Burger Review #11: The Rude Boy

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visted: April 21, 2015 
Location: Roncesvalles Village 
BurgerTours Rating: 8.4/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Messy	$6-$10	Diner, Bar	Veggie, Gluten Free, Liquor

Website

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Drew's Review

The Rude Boy/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

There is so much to like about this place, I don't know where to begin. The Rude Boy sits on Roncevalles Ave, just south of Dundas St W. And being in the Roncy area, it sees a fair amount of burger enthusiasts. It opened in 2013 and knowing the Roncy area quite well myself, it needed a decent hangout that offered good quality burgers for a fair price.

After hearing about it from a close friend and being encouraged to try it out, we decided to go on a rainy day in late April. We looked them up and it was a place I really wanted to check out. Their website, not being too fancy, gave me the impression that this was a small 60s-like diner and was still trying to find their brand.

We went in and we were quickly greeted by the waitress. The interior resembles an old diner with booths and a small little bar. In other words, it was like a small pub that I'm sure sees lots of nightlife. I was pleased to say the least. Not too many people were dining when we arrived and made for a more engaging conversation with the waitress. We sat down at the table near the window and the waitress brought us the menus. She left and came back a few seconds later with glasses of water.

We quickly glanced over the menu and I couldn't decide what I was going to order. Two things caught my eye and that was "the Sting" and the Rude Boy's original creation which was named after the joint. The Sting sounded like it was going to be spicy and I took into consideration the small glass of water I had on the table in front of me. So without any more thought, I went with the "Rude Boy".

Within minutes after saying our orders, the waitress brings out our meals. The burger combo comes with some kettle chips on the side, and as an extra side, Mark and I shared an order of onion rings. The burger portion was small. "The Rude Boy" has peameal bacon, red onions, cheddar cheese, mustard and a fried egg to top it all off. Now I'm not one who orders a fried egg on his burger (see Hero Burger), but this being its own signature creation, I thought I may give it a shot.

The first bite I got was all egg. It was messy and dripping out of the sides. But it was a nice combination with the peameal bacon and the house-smoked bacon, too. The burger was soft and cooked to perfection. But it really didn't matter as my taste buds were blown away by the flavours from the toppings. I can understand why it was called "The Rude Boy." It was a small little burger that packed a big punch, and it was a mouthful.

Blanche de Chambly-battered Onion Rings/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

After using all the napkins available, the waitress brings out the onion rings and to my surprise, they were huge! I've never seen onion rings this big in my life. And as if I wasn't already full from the burger, I still had the onion rings to share and some leftover kettle chips in my basket. Needless to say, I was prepared weeks in advanced to eat a big meal.

We finished our meal and right when it was time to pay, Mark and I decided to share the bill and pay with the cash we had in hand. And, we left a pretty big tip, too. And if you are the waitress who served us on this day, I'm sorry I didn’t catch your name, but you made our meal a delight and I want to thank you for the tremendous service!

Overall, The Rude Boy is your typical pub with excellent, custom-made burgers with thousands of options on the menu. If you're ever in the Rocesvallles area, give this place a walk-in and be amazed that more places like this don't exist. And keep in mind if it's a Rude Boy you want, then it's a rude boy you'll get.

8.3/10

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Mark's Review

The Seoul Man/ Photo by Mark Avila

I first heard about the Rude Boy through a friend and looked it up online. Even though the burger selection was minimal, the menu looked quite appetizing, nonetheless.

Walking into the restaurant, I found it quite nice and much laid back, but that was probably because we were there early in the afternoon. We got seated as soon as we walked in so I’m not complaining. Once we were given the menu, I made no hesitation on saying that I wanted the Seoul Man. I have a rather attracted taste towards Korean ingredients, and once I read what was in this burger, I was sold. 

The Seoul Man is a good fusion of the east and west with fermented kimchi, garlic aioli, pickled cucumber, and Korean barbecue sauce. It’s a pretty big burger to get your mouth around, but not doubt it’s full of flavour and spice.  I found that the kimchi and barbecue sauce gave the burger spice and heat, while the garlic aioli and pickled cucumber gave it a smooth and creamy taste. Overall, a burger that highlights the ingredients of two different food cultures, the Seoul Man is a perfectly balanced burger. 

Aside from our burgers, we also decided to order some onion rings. Now these weren’t your typical onion rings, they were massive! Coated in a thick homemade batter served with house mustard on the side, these onion rings were full of flavour, but also extremely greasy. Good thing we shared them or else we probably never got through the whole basket. Not going to lie, it took one whole piece to get me thinking, “We should’ve just gotten the fries”.

The Rude Boy definitely gave me a nice experience with their food and service. If you’re ever in the Roncesvalles/Dundas West area, be sure to stop by this burger joint! 

8.5/10

Burger Review #10: The Burgernator

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: March 23, 2015 
Location: Kensington Market 

BurgerTours Rating: 7.85/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Messy	$6-$10	Fast Food	Veggie, Gluten Free, Patio

Website

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Drew's Review

The Lieutenant Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

The Burgernator; a burger joint that opened in Kensington Market in February of 2013, specializes in big burger proportions and endless customizations. They offer all kinds of signature burgers: 6oz. patties which they call “burgers of mass destruction”, and 4oz. patties, also known as classics. The one thing that sets The Burgernator apart from other burger joints is their slogan: “The burger is our weapon; Toronto is our battlefield.”

Mark and I walked into their restaurant one day in late March and it just so happened that my birthday was a couple of days away. It was Mark’s treat to buy my order this time around. Upon walking into the joint, I had no idea what I was going to order. The Burgernator was a place that was on my “to try” list for a while and before we arrived, I had been meaning to go back to Kensington Market for some time. This was the perfect opportunity to sight-see and go for a delicious BurgerTour lunch.

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

We walked into the shop and the first impression I got was, “Wow, this is totally different from all the other burger joints we’ve eaten at.” The interior is very modern. The walls are largely painted black with logos, slogans and huge designs etched out in chalk, resembling a massive black board. There are tables along the two sides of the restaurant with a condiment bar directly in the centre. Take note, if you do choose to go on a weekend afternoon, the seating here is very limited. The best time to go is during a weekday afternoon. Trust me.

On one of their walls, opposite of where I went to place my order, is a huge menu etched out in chalk. The same menu can be found on their website and on a small handout printed on brown construction paper. I took a glance at the menu and there were two things I thought about trying; their signature Burgernator burger or the Lieutenant burger. If I had gone with the Burgernator, it would have been a resemblance to the burger I had at The Burger’s Priest: beef patties in between two grilled cheese sandwiches – a huge burger that I wasn’t prepared to eat a second time. So I went with the smaller option; the Lieutenant Burger, which had a double patty, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and the special Burgernator sauce, (I was instantly attracted to its own signature sauce).

Within minutes, our orders were ready and we picked it up and walked back to our table. The burger looked amazing. Nothing was falling out, nothing was crumbling apart. This looked like a real good tasting burger and I couldn’t wait to get my hands around it. I took my first bite and my taste buds were blown away. The Burgernator sauce was a nice combination with the toppings on the burger and the meat was really juicy and cooked to perfection. The combo comes with a side of fries and a rosemary garlic aioli dip. The fries were freshly cut potatoes and well salted, and the dip sure adds to the flavour of the meal. By the time I had finished eating my meal, I was full. And this full was a good full. It was a satisfied type of full. 

Overall, The Burgernator is a unique place that serves up classic burgers and fits nicely among all the independent stores and food places Kensington Market offers. I don’t think I could have asked for a better burger. It’s surprising to see a burger place this good get so little recognition. So next time you find yourself in Kensington Market and craving a delicious burger, do yourself a favour and help rid the city of “half-hearted” and “undercooked” burgers by making a stop at The Burgernator.

8.2/10

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Mark's Review

The Captain Jerk/Photo by Mark Avila

I think I could speak on behalf of Andrew that this was a place that we were both looking forward to visiting. Why it took so long...I don’t know. But now that we’ve actually tagged The Burgernator, I am looking forward to sharing this review with you.

The Burgernator definitely found its niche in Kensington Market. The cultural identity that this neighbourhood is known for definitely shows in the authenticity of the food. It caters to the diverse population present within this small area of downtown Toronto. 

Knowing that I love to try burgers with different, yet distinct flavours, this particular one that I tasted stood out amongst others. It was an easy decision for me as soon as I looked at the menu, not because it was the first one listed, but rather of what was in it. 

And that burger ladies and gentlemen is the Captain Jerk. A beef burger with lettuce, tomato, havarti cheese, grilled pineapple, and topped with a Jerk sauce. It had the flavours of a typical cheeseburger, but with a touch of Caribbean spice. The havarti cheese gave it an extra sweet and buttery taste to balance out the spice from the Jerk sauce. And the slice of pineapple gave it a little bit of tartness that completed the overall flavour of the Captain Jerk. 

Overall, my experience at the Burgernator was quite satisfying. It’s a casual burger joint where anyone from small to large groups can sit around and enjoy a tasty and authentic burger at an affordable price. So if you’re ever in Kensington Market looking for a bite to eat, this is the place to go to. You’ll definitely see me here again. 

7.5/10

Burger Review #9: Big Smoke Burger

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date visited: February 17, 2015
Location: Fashion District 
BurgerTours Rating: 8/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Some Drip	$6-$10	Fast Food	Veggie,Gluten Free

Website 

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Drew's Review

The Craft Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

D-liscious 

Big Smoke Burger was a fairly new burger place for me. I'd've never heard of it if it wasn't for doing #BurgerTours. Big Smoke operates with 5 locations in the GTA and one soon-to-be opening up at Sherway Gardens...meaning competition.

The one location I've noticed was the location in the Urban Eatery at the Eaton Centre. There was one day when I decided to grab food from another place and sit right beside Big Smoke. To my fascination, the craftsmen were very quick and oriented while making the burgers. Each employee had a certain job to do, and no one was just standing around. It was nothing like I've ever seen before from a burger joint. So that's why Big Smoke was added to our TourList and history was made.

I don't know what it was but I liked Big Smoke right from the start. The one thing that appealed to my senses after walking into the restaurant on King Street West was the fact that the smell from the grill was fresh and BBQ-ready; I got a waft of Big Smoke's big smoke when I walked through the door.

Earlier in the day, that exact location hosted a charity/free burger giveaway and there were a group of kids siting in the restaurant upon our arrival. We arrived almost an hour after the giveaway ended, but it didn't matter because it appeared like we had the whole joint to ourselves - and with limited seating of course, we used it to our advantage.

The joint itself is one long, narrow bar with a few tables at the front - not so much room to lineup to place an order, but it's what Big Smoke likes - place an order, pay and then wait for your burger to be made before getting your name called. In other words, it was sort of like a coffee place and everyone and everything was very organized.

I had taken a glance at the menu a night earlier and I was stumped on what I was going to get. Upon lining up to place my order, I was still stumped. I narrowed it down to the Craft Burger and its signature Big Smoke burger and whatever came out of my mouth first, I was going to be fine with. Turns out I ordered the Craft Burger. It was a signature burger that was topped with sautéed mushrooms and roasted garlic mayo.

Once my name was called, (truth be told, feel free to use a fake name as Mark decided to go with Apollo), I picked up my order and unwrapped the burger. It was huge and the first thought I had was, "How am I supposed to frame this for a good Instagram post?" Needless to say, I believe the picture I took captured the deliciousness of the Craft Burger: it was literally one beautiful mess, that now I had to find a way to eat. And it wasn't easy.

After wrapping my hands around the huge sandwich, I took my first bite and my taste buds were taken for a ride. The soft, juicy beef placed in the centre of the burger was grilled to perfection and just the way I liked it. The bacon pieces added a crispiness which went well with the roasted garlic mayo. It was a nice blend of garlic-meets-BBQ. And without realizing, the burger was gone in a flash.

The fries that came with the combo were quite tasty, too. They were hand cut, fresh, and made right in front of you. The tenderness of the fresh fries was much needed in addition to the burger.

Overall, Big Smoke does something that no other burger joint does and that's how they prepare they're signature hand crafted burgers. Each burger is made with 100% Ontario AAA beef, but I don't need to tell you that as they say it themselves right on their website. Big Smoke took me by surprise and whether it was the quality of the charbroiled burger or the fresh waft of big smoke as you enter the restaurant, it was definitely a place I would recommend to anyone with a huge appetite and a fair-sized wallet.

7.5/10

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Mark's Review

Lamb Burger/ Photo by Mark Avila

Big Smoke Burger was another burger joint that I’ve heard people talk about. I never knew how big this name was until I read about their locations across Canada and around the world. I always saw the Big Smoke location at the Eaton Centre but never paid much attention to it. But trying Big Smoke for the first time...I missed out on some pretty good burgers.

We went to the Big Smoke location on King St. W near Bathurst. It was quite small and had a tight space for the queue, but the line went by fast. The dining area was occupied by a group of school children at the time so there was really not much room to sit and dine. Luckily, by the time we placed our orders the rush of people had already left and the school group was getting ready to go, so we grabbed our seats right away.

Looking at the menu board the night before, I was happy to see a good selection of burgers with different twists from their classics to signature burgers. A few of the burgers caught my eye, but the one that stood out the most was the Lamb Burger. Not only did it look appetizing, it was my first time having a burger with Lamb. The opportunity was there, and I took it! 

The Lamb burger is made from fresh Ontario Lamb, cilantro and feta glaze, and topped off with the usual lettuce and tomato. Simple as that might sound, the burger was full of flavour, and the Lamb patty surely made a difference. It was light and added that extra kick of flavour. The lamb infused so well with the cilantro glaze that, honestly, I could’ve eaten without the lettuce and tomato. And if I was ever given the option between a lamb or beef, my choice will instantly be lamb. 

Overall, this simple and well made burger is definitely one to comeback for. The service at this location was quite genuine. They were able to call the line pretty quickly during the afternoon rush, and we got our food in less than five minutes. As a bonus, they constantly came over to our table to check in on us. And that, I really appreciated. So if you’re ever craving for a simple, yet tasty burger, Big Smoke is the place to go. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

8.5/10