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| Photo by Andrew Hockridge |
Location: Fashion District
BurgerTours Rating: 8/10
| Taste | Messiness | Price | Venue | Pluses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great | Some Drip | $6-$10 | Fast Food | Veggie,Gluten Free |
Website
Drew's Review
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| The Craft Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge |
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
Mark's Review
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| 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.
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
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