Happy LaBoURGER Day at Goddard's Flippin' Burgers!

Ah yes, La-bourger Day, when all Canadians get a day off to eat burgers. Burgermeister and I found ourselves in Bancroft for the long weekend and just had to take advantage of a mini-tour. With the demise of Kirby Burger, Ace Submarine and some negative experiences at other stops, we were excited to see a classic purveyor of beef on our trip north. So while Hamburglar and Small Fry were sunning themselves on Toronto Island's nudie beach, we were doing our beef-eating duty for the good of humanity.

Goddard's Flippin' Burgers used to be a small roadside stand with take-out only. They now have a new Dine-in section with plenty of parking. Conveniently located on the main strip at 181 Hastings St. North, we were lured in by the aroma of flame grilled beef. I have to say, for a small place, the burger selection was plentiful. Besides the basic 100% beef burgers, with cheese, classic 'banquet' style, and other favourites (hot dogs, sausages, bacon cheese dog, peameal on a bun), the menu features 7 oz International Burgers for $7.99 each. For $11.99 you can make it a FLIPPIN' FEAST with a small order of fries and a canned pop. See the menu pic for options!

Burgermeister had the Mexican burger, in Extra Hot! style. Definitely delicious, and with a real bite, he noted that the heat was not evenly distributed. There were pockets of 'extreme' but by the end of the burger, it was all a spicy mouth-watering fiesta. As usual, the Meister had his 'bun issues'; not hot enough, no options. However, the buns were fresh and soft, and sunk into the burger nicely. BM gave his burger a solid 8. As noted, when you start with good quality, fresh ingredients, and cook them on a flamin' hot grill, you can't go wrong. All the truffles and fois gras in the world can't help you if you don't start with good beef.

I went for the American Burger...the Yankee Doodle Dandy! I also rated my burger an 8 because I thoroughly enjoyed the taste of the beef. Nicely seasoned, done to perfection, juicy goodness. My one issue was the sauteed onions. They needed to be cooked longer; sauteed they were not. Keep them brewing. The blue cheese was lovely (though I'd like a bit more next time).

We shared a side of poutine and rated it a 7. The fries were very good but the cheese and gravy were average. The gravy was just your basic canned or bottled, and it was satisfactory but nothing special. The fries were fresh and delicious and next time I'd get them straight up.

We met Nadia the owner (pictured). She was lovely and pleasant, and just as happy as she looks in her photo. She told us all about the place, and her connection to the area. She knew the customers and was sure to introduce the other servers to the diners. Goddard's is normally closed on Mondays but stays open for the long weekends. Regulars should be aware that they close down for January, so get your fix in before then!

Apparently they have funnel cakes and we saw some beautiful cupcakes in the case. I wish I'd gone for that too.

I am dying to go back to try the West Indian Burger or the Jamaican. I wish Bancroft were a lot closer.

For a road burger, this place is an 8. Excellent quality, juicy and satisfying, with that small town hospitality that you always hear about, this place is a jewel in the mineral capital of Canada.


No website available but be sure to 'like' them on Facebook!

Woody's Burgers. We take the Etobicoke challenge!

It was a windy post-Fan-Expo day in Etobicoke. We were happy to see the return of Triple Bypass at our table, particularly since Small Fry was noticeably absent. On that subject, I want to wish Small Fry well, after his collapse due to exhaustion. On behalf of the Burger Tour crew I would like to wish him a speedy recovery, and let him know we do not believe the rumours and news reports speculating on a candy floss problem or fizz candy overdose. Your chair is waiting at our next greasy table, Small Fry!
I had heard a lot of good things about Woody's from a number of people. I felt it was time to get out of the snobbery and hob-nobbery of Toronto's fancy burgers and get back to basics! Woody's is a burger joint located on Lakeshore Blvd. near Brown's Line. They are known for their burgers and pulled pork sandwiches done on wood burning grills, and you can smell the smokey goodness when you walk through the door. A small place with a generous patio, they also provide pick up and delivery for over 15 people, as well as "grill your own" supplies. The selection is hardy, with burgers ranging from basic to specialty. The one that caught my eye had the cheese infused right in the meat. Wow! They also feature a daily burger, salad, and drink special. Yes, they are licensed! As well, they have rootbeer on draught from a local supplier.


Triple Bypass went for the Alpine Burger and rated it a 9. The beef was excellent, with swiss cheese, smoked bacon, sauteed mushroom and onion and dijon mustard. He sided with 50/50 fries of regular and sweet potato, freshly made. Trip-B rated nothing lower than an 8, and that was the root beer, which was not to everyone's liking. Trip-B found it a little strong, with a bite, but really good. And I concur.

Hamburglar was a bit testy on this tour and next time I suggest he stick to alcoholic beer as his beverage choice. He went for the Four Cheese Stuffed cheeseburger (blue or his choice of cheddar), parmesan,feta, cheddar and roast garlic mayo. All the other toppings were fresh and juicy, and he enjoyed the root beer. As usual, he scored this burger a 9. I'm not sure what needs to be done to rate anything lower in his book.

Herr Burgermeister went for the well-known Boom. This bohemoth beef burger with pulled pork, grilled jalapenos, smoked gouda, fried onions, chipotle mayo and smoked ketchup rated an 8; a solid score for the Meister to give out, though he only gave an overall of 7. He did comment that the bun was cold, however fresh. He also prefers some bun options, such as whole wheat or flat bread. I guess someone's watching his weight.

Always the adventurer, Pickles here had the Burger of the Day, which was the Ukrainian and featured pickled beets, kolbassa, saurkraut and sour cream. A strange combo for sure, but definitely delicious. Next time I would add some cheese to the mix, but absolutely no complaints about the burger. And I liked the fries and rootbeer too. I rate this an overall 7.5.

Woody's is a basic diner style place with fresh, quality ingredients and cheery staff. You order at the counter, they give you a buzzer, and when it's ready, the buzzer goes off. As everything is freshly done, it does take a bit of time, but it's worth the wait. The inside is clean, but gets a bit smokey with the cooking. The patio is nice and big, and there were some cute guys at the next table. They could keep up on table cleanliness a bit, but the woman from the counter came out later and gathered our empties, and chatted with us about the rootbeer and the cooking process.
The sides available are: Woody’s Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, 50/50 (Regular &
Sweet Fries), Coleslaw, Caesar Salad, Feature Salad or Green Salad. Also, you custom dress your burger with whatever toppings you want.

The pricing was average with burgers ranging from $6 to $8. For another $3.50 you can add a combo of a canned pop and small side. Sure it's a bit pricier than fast food, but it's definitely not in the range of some of the urban hotspots we've been hitting lately. No truffles here!

We all agreed we'd like to go back and try other burgers, pulled pork, and definitely the Mac'n Cheese. Suffering no ill after-effects, our scores averaged out to a solid 8. If you're looking for a classic burger with some interesting options, check this place out. It's worth the trip out to Etobicoke.

http://www.woodysburgers.com/index.html

Read all about it!

http://www.nowtoronto.com/letters/index.cfm?content=181947

In response the NOW magazine's recent review of Toronto's best burgers (July 21/11)

Great Burger Kitchen - It's HUGE! That's all I'm sayin'

It was a lovely spring day in the east end. The kiddies were still in school, and Mini Mac and I decided to venture to the Great Burger Kitchen at Jones and Gerrard. I'd heard around the grill that this place made a fine burger at their two locations; here and on lower Church St.

We were foolish and arrived around noon, when the local public schools were on their lunch break. The small venue was full of students, mostly ordering french fries. There were no tables, just a few seats around the side and windows, and we assumed this was to keep the kiddies from hanging out for too long. Good plan, but not really pleasant for regular customers. However, I don't imagine this is an issue at the other location.

We both ordered the Burger of the Day, including cheddar, salsa, and the basic onion, tomatoes, pickles and usual condiments. The first thing I need to mention is that this burger is HUGE. That's all I'm sayin'. It's HUGE. Not only that, but the fries and onion ring portions are enormous!

The website says the beef in their 6 oz. patties is 'grown' (I believe raised might be a better word choice here) in Ontario, and it was tasty. This is just me, but it was messy as all hell. Neither of us could fit the burger in our mouths, and it just ended up being a big mess at the end. The bun was white and fluffy, but very fresh. Small Fry would've been impressed.

Both the fries and onion rings were delicious. The rings were gigantic, with a crispy batter and the fries were clearly homemade. We scored them 7 and 8.

The choices here are pretty basic, and likewise with the condiments. Nothing fancy, but everything you want in a burger joint. I'd like to try their lamb burger and pulled pork on another visit. Also, nothing fancy with the drinks. No milk shakes, no lemonade, just your basic water and pop, and a few juices.
The most impressive thing about GBK is the value for the money. You save $1 off a combo, so our gi-normous meals only came to $13.50 each. This is a far cry from the $30 burger meals we've been seeing lately. And we couldn't even finish them. I recommend sharing.
Another honourable mention is that they have a nice simple website. I am so tired of maneuvering around and flipping through 20 pop-ups just to see a menu.
Mini Mac scored GBK an overall 8, but remember this was her first tour. I had to go with 7.5. Great value, good basic food, but almost too much too handle.
http://www.greatburger.ca

Good Grub at the Bungalow Hub

Although Easter weekend isn't traditionally a time for burgers, Pickles embarked on yet another beefy leg of the journey to London, Ontario, where she was joined by her guest, Mad Cow. I had heard tales of the Bungalow Neighbourhood Pub, located on Waterloo near Cheapside. Once again I've strayed slightly from the beefened path, as this isn't a burger 'joint', although burgers are definitely a prominent part of the menu. The Bungalow is located in a mainly residential area, but close to a major hospital and the downtown core. It has the advantage of being a neighbourhood pub, but also a great alternative to the main strip. Upon entering, first impressions are cozy, warm, yet modern and urban, with great standards like Frank Sinatra playing in the background. There is a small seated area, tables in the window, and a separate bar area. We were told there is also an upstairs, and soon to be a patio. Although tables were busy with the lunch time crowd, Mad Cow had no trouble focusing on a couple of nice looking caesars being delivered to a table. Drinks? Decided.
The hostess and our server, Stephanie, were both very friendly and casual, as if welcoming you into their home. Throughout our visit, I noticed that they knew many of the patrons by name, or at least pint order. Lots of chatting and jokes made the atmosphere relaxed and enjoyable.
First I'd like to say the caesar was as good as it looked. Perfectly spiced, with a hot pickled bean (?) inside, I would suffer slightly for this later, but it was worth every spicy slurp.
Mad Cow and I decided to share the Homemade Mac & Cheese, made with smoked gouda. I have learned over the past few tours that Mac & Cheese is a very personal thing. The smoked gouda gave it an almost bacony taste, and it was prepared al dente. The Cow noticed that it seemed as if each elbow were individually coated, rather than swimming in sauce. Was this my favourite M&C? No, I like a crispy top. Was it delicious? Damn straight. And the warmed up leftovers were amazing! Note to readers - take home any leftovers!
One thing I really liked was the choice of 12 different sides with your burger. No limits or extra charges if you don't want fries! I was dying to try the baked beans and habanera potato cheddar bacon soup, but with only a two-some on the tour, it was difficult. Naturally, I had to have the deep fried pickles. Unlike any I've had before, these pickles were sliced not into wedges or long slices, but cross-ways, like pickle chips! These were novel and tasty. The batter was crispy though a bit greasy, and I would recommend making the slices a bit thicker so there's more 'pickle' in the bite. They were served with a wonderful jalapeno cilantro sauce that packed a kick. MC went for the gi-normous fresh made onion rings. The onion was firm but cooked, the rings evenly battered, crispy and huge. Stephanie informed us that different batters are used for different items (the chicken bites are in pancake batter!). Again, I found the rings a bit oily, but overall tasty. We also tried the home-made sweet potato fries. Lately it seems every place has the same frozen fries. These were clearly made fresh on site and the taste difference was astounding. Sweet potatoes are back! They were also accompanies by a fantastic chipotle dipping sauce.
Choosing a burger was daunting task. We went for a couple of their standards, because the option to build your own, with meat choices of beef, turkey, bison, lamb, boar,portabellow or tuna) bun selection, choice of 5 cheeses and a staggering 36 toppings was nothing short of intimidating! We shared the Black & Blue, cajun encrusted blackened beef topped with bleu and an onion ring, and the Wild Boar. The Wild Boar came stuffed with brie and garlic, topped with mushrooms and arugala. This was a rich, decadent burger, and not at all gamey (I can hear your disbelief, Burgermeister!) The boar was a coarser meat, but still juicy and full of flavour. The Black & Blue had a real zing with the cajun flavour, and it was loaded with bleu cheese. Stephanie advised us that the beef is seared quickly and thrown on the grill. It was cooked to near perfection, not at all dry but packed with flavour. Although both were delicious, MC and I preferred the Black and Blue, mainly because we enjoyed the beef more than the boar. Something Small Fry would be interested to hear is that the sesame kaiser was warm, toasted and buttered! A first! This definitely added to the richness of the meal.
Sadly we were too full to indulge in dessert, though Stephanie tempted us with tales of Mae's blueberry crumble, and various cheesecakes. Next time, my friend!
As I mentioned, the Bungalow has a full and interesting menu, with great appetizers, sandwiches, pizza and entrees. Stephanie was not only friendly, but professional and extremely knowledgeable about all ingredients and preparation. The beef, and all the food, is fresh, high quality and everything is made in-house. We also met Scott, the owner, whose low-key and easy going demeanor fit perfectly with the ambiance of the Hub.
A major bonus was the value for money. The Tour has been hitting some pretty pricey spots lately, and this had all the high-end fixins without the additional charges for fancy toppings or meat. We were pleasantly surprised by the extremely reasonable tab. The beer and wine selection is also good and not outrageously priced.
After effects? None, except for the spicy bean heartburn, but I take full responsibility for abusing my delicate constitution. Now is a good time to mention the washrooms. I'm happy to report, they are clean and modern.
To sum up our own customer experience, I would rate this extremely high.
Nice decor,good music and comfortable atmosphere where I could go with friends or sit and read the paper with a pint.
The Bungalow scores a solid 8 from Pickles and Mad Cow. I regret that the rest of my Burger Buddies couldn't join me, but hopefully they will have the opportunity to try it. Either way, I'll be going back to try other menu items as well, as Pickles cannot live on beef alone!

http://bungalowhub.ca/

Reserve your spot in the Cellar

Recently I learned of a new burger joint (though that is not an apt word in this case) in the affluent Yonge and Lawrence area. The Burger Cellar boasts an extensive wine list and is decorated in a very modern, upscale decor. Foolishly, I didn't make a reservation because I thought a 6:30 pm start would be early enough to beat the Saturday night crowd. When I arrived, the place was packed and already had people waiting. I was told it would be about an hour. What surprised me was the number of young children and babies inside. Thinking that these kids would have to go to bed soon, we stuck it out, lured by the incredible smell coming from within. It was much less than an hour wait and the hostesses were both very pleasant, not even flinching when I gave my name as Pickles.
On this tour we were honoured with the presence of another guest tourist. Frau Burgerfresser was in town and joined us for the experience.
Although the noise level upon entry seems overwhelming, once seated, we were comfortable and able to talk amongst ourselves. First and foremost I'd like to say that the decor, ambience and service was all outstanding.
The obvious place to start is with the starters. We simply had to have the Pickle Fries, accompanied by a dill sauce, which can only be described as succulent. Frau Burgerfresser agreed with a hearty 'ja voll'. The batter was crispy and the pickle remained firm and juicy. Fans give these an 8. We also went for the Mac & Cheese, particularly to compare with M:BRGR's. There was a bit of disagreement among the crew here. Pickles and Hamburglar remain enraptured with the potato chip crust at M:BRGR, while the Meister vehemently claimed this to be the best ever. The cheese was almost of fondue consistency, which threw off the Fry a bit, although he loved the taste. We learned from our lovely red-haired server (sorry I didn't get her name) that it's a mixture of swiss, aged cheddar and parmesan. Overall, it scored a 9.5.

The Cellar had a nice selection of beer besides their novel wine list. Bottled and a small but tasty selection of draught, they also had several choices of fresh juice. Small Fry had the lemonade and stated, "All the other lemonades in the world should just call it a day." In fact, he went for seconds. Tart and fresh, no hesitation in a 10 here, and we know how hard it is to please the Fry.

Another unique feature of the Cellar is the choice of beef. You can choose from AAA Black Angus, Natural or Kobe. All come with the choice of a sesame seed white or whole wheat bun, and the basic condiments of lettuce, pickle, red onion and tomato.
Starting with Small Fry, let's get to the meat of the matter.
The always reliable Fry ordered the original classic burger, adding only two-year old cheddar, with Angus beef, on a white bun, accompanied by regular fries. We have seen how particular the Fry can be on these tours, so it is a great compliment that he scored his burger a 9, and the fries an 8.5. The bun was toasted and warm. His one issue was that he found it a bit salty, however this may have been the cheese and he did not fault this.
The over-easy Hamburglar also went for the Classic Angus, but added mozarella and apple cider bacon with a caesar salad. Not surprisingly, he scored both burger and salad a 10.
Burgermeister went for the Hog Town: aged block & Barrel white cheddar and apple cider bacon with Kobe, with side caesar. He also got a side of wasabi-lime aioli which was very nice. What he noted was that although it was full of flavour, it was not dripping in dressing. He scored both burger and side with a 9.5.
Of note, the caesar salad had a kick to it, and our server informed us that it was the owner's recipe since 1980, consisting of worcestershire sauce, tobasco, lemon, garlic, canola and olive oil, soft peppers and a secret ingredient (which I suspect is horse-radish). It was truly delicious.
Our special guest, Frau Burgerfresser had the Alan's Famous Angus burger, covered in crumbled Rosenborg bleu and carmelized balsamic red onion. Frau had the arugula and spinach salad on the side. She declaired the burger to be the best she's ever had! Now, we have to consider that this is her first tour, and has little to compare it with from her small suburban city to the west. She also enjoyed the salad, which I found to be almost as good as Burger Bar, with a light fresh dressing.
As for me, Pickles, I had the BCB 'natural', with two-year-old smoked cheddar, apple cider bacon, sauteed mushrooms, chiptle BBQ sauce and an onion ring, with a side of sweet potato fries. My burger was messy but flamin' tasty! It's as close to a 10 as I can get. I'd have to go 9.8 just because. Seriously, it was how I remember beef tasting as a child, before it was pumped up with steroids. The fries were 'basic'. They're not made in house and we've all had them before. Good, but just an 8.
We were pleased to see that although the stated internal temperature is 160, our burgers had a lovely slightly pink middle. Quality of beef, never frozen, along with being cooked over the flame, we believe this is what made the Cellar stand apart from our other tours.
For the sweet tooth, the menu had a donut burger for dessert, a novelty item that looks like a mini burger. It's a chocolate hazelnut ganache shaped patty, with kiwi, strawberry and mango 'cheese slice', all on a donut bun. Adorable and delicious!

We were royally treated and Mike the Chef came out to talk to us. He said that we need to try the turkey burger with avocado and tomato relish, watercress and Gruyere. Oh boy! I was disappointed to hear that I'd missed out on the house-made ketchup, which Mike described as a tomato jam (remember the Church Key!). Also on the next trip, we need to try to beer-battered onion rings, tuna tacos, and apple crisp. Damn! We're going to need more guest tourists!

The Burger Cellar scored high in every area. This is obviously a place that can cater to families as well as the date crowd, with amazing service, a staff who really knows their stuff and incredible food. Also, the price wasn't outrageous. With the basic Angus burger at $8 to $10, and most sides around $5, you can upgrade to Kobe or stay in the middle. I am truly torn with my obligation to move on to another burger joint, but my desire to return here next week.

Raising The Burger Bar

On a snowy Saturday night, another burger tour came to pass. Sadly, Small Fry was unable to join us; however he was aptly replaced with a special out-of-town guest, Triple Bypass.
We decided to hit the Burger Bar in Kensington Market. One of several in the area, and I'd heard good things.
The Burger Bar is located just south of College on Augusta. Distressed wooden panels on the outside give it a cowboy-esque feel and the inside is no different. The tv was playing an old episode of Bonanza! It's small but cozy, with lots of interesting paraphernalia decorating the shelves. The menu boasts craft beer and ground in-house fresh beef. Excellent!
We ordered the saag poutine to begin. If you're not an Indian food fan, you may be turned off by this. Saag is creamed spinach with paneer, a type of soft cubed cheese. It's one of my personal favourites, and to have it smothering fresh cut fries was heaven in green. The minimum score for this was 9, with Triple-B giving it a hefty 9.5.
The beer selection was interesting and varied, although Hamburglar's delicate constitution seemed to have issues with his wheat beer. Of note, the Burger Bar boasts an incredible tequila menu, although none of us imbibed. Triple-B ordered a Ryan's soda, which has been around Niagara Falls, NY area since 1935. It was good and sweet, however he did find a bit of an after-taste. This didn't stop him from drinking down 2 of them.
As I mentioned, the fresh cut fries were amazing. There was a combo of 50/50 also available, sweet potato and regular. The portion was ridiculously generous, and we could easily have shared between us. Everybody scored the fries no lower than a 9. The Meister and I went for the healthy option of the arugala salad. He scored it an 8 but I'd have to go with 9, one of the best salads I've had in a very long time. A crisp, light dressing made it the perfect compliment to the fries and burger.
For our mains, we had a good variety chosen from the many varied and delicious options available.
Burgermeister had cheddar, bacon, tomatillo and scored it a 9.
Hamburglar went for something more basic, in honour of Small Fry's absence, with cheddar, bacon, bbq sauce. Again - a 9 score.
Triple-B did us proud by going for something completely different. He ordered the Bison burger, with bleu, bacon, and mushrooms. His gargantuan order paid off though, and he gave his meal a 9.5, with a warning of not partaking of too many toppings lest you need a triple-B yourself. Fortunately, bison is a leaner meat.
And as for me, I had smoked provolone, tapenade and carmlied onion. I scored an 8.5, as it's still missing that flamey taste I crave.


The burgers were lean, meaty, moist and flavourful. I'm still missing that down home smokey bbq perfection, but it was pretty darn close.
Other mentionables, lovely bird song music piped into the clean washrooms.
Ambiance was high at 8.5, with twinkle lights and wild west decor, it was kitchy but charming. Our server was friendly but inconsistent. Burgermeister is, in my opinion, overly forgiving of poor service. I, however, am a stickler for this. I don't want to be doted on, but I do want someone to check on me occasionally. Our server all but disappeared, and that's not easy in a place of this size. The only other issue was the cold temperature. It's a small place, and although they had a big curtain in front of the door, every time someone came in, we were chilled to the bone. But spring is upon us now, and we can return without this coming up.
All in all, Triple-bypass's first burger tour was a gastronomical success. We look forward to having him on another one soon, and we also look forward to another visit to the Burger Bar.
www.theburgerbar.ca

The Burger Tour Goes Upscale at M:BRGR

Although our focus has always been on burger joints, we can't ignore the huge and hot injection of upscale beef bars popping up around Toronto. We decided to bite the bullet, and the beef, and head to the newly opened M:BRGR, an import from Montreal. It was a frigidly cold February night and we took our massive hibernation appetites to King St. West and Spadina. M:BRGR is an enormous place that resembles a nicely decorated cafeteria. It's a great looking place, at the same time warm and modern, with huge cityscapes being overrun with the occasional great ape or dinosaur. Attractive and friendly staff are everywhere. This place has a hostess and table service - not your average diner-style burger joint.
The menu was extensive, with many things going on besides burgers! Steak and frites, sandwiches, mac and cheese! They even have a $100 burger featuring fois gras and truffle. Sadly, this is out of the burger crew's league. The drink menu is also extensive, with beer, wine, cocktails, as well as sparkling lemonade, and black cherry soda.
Our friendly American-import server was full of helpful suggestions and upsells, not that it took much prodding. Why not get the fry basket featuring regular, sweet potato and fried onion strips? Why not!! Why not try the 3 sauce combo of horseradish-mayo, curry mayo and 'fancy sauce' (which is basically mayo, ketchup and mustard). Indeed! Why not!! Why not get an order of the Mac & Cheese with crumbled chips on top, to share? Yes! Sounds great!
Starting with the starters seems logical. The fries were great - crispy, not too big, not too small. The skinny little fried onions were amazing! I do think the fry basket is only shareable between two, however. Any more than that and someone won't get a fair shake (but more on shakes later). As for the Mac & Cheese; all I can say is OH MY GOD. It was so good. I don't know what kind of wacky cheese that was, but it left a warm and gooey sensation in my mouth that doesn't happen every day. And the potato chip crust!? Say no more. I would come back just for this! The horseradish sauce needed more zing but the curry mayo was nice, though not my fave spice for a burger or fry dip. Fancy sauce isn't all that.
On to the meat of the matter. All burgs come with lettuce, pickles, tomato and onion for free. Anything beyond that, and be prepared to pay! We'll start with Hamburglar. He ordered an organic beef burger with buffalo mozza, and the basic garnishes. Later, he would rue the rejection of bacon. Hamburglar loved his burger. Loved the cheese, loved the non-gamey beef, enjoyed the bun and the basic toppings. The Burglar is always generous with his ratings and tends to blow his load on the beefy flavour of the day. He gave his burger a 9, but we've seen that from him before.
On to Small Fry. The Fry is an integral part of the burger crew because he always goes for the basic, and what better way to judge a joint than on the purity of it's burger and fries. The Fry is also extremely particular and doesn't suffer poor food gladly. He ordered The Little Big Zak, composed of 1 AAA patty, cheddar,spicy fancy sauce, chopped onions, pickle, tomato and lettuce. The Fry was unimpressed. His burger and cheese were both cold. He is extremely picky about having a big, white and fluffy bun, and this left him cold. His burger was okay, but again, unimpressive. Sadly, he only scored his burger a 5. However, he loved the sides and the atmosphere, and said he would gladly return, especially for a stab at the steak and frites.
Burgermeister and myself had almost identical orders, with apple-smoked bacon (awesome!), smoked gouda (yum!) on whole wheat buns. The Meister went for organic beef and said it was excellent, as was my AAA. We both slathered the horseradish-mayo on it, but it's missing the zing. Our buns were both fine; all agree that it wouldn't kill them to heat them up a bit, but mine seemed hot enough next to the beef. I also had carmelized onions which were nicely done. WE each scored our beefs as 8. We both felt that the beef, although tasty, was missing something.

Because of the extensive and intriguing menu, we opted for dessert. This was a huge decision in of itself. With the choice of a deep dish chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice-cream, a trifecta of cupcakes, and floats and shakes, how does one decide? We opted to share the chocolate cake with a shot of milk, and split two milkshakes. The cake was delicious, however, the Fry raised his persnickity head and said he felt staleness on the bottom layer. Sadly, we all had to agree that it seemed as if perhaps the outer slab had been exposed to air and become a bit crusty in one spot. The rest of the cake was superb - rich, dark and moist. Dare I say 'moisty'. The shot of milk was a cute touch as well. Our milkshake choices were vanille/caramel and me and the fry were excited to try the Cotton Candy, one of only about 3 people to ever order it. We were super-psyched to find out it had real cotton candy in it. The shakes were huge and dripping over with thick sloppy ice-cream. Meister enjoyed the vanilla/caramel but Hamburglar declared it was just vanilla, no caramel. Small Fry & I were seriously disappointed in the Cotton Candy. Being a connoisseur of all things sugary, the Fry would live on bubble tape if his teeth allowed. Although the shake had the beautiful blue hue of a stick of cotton candy, it was utterly flavourless, except for the vanilla ice-cream. The best part was the poof of real blue cotton candy on the end of the straw, which Small Fry scarfed down like a raccoon in a Burger King dumpster. We were honest with the server, and to their credit, they took the shake off the bill.
Speaking of the bill...YIKES! This place is no value menu combo. The most regulary priced item was the beer. Toppings were a minimum of $1.50 each, with cheese ringing in at a hefty $2.50. And bacon!? Don't even talk about it. They even have a menu of really expensive toppings, including the fois gras. Fancy sody-pops were also crazy-priced. Your basic burger was $12, so you're looking at a $20 sandwich by the time you add on. The Lil' Zak was only $9.95, but again, it was not well received.
In summary, we all enjoyed the atmosphere but had mixed feelings about the burgers. The sides and other meal options were excellent and we all agreed we'd like to return to try other things, and more mac & cheese. I was looking for orgasmic, and I got 'meh'. I want to feel the way my hero, Adam Richman from Man Vs. Food feels when he bites into whatever that is at the begining of the show where he says "Oh my goodness, OH MY GOODNESS!" Are we just cro-magnons in a filet mignon world? Is it wrong to enjoy a traditional back-yard BBQ burger with simple salt & pepper and steak spice seasoning?
Burgermeister put it so well when he said, "It was not the sum of its parts." Everything was good, and together, it should have been amazing; but it wasn't. We'll go back, but not for burgers.

Oh Boy. Flippin' Good but a return visit needed!

Today Pickles had a special guest on her burger tour. Claes Oldenburger was available and as a connoisseur of all things greasy, I decided he would be a fine addition to the tour. We struck out for Oh Boy Burger Market on Queen St. West, an establishment I'd read many a review of, mostly favourable.

The interior of OBBM was warm and diner-ish, with big red vinyl booths and cozy barn wood walls. Although the website makes it look a bit like Hooters, this was not the reality. Our server was friendly and chatty, and not at all a big-bosomed seductress. She immediately offered coffee or tea to warm us up as it was a chilly January day.

Claus B. was quick to get the combo of Cameron's beer, the classic burger, adding bacon, and fries. I also went for the Classic, but added swiss cheese with a side of onion rings. We also ordered deep fried pickles.

Starting with the all-important burger, we both agreed that it was very meaty, and dense. I actually couldn't finish all of mine. They were very tasty, but a bit dry. Claes found the bacon extremely tasty but not overpowering. My cheese was likewise generous but not overdone. I did question the existence of the garlic-mayo spread. I tasted mayo but no garlic.

Now, I realize that a bun is a very personal thing. I prefer the bun to be barely existent, basically a small barrier between my fingers and the meat, others (like Small Fry) like a huge fluffy bun. This bun was huge and fluffy - too much for me, but fresh and tasty. How would Small Fry feel about this bun? I'm not sure.

Claes' fries only rated a 6 out of 10. Although they were real potatoes, and generous, he said they were undercooked. The onion rings, however, were very good. We both felt that they did a good batter. Also, the rings maintained their onion-ness and firm texture inside the batter.

The biggest hit were the deep fried pickles. Once again, a good batter, 5 pickle spears, served piping hot (all the food was served hot), with dipping mayo (garlic? not sure). The batter was crisp and so were the pickles. These were a great success and deemed 'excellent'.
The condiments were extremely basic - mustard (which had gone empty) and ketchup, along with the lettuce, onion and tomato. I did notice dipping sauces for $1 on the menu and I guess these could be used on the burger as well. The website menu looked a lot more extensive than the one at the restaurant.
Drinks were basic. The usual selection of pop, but milkshakes as well, and it was licensed under LLbO.
The atmosphere was fine but they were clearly understaffed for lunch hour. We saw two people leave because they weren't served or acknowledged as they sat for a few minutes unnoticed. Our server was very nice and clearly trying to keep up. As we weren't in a rush, it wasn't an issue.
Also, the burgers were served on those tin trays that are becoming favoured in these joints. The place itself is actually nice and these gave it a cheesy quality. The tray is lined in trad looking black and white checkered paper, and Claes didn't like how the food touched the side of the trays. It had the feeling of the tray being re-used but not washed. This was just an impression, and probably not reality, but would it kill them to use a plate or cover the tray completely?

A couple of other things I noted: On the website it shows Hand Made Artisan Ice Cream. I saw our server running by with a tub of Breyers.

I realized all too late that they have a corn-dog on the menu, called a Coney Island dog. I have always maintained that the corn-dog is un-nature's perfect food. I realize this is a burger tour so I suppose it's best that I had the burger. This only means that a return trip is needed to experience the corn-dog and another round of deep fried pickles.

I can probably only give Oh Boy a 6.5 out of 10 for now, as far as the burger tour goes. It really couldn't compare to some of the other tour stops. However, I will be back for the pickle spears and corn-dog.

www.ohboyburger.com