Kraze Burger

There was a lot of buzz among Shanghaiist's circle of friends about the recent addition to Shanghai's burger scene: ROK-based chain Kraze Burger in Xujiahui. We'd heard good things: cheap food, clean environment, great k-pop music videos and, of course, decent burgers. It wasn't that hopes were necessarily high, it's just that we had hopes. Hopes that Xujiahui would become a burger destination once again--not since the area branch of Rendezvous Cafe closed has the southwestern district laid claim to that title.

The interior certainly did not disappoint. Clean booths, simple diner decorum, kitschy slogans in bright backlit signs and a variety of k-pop performances rocking the VCD player. At least, we thought to ourselves, this visit won't be a bore. The waitstaff were friendly as well. No problems finding someone to take our order, and no mix-ups on orders once they arrived.

Shanghaiist was dining that evening with two friends--for the sake of preserving their anonymity, let's call them "Kleimey" and "Gun." Kleimey ordered the K.B.++ (Rmb32), a single-patty burger with egg, bacon, cheese and Kraze Sauce. Gun ordered the K.B. Original (Rmb28), a single-patty burger with cheese and Kraze Sauce. Shanghaiist decided on the burger which the menu had seen fit to dub "The Best"--the Matiz (Rmb35), a single-patty burger with cheese, fried onions, bacon and BBQ sauce.

Sounds like a good deal, right? Wrong. The burgers don't come with fries. A side order of fries will set you back Rmb12. Add Rmb4 to that and you can have chili-cheese fries. Wait... no chili in the kitchen just yet. So a side of fries and the cheapest burger will set you back around Rmb40, slightly more expensive than the beef burger at Tapas Bar (Rmb38), which comes with fries. Shanghaiist's meal totaled Rmb50--that is entering Blue Frog territory in terms of cost.

We will leave you with two snippets of conversation, which say enough about the meal for you to decide whether you want to head down to try for yourself:

Shanghaiist: How's that Kraze Sauce?
Gun:Yeah, not bad. At home I think we call it 'ketchup.'

and:

Shanghaiist: Hmmm... I am not sure about this place.
Kleimey: I don't know, it isn't so bad... I could definitely see myself coming back here when I am in the area. Then again, I am never in this area... Oh well, no big loss.

Kraze Burger is located south of Nandan Dong Lu (南丹东路) on Tianyaoqiao Lu (天钥桥路) in Xujiahui district. Open 11am to 11pm.