Burger Review #48: King's Drive-In

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

 

Date Visited: November 27, 2020
Location: East York, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 4.75/10

 

 

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie, Alcohol, Patio

Website

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Drew's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Welcome to BurgerTours and welcome to another edition of Where will we eat next? Well, lucky for you, we have an answer for you. Today, we order in from King’s Drive-In, a small joint on Pape Avenue in East York that offers burgers, hot dogs, fries, poutine and fish and chips served in all their greasy glory. 

We originally stumbled upon this location after a quick Google search of joints in the area and saw that they were open and taking orders. We grabbed our wallets, emptied our stomachs and prepared ourselves for some delicious burgers…a hem…(cough cough)fish and chips. 

Yeah, so they didn’t have the Veggie burger at the time, so the nice lady behind the counter offered us the next best (healthier) option: fish on a bun. So, this won’t be a burger review per se, this will be a fish on a bun sandwich review. 

 Upon entering the East York location in the late afternoon, some things caught my attention: first off, the exterior resembles closely to that of a White Castle, and secondly, the menu has a wide variety of options available including beer. 

So, when we heard the Veggie option wasn’t available, the nice lady suggested we order the fish on a bun, which I guess is essentially the same as ordering a veggie burger. So, we both ordered the fish on a bun. It was a slab of hand battered haddock fish served on a fresh bun, and in quotes on the menu beside this option, it reads “this is as good as it gets!!!” So, I have to like it, don’t I? 

Fish on a Bun/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

We took pictures, we shot video, we sang a song and we dug in. The bun was soft and fresh, just like the advertising said, so that was satisfying. The fish was well cooked, or fried I should say. And the flavour was just alright, nothing to spectacular about it. It came with a nice Tartar sauce that complemented the haddock ever so well. It was good. Not great, not boring. Just good. The fries on the other hand were tasty. They were thick and golden brown. If I had to return just for the fries, I would. 

Overall, a mediocre sandwich gets a mediocre review. The fish on a bun is nothing special, but I guess when the lady behind the counter THINKS that you’re vegetarian based on what you were craving, then this would be the next best option available. However, I wasn’t necessarily satisfied with the sandwich. I hope to return in the future to try a burger from them, or at least when they have the Veggie burger option available. But as for now, this will just have to suffice. 

 5/10

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Mark's Review 

We take you a new neighbourhood in East York for this burger tour, a well known and reputable joint in Pape Village… King’s Drive In! 

Nestled at the corner of Pape & Mortimer, King’s Drive In is known for its ‘amazing and affordable food’. A local favourite, their savoury BBQ and burgers are what attracted us to pay a visit to this joint.

When we got inside there was a nice ambiance of a classic diner, which I appreciated since we rarely see that type of decor in restaurants nowadays. Browsing through the menu, we noticed a variety of options from burgers, off the grill sandwiches, fish n’ chips, and poutines.

Fish on a Bun/Photo by Mark Avila

Like our most recent burger tours, where we either go for a meatless or veggie patty option, we went for their Veggie Burger. However, to our surprise, the veggie patty was on back order. Fortunately, we were suggested the next closest thing which was the Fish on a Bun Sandwich. Yes, its not a burger, but we couldn’t turn down a recommendation. Even though Andrew and I aren’t vegetarians, and we easily could’ve tried one of the other burger options, we just had to give this a try.

The Fish on a Bun is a battered haddock topped with our choice of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and tartar sauce.

There’s not much to say about this, since its literally a… fish on a bun. It was bland, lacked flavour, and the only thing giving this life was the tartar sauce. At least the Haddock was golden brown and crispy, which is probably the one thing they hit on the mark.

Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I’m willing to give King’s Drive-In another chance to impress, and I hope to come back and try one of their signature burgers in the near future. But, for now with this underwhelming experience, this visit doesn’t come close to the other burger joints we’ve visited this year. 

 4.5/10

Burger Review #47: Slayer Burger

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: October 22, 2020
Location: East York, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 7.5/10

 

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Some Drip	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie

Website

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Drew's Review

Hi. How are you? Good. So you’re doing well then? 

This pandemic is long and boring. Nobody wants to suffer any longer. That’s why we’ve been pumping out these burger reviews so it gives you a thing to read, a burger to try and possibly even a new restaurant to fall in love with. We continue to do what we love because of you, the readers, the viewers, the fellow bloggers and foodies. We love you. 🥰 So thanks for taking the time to stop by and give yourselves a pat on the back.

Anyways...

Slayer Burger.

Slayer Burger is a relatively new burger joint that opened up sometime in the last few months, (given their Instagram presence only dates back to August). And it opened in a not too crowded, not to populated area of East York. And if it weren’t for their social media presence, or label on Google Map, you probably wouldn’t have ever known of their existence. 

Mark came to me one day and said, have you heard of Slayer Burger, and then held up his phone to show me their Instagram profile. Scrolling through the pictures, first of all I was impressed, and secondly I was hungry. I had no idea that a new burger joint opened up in the neighbourhood. And because all of us are stuck in our homes for most of the year, I had no idea that that space on O’Connor Dr. (which I usually drive by at least a few times a week) was being renovated. I had to pull up their website to find out who they were. 

And according to their website, Slayer Burger prides itself in not following any trends, but setting them. They are founded on heavy metal music and their environment reflects that. They express their philosophy of truly local ingredients and providing “tried and true service principles.” Right away, I was hooked. This was a burger joint that showed all of its faith in burgers and satisfying the customer.

Beyond Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Slayer Burger offers 5? burgers on its menu, two of which are beef patties and the others were specialty burgers. One of the specialty burgers listed was a wagyu patty with foie gras on a charcoal sesame bun for a whopping $34! Was this heaven? Now I know what you’re thinking, well isn’t that the burger your ordered? No, and for a good reason too. Because of the ongoing pandemic, I was/am still trying save as much as I can for essentials and rarely go out of my way to splurge on something. And also, the week prior, I was dealing with some sort of stomach bug and nothing was settling well so I really had to start watching what I was eating. All of this lead me to opting for the lighter option of a beyond meat (meatless) burger.

When it came time to choosing, Mark had ordered the same thing and figured we could give a back to back review. So here it is. The burger was small, petite even, compact, yet looked full of juiciness. The buns were soft and delicate, just how daddy like them. I held it up in the air like Simba on pride rock. I took one last look, closed my eyes and bit into it. It was tender with minimal flavour, and excessive on the sauce. There wasn’t too much after that.

Each bite felt desirable, and everlasting. But each bite lacked that savoury taste. It was a little bland for my tasting and I couldn’t really figure out why. Once completed, I pondered if that was actually the burger I desperately wanted to try, and somehow I knew that the wagyu patty with foie gras on a charcoal bun worth $34 was patiently waiting for that one day when I decide to order it.

Overall, this burger lacked the kick and the flavour for me. Maybe it’s because the beyond meat was a little dry for my taste buds. Maybe its because the burger lacked additional toppings. I don’t know. It just didn’t satisfy me. I will graciously return in the future and possibly, one day, give the wagyu patty with foie gras on a charcoal bun worth $34 a try. Until next time, continue to slayer the burger industry, Slayer Burger. You’re friendly neighbour, Drew. 

7/10

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Mark's Review 

Who knew that finding new burger joints could be so easy? Well, thanks to the pandemic we discovered another local joint that’s new, fresh, and very rock n’ roll. Slayer Burger joins a growing community of burger joints opening their doors in East York and Scarborough. They are all things rock n’ roll and offer only the best products, locally sourced, organic, and made from scratch. A trend setting joint that claims to serve quality food to its diners puts my expectations to no less than perfect. 

They have a decent burger menu with additional offerings of salads, pastas, and milkshakes. But, their main attraction was a $34 monster called the First Degree Burger - wagyu beef on a charcoal sesame bun… sounded tempting, but maybe for a future visit. 

The Beyond Meat Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

Andrew and I decided to go for the Beyond Meat Burger- a beyond meat patty on a sesame bun layered with baby arugula, cheddar cheese, and their slayer sauce. Rather than choosing the usual French fries for our sides, we opted for the root veggies for a slightly healthier option. 

First impressions… the beyond meat patty had a kick of heat and spice that brought out the overall flavour of the burger. I don’t know if it was the slayer sauce that released this amazing taste, but it was a pleasant surprise for my tastebuds. The sesame bun was soft and chewy as if it had just come out fresh from the oven. 

 The root veggies was an interesting alternative to the traditional French fries. It didn’t describe what veggies were used, but if I were to take an educated guess… radish, yam, cassava, and turnip?! Either way, they were delicious! Seasoned nicely and not too oily. Definitely a different feeling from the grease coma that I usually experience after eating a container of French fries. 

Slayer Burger was a surprising, yet great discovery. From preparation of their food, to the quality of packaging you can tell that they take pride in quality over quantity. I’d rather pay for a small meal that has taste value over a full size meal that looks sloppy and uncared for. This joint is definitely one of my new local favourites. Next time, I’m coming back for that Wagyu beef burger! 

 8/10

Special Burger Review: Olympus Burger

Photo by Mark Avila

Date Visited: October 8, 2020

Location: Port Hope, ON.

BurgerTours Rating: 9.5/10

 

 

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Clean	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie, Gluten Free

Website

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Mark's Review

A few weeks ago some friends and I were on the planning stage of a 3 day multi city road trip around Ontario. We would travel in regions within a 2 hour proximity from Toronto, but far enough to escape the hustle and bustle of the GTA. With the pandemic still going on, and little did we know that select regions would be returning to phase 2 the following week, our timing for this trip was perfect.

This special burger tour was the last stop on our first day, driving around Prince Edward County, and ended in the small town of Port Hope. Only an hour and a half drive from Toronto, this town is home to what is considered as one of the best burger joints in Canada… Olympus Burger! If the name sounds familiar, Olympus Burger was featured on the Food Networks ‘You Gotta Here’. And with that said, we definitely had to eat here!

The Hera Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

They offer a regular dine in/take out menu as well as a secret menu, and if you haven’t figured it out, pay an homage to Greek gods and goddesses. Their menu ranges from burgers, salads, fries, onion rings, poutines, and much more. Apart from their in house sauce they also offer secret sauces: tzatziki, peanut butter, and Nutella.

The 6oz. burger patties are made in house daily, and you can customize them with complimentary toppings with an extra $1 charge per add-on.

If that’s not enough, they host a Burger Contest on Sundays (by appointment) called the Labour of Hercules. It’s a 6oz. Beef patty layered with crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions, jalapeño and habanero peppers, and their secret Olympus Burger Hot Sauce. As a consolation for devouring this beast, you walk away with a free t-shirt and a 10% discount off your next meal.

Now, to the burger. As much as I wanted a burger smothered in peanut butter or Nutella, I decided to keep it simple and go for one of their vegetarian options.

I opted for the Hera- a portobello mushroom cap with mixed greens, with roasted red peppers, and red onions.

First impressions… the flavours complemented each other so well, the portobello cap was soft but not at all chewy. A kick of spice was released by the red onions, and the roasted peppers gave it a sweet and savoury bite. Being my first time having a burger with a portobello cap as its base, I was surprised by how filling a mushroom could be. It was a nice substitution to the traditional beef patty, and I must admit that at one point I thought I was actually eating meat! I would definitely consider this as an alternative when given the chance. Overall, my stomach and burger cravings were satisfied.

As my first (burger) dine in experience since the start of the pandemic, Olympus Burger was an experience worth waiting for. The food and service were exceptional, and even though we were hesitant to dine in the staff were more than welcoming to serve us. During these times where restaurants are struggling to get diners in their seats, Olympus Burger exemplifies the appreciation of welcoming anyone that walks through its doors with open arms.

9.5/10

Burger Review #46: Great Burger Kitchen

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: July 22, 2020 

Location: Leslieville, ON

BurgerTours Rating: 8.25/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie, Gluten Free

Website

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Drew's Review

How's everyone doing? Good. So you're doing well then? 

It's been nearly six months since restaurants and public places were forced to close down. The ongoing pandemic has taken a toll on many local businesses with some closing for good. Many however are still striving and making the most of it. Everything is slowly starting to reopen again so business can continue with a few new measures for safe social distancing. One of the many joints who had reopened to customers is our next BurgerTour stop. 

For our 58th burger joint, we bring you to Great Burger Kitchen, a local stable on Gerrard St. that specializes in naturally raised beef, low-carb wraps and plenty portions of poutine. Upon deciding our next take-out venture, we posted a poll on our Instagram account to engage our fellow burger enthusiasts in helping us choose our next destination. And with a unanimous favour between the two joints, Great Burger Kitchen came out on top (with a helpful endorsement from themselves). 

We placed an order by calling ahead and was told it was going to be a 30-minute wait. Not a problem. We pulled up right around lunch time and I hopped out of the car to run in to pick up our order. Once inside, a server was taking an order from two gentlemen at the counter ahead of me and right after I entered, another takeout delivery service guy entered and waited on the appropriately marked arrows on the floor. I approached to counter to claim my order and retrieved a plastic bag full of curiosity and wonder. I quickly ran to Mark who was eagerly waiting for me back in the car. 

Riverdale Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

We arrived back at my place and began digging in. I had gone with the Riverdale burger which is a homemade specialty that the GBK custom made. It came with honey mustard, tomato, lettuce, red onion, homemade GBK sauce and Swiss cheese. The burger was hefty looking. A decent sized patty sitting between two warm soft buns. The fist bite was tasteful. The meat was succulent and juicy. The buns were soft. The toppings harmonized ever so well with the composition of the burger that it didn't even matter if I was eating it upside down or right side up. This was a craftsman's greatest aspiration. One can only dream of creating a small, delicious compact burger, yet still satisfying from first bite to last. 

Not to be outdone, but I also had to try one of their signature poutines, nicknamed after the province, the Ontario Poutine had bits of bacon, onion, cheddar cheese and gravy. It was delicious with every bite and every bite as tasty as the last. Highly recommended. 

Overall I was really satisfied with the burger. The quality was outstanding given the portion size and the manageable price. The food was delicious and I look forward to returning sometime sooner rather than later to try some more homemade specialties. And thanks for the shout out GBK!

8.5/10

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Mark's Review

We are back with another burger tour! Still in the middle of a pandemic, but things are looking good as restaurants slowly welcome diners to dine in once again. Though this might be the case for some, ordering through an app or calling in for take out is still the current norm. We decided to play it safe and called ahead for take out. 

For this tour we posted a poll on Instagram and had our followers choose where we should visit. It was an unanimous vote, and the winner was… Great Burger Kitchen! 

They promote an ethical, healthy, sustainable, and local food culture through locally sourced Ontario Beef Burgers to bring you the finest quality product. Additionally, their fresh cut fries are double fried for extra crispiness extracting its full flavour. 

Voodoo Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

I opted for the Voodoo Burger- a beef patty layered with tomato salsa, chipotle mayo, guacamole, balsamic, fried onion, and lettuce. As a change for this meal, I chose a lettuce bun to hold all these flavours together. 

Taking the first bite… the lettuce bun shredded and everything oozed out like a volcanic eruption. Unless there’s a proper way to eat a burger with a lettuce bun, this meal was just gonna go downhill. I found myself using the lettuce to scoop everything into my mouth.. more or less this was a nacho in burger form. Aside from that struggle, everything tasted fantastic. The beef patty was nicely cooked, and the sauces were a balance of sweet, spicy, salty. 

Overall, a filling and flavourful burger. The lettuce bun was an interesting experience, but I probably would’ve benefited with a regular bun. Definitely would want to check this place out again once more COVID restrictions are lifted. 

8/10

Special Burger Review: Peters' Drive-In

Photo by/Mark Avila

Date Visited: June 22, 2020
Location: Edmonton, AB
BurgerTours Rating: 9.5/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Excellent	Clean	$11-$15	Restaurant	Veggie

Website

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Mark's Review

I’m back in Edmonton once again for another special burger tour!

Seeing that we are still in the middle of a pandemic, some places in Canada have started to lift restrictions on social gatherings. Alberta is one of few Provinces where COVID cases have trended downward, so it was perfect timing that malls and restaurants began to open prior to my visit.

Photo by Mark Avila

Now that “life” has somewhat returned to normal in Edmonton, I was curious to see how the dining experience would be like where social distancing has become the new norm in public spaces. After searching from one burger joint to another, it was actually pretty easy to find a spot where dining in was available. But, once I had made a choice of where to go… I came across Peters` Drive In. Reading about its popularity within the Alberta burger scene, I knew I had to experience the hype for myself. Peters` is one of the few restaurants not permitting dine in or walk in orders due to their health and safety policies, so the only choice was to as the name suggests… drive in!

Their slogan is “the drive in you can’t drive by”, which I found to be true. You definitely can’t miss the line up of cars sitting on Calgary Trail just to get into the parking lot. I’ve read people waiting in line up to 4 hours for a burger, but luckily I came in the late afternoon and waited under an hour.

This location in south Edmonton opened in May 2020, and is the newest addition to their chain of three restaurants. The other two are based out in Red Deer, and Calgary where the first Peters` Drive In opened in 1962.

I was genuinely excited to try this place.. mainly for their commitment to "realness" They claim to serve burgers from real grade A Canadian Beef, special sauces made daily, and milkshakes made with real ice cream and real fruit. Gus Pieters, the man who started it all, established his restaurants to buying the best ingredients, providing the highest level of customer service, and offering a clean and welcoming environment for its guests.

My first impressions of seeing the restaurant… the blue and white exterior, and logo made it look like a car dealership, Ford in particular, which I found rather amusing. Looking at the menu online there weren’t much options for burgers. You could only select from the basic cheese and veggie burgers with the options of single, double, and triple stacks. They also offered hot dogs, poutines, ice cream, sundaes, and milkshakes.

I opted for the Double Cheeseburger - a double beef patty topped with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and Peters` special sauce. On the side I had onion rings and a mango milkshake.

The Double Cheeseburger/Photo by Mark Avila

Peters` Drive In is also known for their Milkshakes with over 4,500 different flavour combinations to choose from.

Taking that first bite… it was an explosion of flavour! The patties were nicely cooked and juicy, but the highlight of it all was the special sauce. It was smoky, sweet, and savoury. Three flavour combinations that I’m not a huge fan of, but it worked all together in this masterpiece of a burger! They serve a generous offering of onion rings, golden brown and crispy. The mango milkshake was probably one of the best I’ve had in a long time. Knowing they used real mango made this more enjoyable for my tastebuds.

(already craving a milkshake as I’m typing this…)

Peters` Drive In certainly lived up to the hype. This is probably a rare burger joint that claims to serve “good food” that’s fresh, and actually delivers with tasty and well made burgers. In addition, the service was also commendable. My drive thru experience was quick, efficient, and no hassle waiting for my order. It’s nice to see a restaurant with a systematic approach to food preparation, despite having just opened with staff that were recently trained. Overall, this is probably my favourite burger joint so far. Peters` will definitely be my go to place whenever I’m in the Edmonton or Calgary area, and craving a good burger.

9.5/10

Burger Review #45: Avengers Burger

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: May 28, 2020
Location: Scarborough, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 8.6/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie

Website

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Drew's Review

Here it goes. Our second pandemic burger review.

The day we chose to do a BurgerTour just happened to be National Hamburger Day, and so it was our best interest to provide another documented evaluation of another burger joint found in the GTA. When selecting the burger joint, we wanted something nearby as we were either going to get it for takeout or delivery, and seeing how we did takeaway last time, we went with delivery. For this delivery we chose the destination to be Mark’s parked vehicle, so right away, this was going to be something different.

The nearest burger joint that we had yet to have tried was Avengers Burger, and we landed on it after browsing their menu. Avengers Burger provides an assortment of homemade customized burgers with its names being related to an Avenger, or a superhero theme such as Thor’s Hammer, HULK...SMASH! or the Infinity War burger, which is a triple beef patty monster, (I may have to order that next time.) Again, dining in Mark’s car, we weren’t able to dine inside, or even interact with the staff of Avengers Burger. I hope to return in the future to pay a visit when things are back to the usual…hopefully.

Falcon Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Our orders were placed and nearly 30 to 45 minutes later, our UberEats delivery guy walked up to our car with our orders in hand. As simple as that, we took our burgers, thanked him and began devouring our meals. I decided to go with the Falcon Burger. It was a simple, compact burger that came with a beef patty, cheddar cheese, beef bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles and rosemary garlic aioli. And the first bite was phenomenal.

I couldn’t get over the delicious creation. The meat was juicy and succulent and the toppings were well mixed into the sandwich. The buns were fresh and every bite was savoury. The bacon offered a nice crisp to the burger and the garlic aioli was the best dressing to complement this burger. And the fries were beyond exceptional. They were thin, golden brown and slightly crispy, the perfect addition to a burger combo.

Overall, I really wished we could have conducted this review over normal circumstances while dining in, but for the time being this will just have to be the new reality. Avengers Burger definitely has the charisma and the drive to compete amongst the elite burger joints in the city and furthermore, they certainly met all my expectations. The burger was delicious and I am looking forward to paying a visit in person in the future.

8.2/10

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Mark's Review

Quarantine and social distancing is still the norm pretty much everywhere, but that didn’t stop us from doing this BurgerTour. Most restaurants in the city continue to remain open, but dining in is still a big no-no. The last tour we opted for calling in our orders and driving to pick it up ourselves. This time around we decided to order from the UberEats app. We were restricted on where we could order, since UberEats could only connect us to restaurants in our area.

Avengers Burger was listed as the closest, so we decided to try them out. Not to our surprise, it was all Superhero themed! Browsing through the menu, the burgers were all named after a Superhero with ingredients relating to that particular person.

Along with burgers they also offer sides of fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, poutine, vegetarian poutine, and milkshakes.

The Earth is Closed Today/Photo by Mark Avila

I previously mentioned hat I would order more vegetarian and vegan options for a little change in pace. And so, I opted for the Earth Is Closed Today Burger - a veggie burger patty, topped with sautéed mushrooms, sautéed red pepper, lettuce, tomato, and rosemary garlic aioli.

The first bite was a flavour explosion! First came the rosemary aioli, then the sautéed mushrooms and red peppers. I must say, that was probably one of the best flavour trio that I’ve ever tasted. There was a hint of spice that balanced the overall taste of the burger.

Overall, I was surprised by how good everything tasted, and wished I ordered a second serving. As a new joint in the Toronto burger scene, I was impressed with the food they had to offer, and could see them growing into a popular destination for foodies in the future. Another place I would visit again post quarantine!

9/10

Special Burger Review - In-N-Out

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: February 8, 2019
Location: Los Angeles, CA
BurgerTours Rating: 6.8/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Very Messy	$6-$10	Fast Food	Veggie/Patio/Gluten Free

Website 

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Drews's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

In February of 2019, I flew to Los Angeles for a weekend excursion amongst the city of stars. My trip was mainly for a vacation away from the Toronto winter, but also because I have never experienced the west coast of California before. During my trip, one of the places on my to-do list was In-N-Out. In-N-Out has established itself as one of the top tourist locations in California for its Instagrammable burgers, thick milkshakes and cheap prices. It’s no wonder why when I visited the Sunset Blvd. location in Hollywood on a Friday during lunch, I wasn’t able to find a table. The lineup to place your order was about less than five minutes, however, the wait for your order was nearly half an hour.

One of the most popular menu options is the Animal Style burger and fries combo. I was lucky enough to find a chair close to the counter while I waited for my order. I had also gotten a chocolate milkshake which was the first to be ready. Almost half the store was waiting for their orders. I would say there were probably 20 people before me and many more that came after I had placed my order. Every seat was taken. Every table was covered with food. Every realm of this joint was at capacity. It was like a fire hazard waiting to happen. Anyways, finding a table to sit at was going to be difficult because right after I had placed my order, a packed tour bus pulled up and let out a busload of tourists. Maybe coming to the most popular location in L.A. during the lunch rush on a Friday afternoon wasn’t a smart decision.

I picked up my order shortly after the bus drop-off and walked out the door. I stumbled around the block to a nearby school to eat my lunch. I sat on the steps and unwrapped this fine cuisine and indulged in this renown epicureanism. The burger was huge. The toppings were bulging out and the sauce was just oozing through the paper. The burger was anticipating to be eaten by a hungry individual. The first bite was heavenly. The buns were crisp, the juices were flavourful and the beef was tender, soft and cooked medium rare. The extra spread was delicious. It was like everything I had ever wanted an In-N-Out burger to taste like and more. And then it became addicting. I couldn’t get enough. When I went for the last bite, my hunger was fighting for more. It was sad to see it go by so fast.

Animal Style Cheeseburger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Overall, the burger was everything I was expecting from a glorified hot spot/tourist trap. It wasn’t that extraordinary. I find it to be overly hyped. I’m not gonna lie; to me, it’s a tasty burger. In-N-Out is like an addiction. Once you have it, you can’t stop thinking about it, and you want to go back, but you live all the way on the other side of the continent and then you crave it and crave it until you can actually get your fix. And to all the Californians who dwell in L.A. and the tourists who congregate to its 347 locations across the States, they have this institution at their doorstep. They can acquire their fix easily.

Within a few hours of eating In-N-Out, I walked into a record store and did some browsing. And then my stomach started turning and all of a sudden, I had shit my pants. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but then I realised why they named it In-N-Out.

6.8/10

Burger Review #44: Wimpy's Diner

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: April 9, 2020
Location: Scarborough, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 5.55/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Good	Very Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food, Diner, Restaurant

Website 

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Drew's Review

We've had many firsts while doing BurgerTours; solo reviews, out-of-town reviews, but I don't think anything will top this review. This review for the first time in the history of BurgerTours, we ordered takeout.

Normally we don't order takeout because we like to pay the restaurant a visit first hand and indulge the dining experience ourselves so we can review it on here afterward. That's not the case right now, nor for the foreseeable future. As part of this odd, new reality, and in the time of social distancing, we've had to conduct our reviewing from the comfort of our own cars. And in this specific case, Mark's. So unfortunately, we won't be able to provide a dining experience at this specific burger joint, and we apologize for doing so, but you'll have to bear with us as we continue to provide reliable write ups and fair ratings for the best burger joints in the GTA. So onto the review.

With little hesitation, and little decision making, we leaned on Wimpy's Diner, a small chain of restaurants in Ontario, where one just happened to be within a 10 minute drive in our neighbourhood of Scarborough. We read over the menu and ordered by placing a call. The order went through and would be ready for pickup in about the 10 minutes it took us to drive there.

Upon arriving, I walked in and the lady behind the counter had our order all ready to go. I checked and made sure everything was there, paid and left. In times of social distancing I saw how quickly and easy it is to get in and get out so little interaction is done. I appreciated that effort and other efforts made by these stores and local restaurants whose businesses are dwindling. They want you to know that their business is still open despite not operating regularly. I applaud them for still continuing to serve the community in these tough times, and we'll all get through it together.

Smoky Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

I reached the car with both items in hand. I had ordered the Smoky burger which came with sautéed mixed peppers, grilled onions, feta cheese and drizzled with smoky chipotle sauce. I opened the box to see a mashup of what appeared to be the sandwich, with the meat hanging out both sides of the bun and the toppings spread out within the box. I was thinking this might as well be a "build your own burger" type of scenario. Eating this in Mark's car wasn't going to be pretty.

I had to dig my fingers underneath the buns (that's what she said), and slowly start putting the burger back together. It was tough but I managed to wrap my hands around it, picked it up and went for a bite. The flavour was exactly smoky but the meat was bland and lacking flavour. The toppings were a nice addition to the burger but the meat felt really undercooked, or even like it wasn't prepared properly. Whatever the reason, I ended up finishing it in a record 20 minutes! The fries on the other hand was what salvaged this meal for me and reminded me of food truck fries - thick, golden and crispy.

Overall, Wimpy's Diner offered us a pleasant meal. I wasn't satisfied overall with the quality of the meat, but the burger in general is a welcome addition to any burger lineup. If quarantine wasn't a thing like it is right now, I would've loved to have dined inside the joint and have the first hand experience. But for these times, we have to compromise. I'm hoping to return again in the future by dining in and maybe perhaps changing my mind about their burgers. Who knows? The world we live in is so uncertain right now.

5.6/10

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Mark's Review

During this uncertain time with society coming to an abrupt halt, doing a burger tour seemed debatable. As most establishments are struggling to stay in business, we thought this would be a good opportunity to lend a helping hand to a local burger joint.

Wimpy’s was a place I’ve been wanting to try for a while mainly for its retro 1950’s decor, and noted for their positive (food & service) reviews, I wanted to experience the hype for myself. Starting off as drive in restaurant in 1961, Wimpy’s expanded to a dine in restaurant in 1988 and became a successful franchise ever since.

Unfortunately, due to the spread of Covid-19 all food establishments banned all dine-in service and redirected operations to online ordering or take out. We opted calling in for take-out and drove to the local Wimpy’s location in Scarborough.

I opted for the Philly Cheese Burger- mixed peppers, grilled onions, mozzarella cheese, and BBQ sauce.

The Philly Cheese Burger- Photo by/Mark Avila

I wasn’t expecting much, but it was a monstrosity of a sandwich to take in. Presentation was a little sloppy, and was smothered in cheese! You can never go wrong with too much cheese.

Taking the first bite… I didn’t know where to start. As sloppy as it was, it was pretty delicate to get my teeth around. When I finally got a bite, I was surprised by how bland it tasted. It had decent flavour and was very filling, but other than that I really didn’t care for it at all.

Overall, I was pretty disappointed at the quality and taste of the burger. I was expecting much more, but was presented with something mediocre. Given the circumstance, I wasn’t able to feel the full Wimpy’s experience. I would like to come back and dine in once everything is back to normal, and hopefully have a more pleasant experience.

5.5/10

Special Burger Review: Miner's Daughter

Photo by Mark Avila

Date Visited: March 8, 2020
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
BurgerTours Rating: 6/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Good	Clean	$15-$25	Restaurant/Lounge	Veggie/Liquor

Website 

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Mark's Review

Leaving behind the spring-like temperatures of Southern Ontario, join me as I travel more than 3,000 kilometres across Canada to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. This marks the furthest place we’ve taken BurgerTours, and is the first Territory checked off my travel list.

I did some quick research before hand, and honestly I wasn’t expecting much based on my presumptions of going to a place in the middle of nowhere. But, to my surprise one location garnered more positive reviews than others and was also a local favourite. A popular spot among Whitehorse locals, it was a no brainer that I’d choose the Miner’s Daughter for this burger tour.

Opened in 2011, the Miner’s Daughter is nestled in the heart of downtown Whitehorse, located in the former Capital Hotel where it shares a space with the Dirty Northern. To avoid confusion, the Miner’s Daughter is the restaurant portion and the Dirty Northern serves as a Pub.

The interior was dark and rustic fitting in nicely with the deep freeze blanketing Whitehorse at the time. I came in around 6:30pm, which was right before things started to get busy. I sat myself by the window as all the booths were already taken, and not long after large tourist groups were slowly pouring in for dinner time at this point.

I took a sneak peak of the menu before hand looking for a burger that was new, yet local. They had an array of burger options, but they were either the same or a twist on a burger I’ve had before. There was one, however, that caught my eye… the Wild Alaskan Salmon Burger.

As the name suggests.. this burger comes with a grilled slice of Wild Alaskan Salmon, topped with avocado, tomato, and onions.

The Wild Alaskan Salmon Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

First impressions, as juicy as it looked, the Salmon was a little dry. Though seasoned nicely, there was nothing that popped in its flavour. The onions, tomato, and avocado did give it some kick, but the side salad that accompanied the burger was probably the highlight of this meal.

Overall, the quick service and pleasant environment wasn’t enough to save the underwhelming experience I had at the Miner’s Daughter. I was looking forward to trying the Wild Alaskan Salmon Burger, but it didn’t quite deliver on flavour and authenticity that I’d hoped to experience during this visit. It definitely has some potential, but I would like to see it with more pungent ingredients to make it stand out as a staple dish in the Yukon food scene.

6/10

Burger Review #43: Ozzy's Burgers

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: January 21, 2020
Location: Kensington Market
BurgerTours Rating: 8.4/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Very Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food/Restaurant	Veggie, Patio

Website
 

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Drew's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Hi. How are you? Great. You’re welcome.

BurgerTour number 54 brings us back to Kensington Market to try Halal burger joint, Ozzy’s Burgers. Ozgur Sekar created Ozzy’s Burgers, a small, cozy, Halal burger joint in the heart of Toronto to share his passion of cooking and serving up his clients. Ozzy’s opened in the summer of 2017 and since its opening, Ozzy, himself, loves when he witnesses the smiles on all his customers after trying his burgers.

On a cold day in January, Mark and I decided Ozzy’s Burgers was going to be our next stop. We did our research and found out it was one of the top stops on our “yet to try” list. We were only aware of the rumor that it was one of the best places to try for burgers in downtown Toronto and our expectations were already set.

We entered the establishment in the early afternoon to an empty place. The dining area was small, but I already liked this place. The casual atmosphere and the friendly chatter between staff made me feel welcome. Upon reading over the menu in an attempt to satisfy our hunger, and getting the best possible option Ozzy’s had to offer, I was sidelined with choices between many interesting options. But somehow, I was drawn to Ozzy’s signature special double cheeseburger, the Mustang Sally. I thought to myself, how could I turn this down?

I decided to double down and order the Mustang Sally, which as I described, is a double beef patty with Canadian cheddar, swiss cheese, crispy beef bacon, caramelized onions, onion rings and special Ozzy sauce with BBQ dressing. And if I knew anything about double cheeseburgers, this was going to be a mouthful.

The Mustang Sally w/ golden crispy fries/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

I was quite impressed with the ten minutes that passed between order and completion. I was also impressed by how neatly presented the platters are. The fries on the side are definitely a plus, and needed, especially with a burger of this magnitude. The first bite was chaotic, yet satisfying. The patties are quite succulent and flavourful. Surprisingly, the bun and the toppings do not overwhelm the patty but compliments quite nicely. After a couple bites it was hard to really distinguish any flavour. Since it is a double patty all I ended up tasting was meat (not that that’s a bad thing) but I guess I was simply looking for something that would tickle my taste buds more. Nonetheless, I did eat it all and enjoyed it.

Overall, I wholeheartedly appreciated my meal at Ozzy’s Burgers and the mess created while eating the Mustang Sally was worth it. The only downside I would say about this place is the fact that it is a pretty small space to eat and in busy times, I suggest getting take out. But this is, as well as most of the restaurants in Kensington Market, a summer setting and does offer the outside tables for additional seating. Don't sleep on this place like we did for so long and get there now. Yes, even in the snowy conditions; it's so worth it. Can't wait to go back and try more tasty burgers on their menu.

8.3/10

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Mark's Review

Kensington Market never has a shortage of burger joints. Seems like every time we visit this neighbourhood, a new burger joint opens up. For this tour we visit a new local favourite, Ozzy’s Burger. 

This joint serves Halal Burgers ranging from the classics, signature, and premium. They also offer steak and chicken sandwiches. All of the burgers and sandwiches are served with handmade patties, sauces and toppings.

I decided to take a different route for this visit and went for a healthier burger option. They offer a Vegan & Veggie menu consisting of the Ozzy’s Vegan Burger and the Portobello Veggie Burger.

I opted for Ozzy’s Vegan Burger. Made out of a vegan patty, carmelized onions, roasted peppers, lettuce, tomato, pickled, sautéed mushrooms, jalapenos, and homemade guacamole. This was my second time having a vegan burger, and I was definitely looking forward to what this had to offer.

Ozzy's Vegan Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

Taking that first bite, the patty was nicely cooked and tasted quite nice with the different sauces and toppings. The homemade guacamole had a slight spice to it, which enhanced the overall flavour. It’s a shame that the jalapeño didn’t give the burger any heat, but the guacamole made up for it. Even though I was expecting a bland and underwhelming burger, it surprised me by the overall presentation and flavour.

I was satisfied by the experience and would consider trying more vegan and vegetarian options during future burger tours. Ozzy’s is looking to be my new Kensington Market favourite.

8.5/10