Foie gras burger goes on sale in Japan

US fast-food chain Wendy's, known for its square beef patties and baked potatoes, on Tuesday unveiled a foie gras burger as it sprang back into life in Japan. Two years after shutting up shop because of falling profits, Wendy's is hoping its exotic new menu will tickle the sophisticated Japanese palate. The regular buns are still there but are joined by the foie gras burgers, which cost 1,280 yen ($16), and avocado and wasabi burgers (820 yen) as well as grilled chicken served with truffle and porcini mushroom sauce (920 yen). Wendy's withdrew from Japan in 2009 after a seven-year presence in the crowded market, as it struggled to compete with bigger rivals Burger King and McDonald's. Its first new branch opened Tuesday in the upmarket Tokyo shopping district of Omotesando. The company said it was aiming to open 100 restaurants over the next five years.