Burger King Japan Goes To The Dark Side, Whipping Up Burgers With Black Buns And Cheese

Fast food chains in Japan are known for whipping up burgers with unusual ingredients and colors. During the cherry blossom season earlier this year, McDonald’s introduced its very own pink sakura burger.

This time round Burger King Japan is launching two black burgers.

Burger King Black Burgers
Kimimasa Maya/epa

Both burgers will rock not just black buns; even the sauce and cheese will be black.

Burger King Black KURO Diamond Burger
Burger King Japan

The Kuro (black) Diamond burger is crowned with fresh lettuce, tomato, and onion, complemented by mayonnaise and Chaliapin sauce. Of course, there’s the 115g black pepper patty and black cheese sandwiched between black buns.

Burger King KURO Diamond Burger
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The colorful ingredients actually make this burger look much friendlier than its Pearl brother.

Burger King Black KURO Pearl Burger
Burger King Japan

The simpler Kuro Pearl burger appears to be exactly the same as the Diamond, but without the vegetables. Without the dash of colors, it looks darker and more sinister.

So what makes the burgers so black?

Burger King Black Burger Sauce
Burger King Japan

The Chaliapin sauce, curiously named after Russian opera singer Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin, is a mixture of soy sauce, fried onions and garlic, with a dash of squid ink.

Burger King Black Cheese
Burger King Japan

Have you ever seen black cheese in your life? I haven’t. What gives it that menacing blackness is bamboo charcoal, an ingredient that is gaining popularity in Japan, Taiwan and Singapore.

Burger King Black Burger Bun
Burger King Japan

Let’s not forget the buns, which have also been blended with bamboo charcoal.

Burger King Black KURO Burgers
Kimimasa Maya/epa

The peculiar burgers will sell for 690 yen ($6.40) and 480 yen ($450), hitting Japanese stores on September 19th for limited time only. Will you try these dark burgers?