$1,600 for a burger?

Tilman Fertitta serves up an opulent 24-karat-gold-topped burger for $1,600

The Black Gold Burger with its accompaniments.

Courtesy of Fertitta Entertainment

The Post Oak Hotel is all about luxurious excess. If the five star-rated spa and $3 million-plus wine inventory don't provide sufficient proof of the lengths that Tilman Fertitta's Galleria-area hotel will go to spoil its well-heeled guests, the Rolls Royce dealership in the lobby certainly should.

But even by the standards of a hotel with a $1 million chandelier, its new burger might be a little over the top. Dubbed the Black Gold burger, it features 16-ounces of Japanese A5 wagyu beef, seared foie gras, black truffle, and truffle aioli. Served on a caviar-infused, 24K gold-topped bun alongside hand-cut 24K golden french fries and paired with a bottle of 2006 Dom Perignon Champagne, the pricey patty rings in at a whopping $1,600.

A Landry's representative couldn't confirm whether anyone has ordered one — yet — but did note that whoever takes the plunge will have it delivered by a white gloved server on on Bernardaud Feuille d’Or china. Also, although it's listed on the menu at H Bar, the burger is available anywhere on the property, meaning one could, at least in theory, have it delivered to Mastro's as an appetizer for the table or served poolside for the ultimate Instagram photo op.

Needless to say, $1,600 is an absurd amount of money to spend on a burger. For the same price, a person could buy almost 70-pounds of brisket from Truth Barbeque, 10 long-bone ribeyes at Georgia James, or all of the dishes on the Better Luck Tomorrow menu 16 times.

From an eating perspective, the track record of ultra-fancy burgers isn't good. CultureMap columnist Ken Hoffman once described the $200 burger at short-lived steakhouse 60 Degrees Mastercrafted as the "gimmick of a desperate restaurant" that didn't measure up to his beloved Fuddrucker's. The Post Oak isn't desperate — being owned by the Billion Dollar Buyer provides serious financial security — but the dining experience is definitely caveat emptor.

To put things in a slightly different perspective, Mastro's charges $200 for a 12-ounce Japanese wagyu New York-strip steak and $35 for foie gras. Add another $50 or so for shaved black truffle. The bottle of Dom Perignon lists for $295. If someone opted to skip the caviar bun and gold-flaked fries, they could apply the $1,000 savings to a night at the hotel and a complete spa treatment.

And maybe another bottle of Dom. Now that's our kind of luxury.

news-you-can-eat burgers

cheers to that

Texas bourbon named one of 2024's top 10 whiskies

Still Austin Whiskey Co. Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey

Still Austin Whiskey Co./Facebook

Now if only we could snag a bottle...as a Christmas gift, of course.

Three cheers for Still Austin Whiskey Co.! The distillery's Bottled in Bond Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey was recognized as one of Whisky Advocate'sTop 20 Most Exciting Whiskies of 2024.

Every year, Whisky Advocate's expert panelists rank hundreds of whiskies based on their quality, availability, value for the price, and "X-factor," meaning an excitement-inducing component like a unique flavor or an innovative idea. An international panel also reviews contenders through several blind taste tests without knowing each whisky's producer, origin, age, or price.

The magazine ranked Still Austin's five-year Red Corn Bourbon No. 7 on the list with a prestigious score of 94 points. The Red Corn whiskey, which was released in June 2024, has mash bill consisting of 36 percent Jimmy Red corn, 34 percent white corn, 25 percent rye, and 5 percent barley.

According to panelist Shane English, tasting notes start big and bold with cracked pepper, dusty leather, and cocktail cherries, before moving on to a palate of chile pepper, caramel, and buttery cornbread.

"Each sip is electric — the pepper gives this whiskey a zing balanced by poundcake and glazed doughnuts," English said. "Charred oak fades to chocolate, coffee, and pecan pie on the finish."

Still Austin had the only Texas product on the list, which was fitting given the brand's recent boasting that it could match any Kentucky Bourbon. As a game day stunt when the Texas Longhorns played the Kentucky Wildcats in November, Still Austin refilled empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles with its own Cask Strength Bourbon for just $1.

When the brand isn't playfully antagonizing Kentucky fans, its Red Corn Bourbon sells for a retail price of $85 per 750-milliliter bottle, falling nearly in the middle of the price category out of all 20 bourbons on the list, with eight others priced for less.

For additional context, none of the top five bourbons fall under a $100 price tag. In fact, the most expensive bottle on the 2024 list is the Angel's Envy 2023 Cask Strength Port Wine Barrel Finished Bourbon, which ranked No. 12 and retails for $230 per bottle.

"Our top 20 whiskies represent a curated collection that deserves your attention. Each whisky on the list stands out for its superb taste, representing the pinnacle of a year filled with remarkable tastings," said executive editor David Fleming in a release. "This list features whiskies offering exceptional value, leaders in their respective styles, and superbly made expressions that are well worth seeking out."

Whiskey Advocate's 2024 Whiskey of the Year is Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Cask Strength Scotch Single Malt, which earned 95 points and retails for $165 a bottle.

whiskey bourbon distilleries awards lists