Chuck's Burger Bar - It's Hammer Time!

Chuck's first came to my attention through previous Tour guest Claes Oldenburger, who went to Chuck's a few weeks earlier. Although burger joints are a dime a dozen these days, this one had a snazzy logo and the never before seen "Guilty Pleasure" burger, made from ground bacon. Yep, I said it. Chuck's small and cozy location is located on the nouveau hipster Locke St. South. It's pretty loud and crowded, or as I say "crouded", but the atmosphere is great. All the staff were super friendly and seemed to actually enjoy their work. I can't say enough good things about this great bunch. The menu is satisfying and intriguing, with 9 kinds of poutine, onion rings, salads, and several unusual burger options, such as bison and venison. We did not have the ground bacon burger. I know, as a burger blogger, I should have, but I just couldn't. I've heard of this phenomenon also existing in Victoria, BC, but I have yet to know anyone who's tried it. Instead, we opted for the chips and curry poutine (tasty fries, great sauce)and the panko onion rings which did not disappoint. It's not easy to find a good onion ring; these were hot and crispy, yet you could still taste the sweet juicy onion. When ordering, we were asked how we would like the burgers done, which was unusual and I wish I'd said "rare" to see if that was available.

Claes had the basic premium burger, with mustard, ketchup, relish and a slice of pineapple. He thoroughly enjoyed the pineapple addition, but he didn't love the texture of the meat. I had the Smokey Blue Haze and Bacon. The first bite was wonderousful. The bacon was super crispy and the blue cheese nice and stinky. I had no issue with the texture of the meat, however it was a bit dense in the middle. I prefer my burgers to be a patty, and not a 'ball' in the middle. But it was a good burger. I could have used a bit more zing to the meat, but this is my standard complaint. The bun was also soft and fresh, and the right size for the patty. To be sure, I thoroughly enjoyed our tour in Hamilton. The staff were knowledgeable and helpful. We spoke with the manager and had a good discussion on top burgers (yeah that's right, Burgers Priest! You're over-rated!). The atmosphere is hip and chill. Though seating is limited, we sat at the bar and made conversation with the fun-filled staff. I've come to realize in the war of the burgers, these days with the quality of meat out there, it's hard to make a 'bad' burger; everything else, like the way it's cooked, the patty size and shape, the bun, toppings, and atmosphere, go a long way to make a successful Tour. Best burger ever? Probably not. One of the best places to go? Absolutely. I'd give them an overall 8/10 and a definite GO THERE.

Walk or Stomp over to Burger Stomper

The burger crew is making up for lost time and hitting as many joints as possible! Last night we hit the recently opened Burger Stomper is located just west of Chester Station on the Danforth. In a mouthful: big, messy, tasty and savoury. Overall an 8. We were fortunate enough to have Triple Bypass along for the tour. The burgers are huge and messy. Check out the website for details. The menu isn't extensive but totally satisfying. Amongst the 5 tour-ees, we were able to try the Classic with cheese, Swiss Mushroom Melt, Cheese Please, Sweet Onion D and the Better tha nthe other guy. The 6 oz patty was thick and meaty, and utterly satisfying. Burgermeister had the Cheese Please, which features a wonderful slab of cheese, culminating in a perfect 'skirt' of grilled cheese around the outside of the burger. Fantastic! He declared it a good burger, and a nice variation on the cheeseburger.

Hamburglar went for the Better Than the Other Guy, which is your basic cheese and bacon burger. For once he did not ooh and ah and blow his stack over the burgery goodness. In fact, he only gave it an 8. Good but not amazing, and a bit dry. Triple B had the swiss mushroom melt and gave it a 9.5, being a huge mushroom fan. He claims the shrooms were great, the sauce and cheese was so very very good.

I devoured my Sweet Onion D. The onion to meat ratio was a bit off and I was swimming in sweet sticky oniony goodness by the end of it. However, it was tasty and done to juicy perfection. I'm not sure I'd have it again as the meat was a bit overpowered. Smallfry ordered the Classic with cheese, natch. Although he said it was excellent and scored it a 9, he insisted that the meat was almost too fresh, and, conversely to Hamburglar, had a 'bloody' taste too it. However, Smallfry adored the fries. They're the shoestring style and amongst the accolades, he said they were "beautiful, perfectly salted, heaven in my mouth", and reminiscent of frites. In contrast, Hamburglar said he preferred thick beefy fries, but honestly there's no pleasing him.

The remains of the day. The sweet potato fries were also very good - made fresh, and we all gave kudos to the tangy dipping sauce. The onion rings only scored a 5 overall, due to thick greasy batter, similar to fish and chip batter. It's difficult to get a good onion ring. The bun selection is non-existent except for a gluten-free option. It was a plain, small white bun, like Burgerpriest uses (and which I find similar to a Wonderbread bun). There was way too much meat and topping for this wee bun to handle. But the other special item is the milk shake; classic vanilla, decadent chocolate, cookies & cream or Nutella chocolate peanut butter heaven. They were out of the basic chocolate, but the C&C got a 9 from Hamburglar and I, and the Nutella-PBH evoked strong emotions from Triple B, stating that he is now addicted and would "kill" to just live on this shake for some time. Strong words. Burgermeister was a little less impressed but only slightly, giving it an 8. Some other bits to keep in mind, this place is new. The debit machine was down when we went, sending some of the Crew scrambling for cash. Seating is extremely limited, probably for less than 30 people. Order at the counter and they bring it to you, like the old Craft Burger did. Burgers are made to order so it's a bit of a wait. I suggest calling in or taking it to go. All in all the experience was a good one. Was it burger-awesome? No. Nothing can compare to Burgers on the Edge in Hawaii, and Toronto's Burger Cellar still does a dance of heavenly perfection in your mouth, while this merely satisfied nicely. However, it's a good addition to the Danforth eateries and the menu had some nice options. They also have a daily 'surprise' option that promises to be delicious. I would return to try this.

Keep on beefin'....

Burgers on the Edge Scores a "Hang 10" in Hawaii

Pickles

First I'd like to apologize for my long absence from the burger blogging world. Don't worry, I haven't turned vegan or anything like that. I've been eating them; just haven't been writing about it! Recently I vacationed in Hawaii and discovered that it's not all just pineapples and Spam out there. We had one of the best burger experiences of the tour thus far. In a mouthful: delectable; mouthwatering; awesome. Burgers on the Edge has possibly the coolest logo yet (the 'e' is a burger!) and the goods to back it up. Oh sure, being in Hawaii made it that much better, especially when you can sit outside to enjoy your meal. But the Burger Crew has had enough burgers to know the real deal. Besides, we also ate at Tiki Burger and although tasty, it wasn't worth a blogging. I can tell you immediately that for me, the big stand-out was having Baconnaise as a topping. This is nirvana in a jar and seldom seen. Find it. Spread it. Eat it. Although the premises was small, the menu was extensive with eight "Edge Favourites" plus the 'classic'. You can also invent your own, which I did, because I had a certain hankerin'. My sirloin (choice of Kobe as well) burger had guacamole, crispy onions, pepperjack cheese and (wait for it) baconnaise. Oh yes, I said it. I've had this delectable sauce before, but never have I seen in offered in a burger joint. All I can say is awe-inspiring. Possibly the best burger ever. Fresh fluffy bun, juicy flame-broiled beef, fantastic toppings...Thank you Hawaii. Everything was fresh and exploding with flavour.

We were lucky enough to have Frau Burgerfresser along for the tour and she went for the healthy sounding Malibu. Check out the menu photo for the toppings. The Thousand Islands dressing was a nice addition to the sauces and not something you often see here. Burgermeister had the Antidote and the Hamburglar indulged in the King Arthur. Naturally, always reliable Small Fry went for the classic. Everyone scored their burgers a minimum of 9. Nothing is ever perfect in burgerland and sadly the fries were lacking. I found them edible but Small Fry gave them a "5", and he is our fry guy. I also always enjoy it when a burger place offers shakes. It just seems right. The Edge also offered The Parisienne, a $16.98 kobe bohemoth featuring foie gras, carmelized apples, a red wine reduction sauce and sauteed onions. A specialty burger like this would run you about $50 in Toronto. These burgers were massive and fairly priced. Overall, we bestowed solid 9s across the board on Burgers on the Edge. In fact, after I sadly left for home, the remaining Burger Crew Members brazenly returned to the Edge and indulged again. Not a lot of loyalty amongst the burger eaters. Et tu, Beefy? My only regret is that Burger on the Edge is in Hawaii, and I feel that I am merely teasing you, loyal readers, with something that you may never be able to experience.

The Beef Goes On...