US presidential election takes gastronomic twist in Japan

In this gastronomic contest being held at JS Burger Cafe, which lasts until the election, voters get to pick between a Mr Burger representing Trump, and a Mrs Burger representing Clinton. The former is inspired by the New York Reuben sandwich and features pastrami beef and beef patties stacked together and topped with coleslaw and homemade Russian dressing on a black bun, the colour of which signals Trump’s ‘darker side’, according to a restaurant spokesperson. 

Mrs Burger, created in the same spirit of invoking the street cuisine of Clinton’s hometown, is given the flavour of the Chicago Dog with the inclusion of two sausages, yellow mustard and pickles on a poppy-seed bun. Patrons express their approval of either choice by dropping a vote into a ballot box near the cash register, and the winning burger will remain on the menu for a year, after being announced on November 9, just as the world wakes up to the new selection for US president. 

This isn’t the first time that the company has pulled such a gimmick to woo customers. Earlier in the year, the restaurant dreamed up a freaky Ghostbusters -themed menu to coincide with the reboot of the film series. The limited-time menu features ghoulish creations like the ‘GB Burger’, which is doused in black olive and anchovy paste. The ‘Marshmallow Mad Burger’ isn’t for the squeamish, either. The syrupy dessert burger swaps meat for roasted marshmallows and is topped with Oreos and some sort of gelatinous red sauce.