A Kosher Burger Joint Joins The “Gold-Plated Fad”

For a while, plating food with gold, whether a burger or wings, worked to garner press and business, and we thought the fad might have run its course, but it seems not.

There was a time when a flurry of restaurants decided to coat whatever they could in gold, charge a ton for the item, and, in turn, get a stream of valuable press, with the hope that the boost would translate into sustained business for the establishments more “pedestrian” items of the unplated type. The playbook was run on practically everything, but the most common suspects were chicken wings, burgers, and steaks. We thought the fad was over, but Mocha Burger Lux, a new addition to the ever-expanding “Mocha Dynasty” (Lux joinsMocha Burger in SoHo and Mocha Red by Union Square as well as Mocha Bleu (dairy) in Teaneck, NJ), announced earlier in the summer that it will be offering a “24K Gold Plated Golden-Burger” with the equally wild price of $175.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency describes the burger as follows:

“The 12-ounce short-rib burger is wrapped in leaves of real, 24-karat gold. It’s grilled and topped with black Australian truffle, crunchy onions and chips, house-made sauce, and pickles. The dish is brought to the table in a custom hand-carved wood treasure chest, which will be opened at the table, triggering a smoke show and illuminating its contents.”

Somewhat assuringly, restauranteur Naftali Abenaim stated in regard to the burger: “You’re not paying for the piece of meat. You’re paying for the experience.”

We will admit we have not tried a gold-plated burger (or gold-plated anything, for that matter). Perhaps “the experience” is worth it?

Let us know if you are brave (and rich) enough to try.

Regardless, we have no beef with a gold-plated burger. After all, it makes life more interesting.

Visit Mocha Burger Lux at:

4 E 46th St, New York, NY 10017