We try the new burgers brought out to replace the Quarter Pounder and find they’re every bit as tasty as they look.

Following the announcement that the iconic Quarter Pounder would be taken off the menu at McDonald’s outlets around Japan from 4 April, fans of the burger were left disheartened and angry, wondering how they might be able to satisfy their craving for beef in the future at the eponymous fast food chain.

McDonald’s mentioned that the decision to discontinue the Quarter Pounder was part of their plan to revitalise the menu and it appears they’ve followed through on their promise, with the release of three new beef patty burgers, added as staple menu items for the first time in eight years.

Released on 5 April, we stopped by our nearest McDonald’s to try out the new range, and we’re thrilled to report that they’re every bit as tasty as they look!

There are three new “Gran” burgers in the range: the Gran Clubhouse, the Gran Teriyaki and the Gran Bacon Cheese.

We decided to start off by tasting the Gran Teriyaki burger, which retails for 390 yen (US$3.50).

All the burgers in the range feature unusual steamed buns, which provide an incredibly soft and chewy layer to the 100-percent all beef patty inside each one.

The resulting texture is similar to eating a traditional meat-filled Asian steamed bun, only this one contains lettuce, a slice of tomato, a beef patty, and a generous serving of sweet teriyaki sauce, which gives it a distinct Japanese flavour.

This was the sauciest of all three burgers, with every mouthful containing the full flavour of teriyaki sauce, which complimented the beef beautifully.

As a perfect blend of western and traditional Japanese flavours, this is definitely one to try when visiting Japan.

▼ Next up was the Gran Bacon Cheese, which also retails for 390 yen.

Unlike the saucy Gran Teriyaki, this burger is a lot more contained. You won’t have to worry about getting your hands messy with this one!

Whereas the Gran Teriyaki relied on its sauce for flavour, the Gran Bacon Cheese hits your tastebuds with the flavour of cheese. Two kinds of rich cheddar cheese are hiding out inside this one, tempting our tastebuds with a generous strip of juicy bacon, which hangs out of one side like a tongue.

The combination of beef patty, grilled smoked bacon, rich cheddar cheese and ketchup, mustard and onion made this one incredibly tasty.

It’s like a cheeseburger on steroids, with extra punches of flavour hitting your tastebuds with every mouthful. This was our second favourite burger of the day.

Which brings us to the grandest Gran of the day: the Gran Clubhouse, which retails for 490 yen.

Again, this one uses the same unusual steamed bun as the others in the range…

But inside, there’s a whole lot of flavour, thanks to the use of eight different ingredients, which include: a beef patty, sliced onions, lettuce, tomato, white cheddar cheese, sauces, and two slices of bacon.

We had to open this one up to see what lay inside, and were surprised to find that it actually looked decent, with the overlapping slices of bacon ensuring its flavour permeates every mouthful.

A slightly tart, creamy sauce brought everything together beautifully, with a fresh yet meaty flavour that we couldn’t get enough of.

It’s no Quarter Pounder (dare we say it’s even better?) but this is one burger we’ll definitely be coming back for!

As the first new all-beef patty burgers to be added to the regular McDonald’s menu in eight years, these new releases are being unrolled at locations around the country with a lot of fanfare, including coupons which can be used to redeem discounts on future Gran burger purchases.

The grand additions to the menu are all absolutely delicious so if you’re looking to feast on some new burgers, be sure to drop by McDonald’s to try them out!

Photos © RocketNews24

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