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| Photo by Andrew Hockridge |
Date Visited: July 20, 2021
Location: Markham, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 6.6/10
| Taste | Messiness | Price | Venue | Pluses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Messy | $6-$10 | Fast Food | Veggie |
Website
Drew's Review
So, how’s it going?
You good? Cool. So how are things?
I see. You been doing okay then?
Bingz Crispy Burger is a Chinese-inspired burger joint that recently popped up in downtown Markham. Started by two former IT guys from top internet companies, Bingz opened in Beijing in 2014 and have since expanded to 65+ locations across the Chinese capital. Inspired by Rou Jia Mo, a street food cuisine originating in China, Bingz offers “flavourful fillings hugged by baked crispy buns,” and a modern taste to this long-loved Chinese tradition. In our eyes, this newly discovered creation and first in the Toronto burger scene was a must-try.
We arrived to Markham Plaza in the early afternoon for a lunch affair and realized we weren’t the only ones dining at this time. There were a few people lined up when we arrived, and for the first time since February 2020, a dine-in option was available to us. We opted for the dining tables inside. While scavenging their menu, crispy burgers weren’t the only thing on their menu; soups, noodles and soy milk are just a few of its offerings.
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| Photo by Andrew Hockridge |
The burger was extremely crispy and crunchy and very flaky. It was rather messy, too. The black pepper beef inside the bun was nicely steamed and cooked to tenderness and the black pepper sauce was a savoury mild after taste. It was a good selection of meat inside the crispy bun, and I was overly satisfied with the quality, too. It was a delicious new creation for my taste buds to enjoy and one that might take some time to become accustom to my definition of a burger.
Overall, Bingz was a surprising welcome addition to the GTA burger scene. It was a nice delicacy to try for the first time, and hopefully the first of many. I was a little taken aback by the crispiness of the buns, but I could definitely see it growing on me. A simple personified burger joint in Markham, that had originated in Beijing, caught me by surprise and I was left satisfied. Bingz will certainly be one to look out for in the future, and because of Toronto’s massive Asian population, expanding the franchise isn’t out of the question.
7.2/10
Mark's Review
We take you back to North Toronto, to the City of Markham, where we venture into foreign territory and indulge in our first Chinese Burger Joint, Bingz! Known for their Chinese Crispy Burger Buns, Bingz is taking a bite out of the burger scene in China and is now expanding into Canada. Established in 2014, Bingz has opened more than 60 locations across China in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Now, they have their sites in the global market and have opened their first international location in Markham on May 2021.
Hearing about the positive reviews about Bingz, we thought it was finally time to pay them a visit. Luckily for us the line wasn’t too long and the dine in area was empty, so we were able to sit and take in the ambience of the restaurant. Browsing through the menu, I decided to go for the Healthy Veggie Burger Combo.
The Healthy Veggie consisted of fresh seasoned vegetables with vegetable and pepper oil, and layered between their famous crispy burger bun. The combo came with a side of their Tofu Pudding which was a decent serving of bean curd, soy dressing, chilli oil, peanuts, and pickled mustard. I was able to choose my level of heat, non spicy. I also opted for their Smoking Hot Rockin' Fries to add a touch of heat to my meal.
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| Healthy Veggie/Photo by Mark Avila |
On a positive note, the Tofu Pudding was the highlight of the entire meal. It was warm, creamy, and full of flavour. I’m not big on tofu, but it was definitely the saving grace. As for the fries, they weren’t lying when they said ‘smoking hot’, because my mouth felt like it was on fire! But, I would recommend 100%.
Overall, the experience was a little bit of a let down. I was expecting a bit more to the ‘hyped’ Crispy Burger Buns, but all I got was a tough and stale-like bun that didn’t have an inch of crispiness to it. Since I got an all veggie burger I know what I was up against, but at least put some flavour into it! The Tofu Pudding and Fries saved this review as they were the biggest highlight of my Bingz experience. Would I give Bingz a second chance? Yes.
6/10
