[Try It] The Pungent Garlic Scent That Tinges Your Nose... The 'Perfect Match' of Savory Bacon

No Brand Burger 'Tongmaneul Bacon'
A harmonious blend of sharp whole garlic and savory bacon

A sharp garlic aroma pricked the tip of the nose.

'Tongmaneul Bacon' introduced by No Brand Burger, operated by Shinsegae Food, had a strong garlic scent from the first impression. Twelve halves of whole garlic cloves grilled to a golden brown between the hamburger buns. Along with cabbage, cheese, onions, and a grilled patty, it was complemented by a generous spread of yellow mayonnaise sauce on the bun’s surface, stimulating the appetite.

This is a whole garlic bacon set menu ordered at a No Brand Burger store in Jung-gu, Seoul. Single item 5,500 won, set 7,400 won. Photo by Jae-Hyun Park

The first bite was not much different from a regular hamburger. The texture of the plain hamburger bun and patty was noticeable. By the second bite, the rich mayonnaise sauce and cabbage filled the mouth. From the third bite, the soft texture of the whole garlic cloves was chewed. The subtle garlic aroma infused in the burger helped to cut the greasiness typical of hamburgers. The salty flavor of two pieces of bacon balanced the potentially bitter taste of the garlic.

The golden-brown grilled whole garlic cloves made a definite presence. The usual cabbage and cheese flavors in a typical hamburger were overshadowed by the mayonnaise sauce and were not very noticeable. Instead, the patty and whole garlic cloves naturally blended together, similar to the texture when eating samgyeopsal with garlic. The set, served with cola and French fries, provided a suitable fullness for an adult woman.

'Meat' and 'garlic' are the most favored combination among Koreans. The Tongmaneul Bacon Burger uses whole garlic cloves as an ingredient, not garlic slices or sauce. It is the first among domestic burger franchises to do so. This burger enhances the umami flavor by combining the sharpness of whole garlic cloves fried to a savory crisp and the salty taste of bacon. The thick grilled patty, lettuce, onions, and cheese come together to offer a rich and savory taste.

This is a cross-section of a whole garlic bacon burger. It contains whole garlic, lettuce, onion, cheese, and a patty.

A downside is that the appearance does not look as abundant in ingredients as competing franchise hamburgers. On the kiosk screen when ordering, it appeared to be overflowing with six plump whole garlic cloves, lettuce, onions, cheese, grilled patty, and mayonnaise sauce, but the actual burger was thinner than the advertisement photo.

The freshness of the ingredients also seems to be a factor influencing the burger’s taste. When the reporter visited the No Brand Burger store around 7 p.m., it was crowded with office workers on their way home. Considering the store’s turnover rate, high freshness of cabbage and whole garlic was expected, but the cabbage was somewhat disappointing compared to handmade burgers. The whole garlic was grilled nicely to a golden brown, but it was not the texture of freshly roasted garlic.

A Shinsegae Food official explained the background of the launch, saying, "We released a new menu that allows customers to enjoy the pairing of texture and taste by adding whole garlic, the ingredient most preferred by Koreans and well matched with bacon, a topping commonly used in existing burgers."

Meanwhile, Tongmaneul Bacon has been on sale at No Brand Burger stores nationwide since the 22nd of last month. The price is 5,500 won for a single item and 7,400 won for a set.