Special Burger Review: Boon Burger

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: April 20, 2022
Location: Burlington, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 9.25/10

 

 

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Very Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie, Gluten Free

Website

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Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Drew's Review

I’m good…good. How you doin? 

Nice to hear. How are things? 

On this trip for BurgerTours, we take you to Burlington, ON, home to one of the best piers in Ontario to view an incoming thunderstorm from. Selecting the place was easy. One of the known burger joints in the area is Boob Burger. Operating just steps from the main street in Burlington since 2016, Boon Burger also has a location in Oakville with a similar menu. 

Also known as Canada’s first all vegan burger café, Boon Burger prides itself in being 100% animal friendly – hence all the pictures of animals lining the walls of their café. Each menu item is 100% plant-based either local, fair-trade and organic and makes sure every ingredient is sustainable. Everything from burgers, to poutines, to soups and dairy-free soft serve is made fresh daily and is on of the healthier restaurants this far out of the GTA. 

When we entered the café after 2 p.m. on 4/20, we were the only diners. We were handed menus and quickly read over the options, each one sounding more enticing than the previous. We placed our orders and took a table in the far corner. Within half an hour, our orders were ready and the plant-based feast could begin. 

The Nasty Vegan 2.0/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

I ordered the Nasty Vegan 2.0 which was loaded with Bermuda mayo, tzatziki dressing, lettuce, tomato, pickles, sautéed mushrooms, cheese sauce and crispy onions. The burger looked mouth-watering and a handful. I couldn’t choose where to begin, so I tried and found the bottom, only to have the buns fall apart and the burger collapse. So I grabbed a knife to cut it in half for better consumption. I managed to eat the burger with a knife and a fork, and I think I made the right decision. 

The burger was delicious from start to finish. The sauces and the dressings were dancing with my taste buds. The burger was soft and succulent and the toppings were a nice addition. The plant-based vegan patty was tender and juicy and it was the perfect flavour for this burger. I honestly can’t think of anything that was bad about this burger, either than the fact that it fell apart in my hands, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it just tasted amazing. 

Overall, the Nasty Vegan is a wonderful plant-based vegan friendly option for Bonn Burger to have. There was something about this burger that made it stand out from every burger I’ve ever eaten and that’s saying a lot. Whether it was the pairing of dressing and sauces on the burgers, the fresh toppings on it or the freshness of the patty, Boon Burger have crafted this burger very elegantly. I give high remarks to the chefs behind the creation. I enjoyed every second of it, and I hope to return to try more delicious creations from their ever-evolving menu. 

9.0/10

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Mark's Review 

Welcome back to another BurgerTour. We venture once again out of Toronto to the City of Burlington where we pay a visit to another local favourite, Boon Burger. Having two locations in Burlington and neighbouring Oakville, the Burlington location was a more convenient place for us to try. Situated along near the boardwalk, this spot is perfect to grab a quick meal while taking in the summer heat. It wasn’t the summer heat, however, that attracted us to Boon Burger. It was the fact that everything was plant based. I’ve had many plant based burgers in the past, but this place in particular I was most excited about. 

Jalapeno Chedda Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

Boon Burger offers the traditional burgers that you would expect at any burger joint, but the difference is… its healthier! I think that’s something we all look for when indulging in our guilty food pleasures, but still keeping our waist lines in check. 

I opted for the Jalapeno Chedda Burger - plant based patty layered with Bermuda mayo, cheese, a generous amount of jalapeño peppers, topped with lettuce, onion tomato. This is all contained between two soft brioche buns. 

Taking the first bite… everything just fell apart, but in a good way. The flavours were a mix of sweet, savoury, and spicy. A great combinations for such a simple, yet complex burger. For a good while I thought I was eating a taco instead of a burger. At one point I just gave up and took the burger apart, and finished it off with a fork. 

Overall, it was a very good burger. In terms of the heat, it was on and off. I felt in the beginning there was a lack of the jalapeño peppers until I got towards the middle, and that's where my mouth felt like it was on fire. By far this was the best plant based burger I’ve had. The flavours just worked and was put together perfectly. This was definitely worth the drive and I will definitely be back! 

9.5/10

Burger Review #62: The Burger Alley

Photo by Mark Avila

Date Visited: March 27, 2022
Location: Scarborough, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 7.5/10

 

 

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Very Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie, Halal

Website

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Drew's Review

Your flashlight is on. 

This month, we stay in Scarborough and dine at none other than The Burger Alley. Loosely based on the Harry Potter franchise, the interior of a small restaurant in the Golden Mile area off of Lebovic Ave., mildly resembles Diagon Alley in the wizarding world. Spotted on one of the walls in the dining area is a sign reading “Platform 9 ¾.” Their menu also offers some hidden gems from the Harry Potter world: Avada Kebabza, The Leaky Cauldron and Goblet of Fire just to name a few. 

Each burger is hand-pressed gourmet burgers using Canadian AAA Halal beef. They also offer vegetarian options that are prepared in house using separate machines and equipment. Many other options including Masala fries, chicken dinners or onion rings are also on the menu to satisfy your craving. The menu features nearly 20 originally crafted burgers and a hundred of different combos to choose from. 

We arrived shortly after 2pm right after it had just opened for the day, and we approached the bar to place our orders when we were told that the cook was running a little late, but would be here soon. We had placed our orders and grabbed a table along the wall to await our meals. It was only like a five-minute wait for the cook to arrive, and only a 20-minute gap to wait for our burgers to be prepared. 

Lebovic Divinity/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

I ordered the Lebovic Divinity, along with an order of the Alley Fries. The burger was a vegetarian option with herb-crusted portabello mushrooms stuffed with cheese, lettuce, onions, sauteed peppers, tomatoes, basil pesto aioli and secret Alley sauce. Despite it being a veggie option, the burger was massive and every topping on the burger was oozing out from between the buns. 

The taste and the flavour of the burger was delightful. It was cooked well to perfection and every bite was flavourful. The sauce was runny and watery, but had enough oomph to balance out the lack of consistency. The buns were soft and slightly crusted and was beginning to fall apart in my hands. All of the flavours of the Lebovic Divinity was divine and very mouth-watering. 

The Alley Fries on the side were almost too much of a meal after consuming the burger. They’re the type of fries to be shared with friends and fellow diners. They were tasty, crispy golden fries, with special Masala seasoning and smothered with garlic mayo sauce. And they were quite the meal in itself. 

Overall, the Burger Alley is very welcomed into the burger scene in the GTA. For calling itself “the best burger in Scarborough” is a little bit of an understatement. From the countless homemade burger creations on the menu, to the many delicious-looking sides and extras, Burger Alley prides itself in one of the best selections this side of Toronto has ever seen. I’m looking forward to trying more creations from them and expanding my palate for some of the best halal burgers in the GTA. 

7.9/10

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Mark's Review

We take you back to Scarborough for another burger tour! This time we take you to another new spot close to home that popped up out of nowhere. A burger joint that holds a particular theme that would attract the young and old… a Harry Potter inspired spot, the Burger Alley! Located at Warden & Eglinton, home to numerous burger joints that have gone over the years, Burger Alley joins this illustrious list. Hopefully, it’s here to stay.

The Slenderman/Photo by Mark Avila

Browsing through the menu, you can instantly recognize the Harry Potter influence. The selection was vast, but it in the end I opted for the Slenderman.

The Slenderman is comprised of a vegan burger patty layered with vegan cheese, sautéed mushrooms, grilled onion, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, and topped with a vegan secret sauce.

That first bite was creamy with the vegan sauce just oozing out from the burger. Whatever this secret sauce is, it was top notch. The beef patty was perfectly cooked and full of flavour.

Overall, the service and the food was satisfactory. If they keep up what they’re doing, I’m hoping Burger Alley beats the odds and stays open. This joint is definitely worth the visit.
7/10