Burger Review #42: Showtime Bistro

Photo by Andrew Hockridge, featuring Mark Avila

Date Visited: July 15, 2019
Location: Armdale
BurgerTours Rating: 8.9/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Very Messy	$11-$15	Diner	Veggie

Website
 

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Drew's Review

Showtime Bistro is a halal gourmet restaurant specializing in burgers, sandwiches and poutine. This was going to be our 5-year anniversary of #BurgerTours, so we were looking for something with class and a fine dining experience, and seeing the word gourmet in the description really made Showtime Bistro stand out.

The ambiance features warm lighting and rich wood paneling, but what sold me was the theme; cinematic. They have TV screens playing classic movies as well as famous quotes adorning the walls. Not to mention most of their burger options revolve around this theme. I guess you could say a touch of Hollywood rounds out the experience at this halal burger joint in Scarborough.

The Mike Tyson burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

As soon as we entered, shortly after filming our 5-year anniversary Q&A for our YouTube channel, we were greeted and taken to a table. The staff were all very pleasant and offered to give recommendations as this was our very first visit.

After taking a look at the menu, I ordered the Mike Tyson burger. It came with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, a pickle, bacon, fried battered jalapeños, topped with Havarti cheese and Showtime’s signature spicy mayo. I also had to try the Ferrero Rocher milkshake because that alone was something I had to try.

Ferrero Rocher Milkshake/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Within minutes, our orders were ready and brought to us on a patter. The Mike Tyson looked well cooked and very well compact for a gourmet burger. The first bite was delicious and had the right amount of flavour for what I was craving. I liked the fact that the jalapeños actually complemented the taste vs. just burning my mouth like it usually does. You could see the juice as you bite into your burger. You can tell they use good quality meat. However, the bun was so soft that it kept crumbling and it made the whole eating experience a bit messy. I'm sure that can be easily fixed if you ask for your burger bun to be well done.

The Ferrero Rocher milkshake was by far the highlight of my dining experience. That thing was like a satisfying meal in itself. It was very thick and filling, but makes you full of guilt after. I try to avoid dairy as much as possible but this is the only exception because it's that good. I can confidently say that if you have this milkshake, you will want to go back again and again. I'm currently craving it.

Here's the rundown. Showtime Bistro is fantastic and a must-try for those looking for something halal set in a modern cuisine. The cinematic theme they have going really adds to the dining experience. I would go back just to have the Ferrero Rocher milkshake again. The Mike Tyson burger is one of the best halal burgers I think I’ve ever had. Highly recommend everyone to give this restaurant a shot and dine in the spotlight. It’s worth the price and you won’t regret it.

8.7/10

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Mark's Review

We’ve reached another milestone at #BurgerTours, but this one is more momentous. We are 5 years old! I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by, and how many burger joints we’ve tagged across Toronto and Canada. Hopefully, in the next 5 years we will be able to take #BurgerTours abroad and feast on what the world has to offer.

For this milestone tour, we take you to North Toronto where we visit a popular halal bistro that serves crafted burgers, wraps, sandwiches, poutine, and much more.

We visit Showtime Bistro!

The Pineapple Express/Photo by Mark Avila

This joint guarantees 100% halal servings, and has a broad menu ranging from entrees, desserts, milkshakes, and mocktails. But, we were here for one thing... the burgers! They offer a decent burger selection and I opted for the Pineapple Express, a new addition to their menu lineup.

The Pineapple Express is a beef patty burger layered with spicy jerk seasoning, a slice of pineapple and topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, and jerk mayo. On top of that, it was served with big chunks of potato wedges which were nicely cooked and seasoned. I also couldn’t resist an order of the Mango Milkshake.

Taking that first bite I immediately caught the spice and sweetness from the jerk seasoning and mayo, which was a nice balance between the two flavours. Had the pineapple been grilled, that additional sweetness would’ve been a good compliment to the taste of the burger.

Overall, the burger was juicy and perfectly cooked. The portion size was fair, and more than enough to satisfy my stomach.

I was impressed by the service and quality of the food that Showtime had to offer, and is probably one of the top halal joints that I’d visit again. I didn’t have high expectations, but this first visit definitely surpassed it.

9/10