You ever take a bite of something, and think ‘oh, this is special’? Maybe it’s something you’ve never tasted before, maybe it’s the perfect execution of something you love. And sometimes it’s a flavour you’d thought you’d forgotten and you get whisked back ratatouille-style to a corned beef and coconut paradise that you haven’t thought about in over a decade? No? Just me?

Another Day in Paradise by Lulu Bar is a fantastic integration of island culture into a generous burger that hits all the right spots. The hunky beef patty is proudly labeled as being 160g, and it feels like more. It’s a juicy burger that’s so soft all the way through. The chilli crisp adds a great bit of heat and pairs off really well with the garlic aioli. The bun is soft and the accompanying salt and vinegar taro chips are recommended to be smushed into the burger itself. Doing so adds a wonderful crunch to proceedings and a slightly tangy flavour to the overall flavours.

But there’s one flavour that stands out.

Corned beef palusami is not something I’ve ever heard of. Upon googling it, I still was sure what exactly I was in for. I’m an idiot. I should have known. It is a corned beef, wrapped in large vegetable leaves (generally taro, but I struggled to confirm if they were), and then braised in coconut milk. The result is a wonderful, juicy garnish that acts as the hero flavour for the whole thing, with strong heat support from the chilli crisp and the vinegar-y chips. It’s the perfect marriage of island flavours and modern technique and stands out as one of the best burgers this season.