You like rice, you like burgers? Chase Kojima is about to make your day with his next venture. Introducing Gojima, a new casual eatery from the chef best known for his work at Sokyo in Sydney and Kiyomi on the Gold Coast.
Rice burger wha? Let’s cut to the Chase and hand the microphone over to chef Kojima for the layer-by-layer lowdown:
“It all starts with the rice bun base. It’s a blend of sushi rice that’s caramelised for flavour and crunch, with a thick spread of house-made, umami butter (the recipe for the butter is a secret, but I can tell you the flavour-profile is soy). The next layer is made up of thinly sliced, American-style dill pickles, followed by a sprinkle of raw sliced white onions and crisp green oak lettuce.
“Next up is the first of two patties of Angus beef – a blend we’ve developed that includes chuck and brisket. We then add a slice of melting American cheese, another beef patty, and a dollop of the Gojima secret sauce that we’ve made to complement the flavour of the rice bun.
“We keep building the burger with another slice of melted American cheese, ripe red tomatoes, and top it off with a rice bun. To hold it all together, we’ve used what is in my opinion the best nori seaweed in the world. We use this particular nori in Sokyo too – it has a melt-in-your-mouth texture and delicious roasted aroma.”
Gojima opens at The Star on the ground-floor site opposite Momofuku Seiobo in late November.