are amazing, but don’t leave without trying the Kimcheese fries!
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