Foie Gras Burger Debuts at Hog & Rocks, Laws Be Damned

The dawn of the new year is a time when many of us see the virtue of moderation, but for those who'd rather keep the party going on into 2015, Hog & Rocks has the solution. The Mission gastropub's already-indulgent burger, which chef Robin Song usually tops with American cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, and special sauce, is now available with a special addition: foie gras. At $24, it's neither cheap nor technically legal, since restaurants in the state of California still aren't allowed to sell foie. Song, like many other chefs before him, is skirting the rule by selling the burger as-is, with the foie as a free side dish.

The impetus to do a foie burger came after Song found himself with leftover foie from the restaurant's New Year's Eve dinner, and decided the sacrilege of pairing fancy goose liver with American cheese might be a fun idea for anyone who was willing to foot the bill. As a result, quantities are extremely limited—you'll probably want to go in the next day or two to snag one. While he supports the overturning of the foie ban, Song says the burger was more of a goof than a political act. "I like putting weird stuff on burgers. We've been doing optional fried duck eggs and blue cheese, and so I thought this might be fun. When the foie runs out, I'm going to do the fried duck eggs and leftover truffles. And I'm not going to lie, I'll probably make one for myself with all three: the eggs, the foie, and the truffles."