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

Special Burger Review: The Celtic Hearth

Date Visited: September 8, 2019
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
BurgerTours Rating: 8.25/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Messy	$11-$15	Restaurant/Pub	Veggie, Liquor

Website 

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Drew's Review

We’ve gotten to travel all around Toronto, dining at some of the best burger joints the city has to offer. We’ve driven as far as Hamilton and Montreal and we even did BurgerTours in Edmonton and Daytona Beach. But for this BurgerTour, we travelled over 3,000 kms to Newfoundland for a very special burger and a very special meal.

Mark and I flew to St. John’s in early September for a trip to visit and experience Newfoundland. For the week, I rented a car and drove from one end of the island to the other and back. While in St. John’s we had decided that we need to do a BurgerTour and I did a quick search to see what there was. We came across two ideal options, but we decided on one thing in unison; we have to try the moose burger.

One of the options we came across was The Celtic Hearth in the downtown core. The one thing that interested both of us was the fact they had the moose burger on the menu. We selected it and drove downtown to park at a nearby parking garage. We entered right around the lunch rush, while some diners were still eating their breakfasts. The place evokes a sense of being in a pub in Ireland. Lots of dark wood, brass and cut-glass partition. The woman behind the bar was very friendly and very helpful with reading out the menu.

But we were here for one thing. Without hesitation, I ordered the Moose Burger which was local, Newfoundland moose meat, mixed with flavourful seasonings in a 6 oz. patty, topped with old cheddar cheese, bacon, crispy onions and in-house made chutney. It had all the right ingredients to make the burger worth while.

Moose Burger/ Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Within minutes, our meals were ready. The burger was nicely presented with a fried pickle speared on top and crisp golden fries on the side. The moose meat was huge and could barely sit between the two buns. The first bite was flavourful and quite the mouthful. The taste of moose meat was moist and a little dry compared to a beef burger but it was grilled perfectly and I savoured every bite.

Overall, the Celtic Hearth really outdid itself. The moose burger was one of the best pieces of meat I’ve eaten to date and I would be totally kidding myself if I said that would be my one and only time I would ever get the chance to eat moose meat. Even if a moose burger isn’t on your wish list, The Celtic Hearth certainly has many different options on the menu from food to drinks. It’s a pub, so we didn’t expect grand cuisine, but we did get decent meals at reasonable prices. I would say that the Celtic Hearth would make my “don't miss it” list for St. John's, Newfoundland.

7.5/10

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Mark's Review

We are back in Eastern Canada where we visit St. John’s, Newfoundland to bring you a taste of local and new flavours in this special burger tour. We bring you to the Celtic Hearth!

This joint houses local and regional ingredients that highlight Newfoundland traditions. The restaurant experience revolves around the idea of fresh food made in the in-house kitchen and bakery. I was looking forward to indulge myself in the best ingredients that Newfoundland had to offer, and their menu surely brought out that expectation.

The Celtic Hearth offers a broad Irish inspired menu with a local twist.

Moose Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

All of their burgers are served on a freshly made bun, with a serving of coleslaw on the side, and topped with a deep fried pickle. Since we were out East, it was a no brainer that I would go for a Moose Burger. Old cheddar cheese, bacon, crispy onions, and in-house chutney served over a thick serving of local Moose meat. I was certainly ready to dig in!

Taking that first bite, I was surprised by the flavours of the patty and how the juices flowed down my tastebuds. I was expecting the Moose meat to be rubbery, but what I tasted was the exact opposite. It was cooked to my liking and was absolutely delicious. No complaints with this burger, just a happy stomach.

Newfoundland did not this disappoint with this offering. A local favourite just became a personal favourite.

9/10