Burger Review #34: Rudy

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: September 27, 2017
Location: Little Italy
BurgerTours Rating: 8.1/10

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

Website 

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Drew's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

It would be Rude not to review or try Rudy.

We had no idea what Rudy was and had only heard about it through word of mouth. Needless to say, we had to find out what made Rudy, Rudy. According to a website, Rudy isn’t really anything or anyone at all. In fact, it was just an inside joke between the owner and his business partner to refer to people who get a little out of hand after having one too many drinks back in college. Interesting, eh?

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Rudy (the restaurant) is a minimally decorated eatery in Little Italy that offers a small menu of burgers, chicken sandwiches and fries. Rudy caught our attention for being a burger joint that kept showing up on our news feed and the burgers from Rudy looked amazing in pictures. But could it actually taste as good as it looks? Yes. The answer is an emphatic yes.

We entered the burger joint in the early afternoon on an overcast grey day and while we were dining, I think only a handful of people came in to order and leave after picking it up. I wondered if it was a routine thing having customers wander in off the streets and order food for takeaway. The interior is quite large with an open feel and seating for about 20. When we went up to order, the menu was a lot smaller than I had read online, and only a few options for me to choose from without ordering the same thing as Mark. We placed our orders and went to grab a table near the window and within about 10 minutes, our orders were ready.

The Rudy/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

I ordered the Rudy, which is a single-patty cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato, and Rudy sauce. The burger was small and compact, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in flavour. The meat was tender and juicy with a nice beefy kick, it’s pretty much exactly what you’re looking for in the taste department. The buns were crisp and well-grilled and was a perfect match with the meat. The toppings added a nice little compliment to the overall burger. It was a pleasantly delicious burger with no unnecessary fixings or flavours and showcased itself to be one of the top-quality burgers I have tasted.

The fries on the other hand, weren’t as tasty. They lacked in flavour and seasoning and they were really dry and bland. I probably could’ve had the poutine for a much more appropriate side option, but maybe it was just a bad batch.

Overall, Rudy was ultimately a surprise and to many burger lovers, its an unexpected one. How could such a small burger pack a huge punch? Rudy does it well when it comes to grilling fresh ground meat and placing in between two crispy golden-brown buns. It’s a very unique way of making burgers, and sort of resembles a Shake Shack kind of look. Anyways, I’m all for these types of burgers and there aren’t that many that look that way in Toronto that we haven’t tried. If there’s anything that Rudy does right, it’s the burgers and sometimes you have to be a little Rudy to make it in the Toronto burger scene.

7.7/10

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Mark's Review

The Valentino/Photo by Mark Avila

We are back in Little Italy! For this tour we take you to Rudy on College Street. This joint was on our radar for quite some time, and returning to this area for another tour was something to look forward to.

The menu was small, but they made up for it in quality and originality. I decided to try the Valentino. It's a Fried Chicken Sandwich, layered with coleslaw, Valentino Sauce, and topped with a mild hot sauce.

The first bite brought out the hot sauce in an instant. There was a touch of smokiness and spice, which I assume was the Valentino Sauce that ignited a burning sensation in my mouth. The sweetness of the coleslaw eased the spiciness creating a well balanced flavour. The chicken breast was perfectly cooked to a golden brown, crispy on the outside, but soft and light on the inside. Not much complaints with this one.. the taste was spot on.

Little Italy, again, brings out another hidden gem in this neighbourhood's burger scene. Definitely rises to one of my favourites. I recommend visiting Rudy if you're ever in the neighbourhood and wanting to have a quick bite.

8.5/10

Burger Review #26: Burgatory

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: October 27, 2016
Location: Little Italy
BurgerTours Rating: 8.45/10

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

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Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Drew's Review

It was the last week of the month and we were thinking of where we should go for the month of October. We did some research and after narrowing it down to a few places, we chose to go to Burgatory in Little Italy. After a quick Google search, we found the menu, the location and some pictures. It looked very pleasing, and I couldn't wait to try their burgers.

Mother-son duo Kristen Van Peteghem and her son Alexei, the entrepreneurs of Burgatory, launched the food truck in 2014. The food truck grew in popularity within the city, and through Alexei's enthusiasm and love for burgers, he and his mother decided to expand and in April of last year, opened the 30-seat restaurant on College Street. The restaurant offers the same burgers as the food truck, but with an expanded menu.

The thing that makes Burgatory special is that they offer a selection of burgers based on the seven deadly sins and include items such as The Envy Burger or The Sloth Burger. Every burger they make is made in-house from the highest quality beef in Southwestern Ontario and prepared fresh daily.

We arrived shortly after the lunch rush in the middle of the afternoon on a Thursday and I was a little surprised Mark and I were the only two dining in the restaurant at the time. The restaurant was a humble and spacious place that offered lots of seating, and it looked like we had first dibs on where to sit. As soon as we entered, we were pleasantly greeted by a man from behind the counter. We found the menu and went over the options in our heads. Normally with new places, it takes us a few minutes to gaze upon the menu and settle on what we will order. But coming into Burgatory with our minds set on what we were going to order after observing their menu online, we knew exactly what we wanted. We gave our orders and went to grab a table along the windows at the front.

The Sloth Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Approximately 10-15 minutes later, our burgers were ready. We bring them back to our table and we spend almost another 5 minutes taking pictures and videos of our meal. I had ordered The Sloth Burger. It was a beef burger with Velveeta cheese, hickory sticks, topped with lettuce and tomatoes and drizzled with Sloth Sauce, their own, homemade Big Mac sauce. The burger was small and compact, which would probably mean there was going to be lots of flavour. I took my first bite and it was a delightful mouthful of heavenly deliciousness. The buns were warm and tender. The meat was juicy and well cooked. The flavour was succulent and there's not a thing I would've done to make it better. The Sloth Sauce was just the right thing this burger needed as a dressing to bring together the flavour of the meat and the hickory sticks: tangy and just the right amount of mess. It was simply perfection. The fries I had gotten on the side were golden, crispy and sprinkled with sea salt, and was a perfect pairing to the Sloth Burger.

Overall, we chose a great burger joint to eat at for the month of October. Everything that I had expected from Burgatory met my expectations. I would definitely return again and try other selections from their menu. If you're ever in Little Italy and are looking for a great burger place to eat at, Burgatory makes one helluva burger.

8.4/10

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Mark's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

We take you to our first burger tour in Little Italy, at Burgatory! This joint located on College St just east Ossington Ave prides itself with serving the best quality meat from local farms in Southwestern Ontario.

Their menu was inspired by the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride. However, only six of the deadly sins are featured on their menu. Since there are only six burgers featured on the menu, making a decision wasn’t that difficult. Looking at each burger, however, I was impressed on the creativity, thought, and effort that made each one resemble a deadly sin.

The Wrath Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

I decided to go for the Wrath Burger. It’s a beef burger topped with a special Hell Sauce (which is homemade Poblano and Chili de Arbol Sauce), layered with pickled Jalapeño, Red Onion, Lettuce, Tomato, and Havarti Cheese on a Brioche Bun.

At first, I was expecting to get a burst of spice from the Hell Sauce and pickled Jalapeño. But to my surprise, it was a sweet and spicy combination that gave my mouth a sensational dose of flavour. The beef patty was cooked close to perfection, and the brioche bun added a nice touch of smoothness to the burger.

Overall, the Wrath Burger exceeded my expectations. If you find yourself venturing around Little Italy and looking for a good burger to satisfy your hunger, Burgatory is the place to go.

8.5/10