News On Japan

Behind the Counter at a local Japanese Hamburger Shop

Oct 11 (Paolo fromTOKYO) - Hidden in Shibuya, Chillmatic is redefining Japanese craft burgers with aged beef and homemade pastrami that take flavor to another level a Japanese craft burger shop known for serving one-of-a-kind burgers made with aged beef and topped with irresistible homemade pastrami.

This isn’t fast food, it’s the art of burger making elevated to a fine dining experience. Chillmatic first opened three years ago on the first floor of the Mustard Hotel in Shibuya. That’s where I first discovered it and became hooked on their unforgettable burgers. But when the hotel closed after just one year, the shop was forced to move from pop-up to pop-up for an entire year before finally finding a new permanent home in its current location. Behind the grill is Chef Shioda-san, a Tokyo native whose roots run deep in Japan’s culinary world. At Chillmatic, the beef is seasoned with an original blend of nine spices and marinated for seven days to deepen the umami flavor. Once ready, it’s slow-cooked to preserve its juiciness and transformed into pastrami unlike anything else in Japan. Each patty combines four cuts of beef, all aged for at least 90 days, creating a flavor profile that’s rich, smoky, and full of depth. Shioda-san toasts the buns, melts the cheese to the ideal consistency, and finishes with their house-made sauce, a final touch that ties everything together. It’s not just a burger; it’s the result of years of dedication, technique, and an unwavering commitment to craft.

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