Face-to-cheesy-face with the Marugoto Camembert Burger from Dom Dom

It’s an Atkins dream come true in the form of two all-beef patties inside a pair of camembert cheese slabs.

In the fast food landscape of Japan, the burger chain Dom Dom holds the special distinction of being the first of its kind in Japan. Although lacking in locations compared to its peers, the store holds a uniquely Japanese atmosphere and offers menu items in line with its heritage, such as okonomiyaki and tamagoyaki.

In April of last year, the chain was put under new management, which is clearly aiming at elevating the restaurant’s fortunes. One way is through bold promotions such as the Marugoto Camembert Burger.

This sandwich takes a classic burger formula but replaces the traditional bun with two pucks of solid camembert cheese. Priced at 980 yen (US$9) for the burger alone, it was sure to be a filling dish, so we sent our most ravenous reporter, Mr. Sato, to take it on.

After ordering the combo for 1,310 yen ($12), Mr. Sato was a little surprised to see his order look very…ordinary. They only way he could tell it was correct was by the little label that read “camembert.”

However, when he picked it up, Mr. Sato was disturbed by its coldness. It seemed as if the camembert came straight out of the fridge just before the burger was assembled.

Fast food ads are notorious for using exaggerated imagery of their foods so, as he unwrapped the sandwich, Mr. Sato was well-prepared for a let-down based on this humble presentation.

Amazingly, this time it seemed to live up to its advertised picture and then some. The meat and cheese slabs seemed even bolder than in the poster.

The only thing that was underwhelming was the tomato, but that was hardly why he came.

The two hearty pieces of camembert were filled with two beef patties, ketchup, onions, and tomato. There was also a slice of processed cheese in between the patties, because why the heck not?

But looks are cheap, and it was time to taste this pile of cheese.

Considering cheese, tomato, and meat is a pretty hard combination to screw up, Mr. Sato figured it would at least be alright. However, this particular blend was even better than he expected, with the firmness of the meat balancing the excess cheese and holding everything together from the inside out.

On the other hand, the fact that the camembert was chilled and the meat was freshly cooked made for a noticeable imbalance of temperatures in his mouth. It wasn’t terrible, but it was disconcerting and took away from the overall enjoyment of it. Perhaps if they could slightly warm the cheese, it would improve matters.

Nevertheless, Mr. Sato left satisfied and with his caloric intake for the rest of the day sorted. While not the greatest burger in the world, it is well worth trying for the experience alone. With more creative offerings like this, maybe Dom Dom can finally ascend to its rightful place in the Japanese fast food market.

Are you reading this Taco Bell?

Photos: SoraNews24

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