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/
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