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 

---

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

---

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

Burger Review #42: Showtime Bistro

Photo by Andrew Hockridge, featuring Mark Avila

Date Visited: July 15, 2019
Location: Armdale
BurgerTours Rating: 8.9/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Very Messy	$11-$15	Diner	Veggie

Website
 

---

Drew's Review

Showtime Bistro is a halal gourmet restaurant specializing in burgers, sandwiches and poutine. This was going to be our 5-year anniversary of #BurgerTours, so we were looking for something with class and a fine dining experience, and seeing the word gourmet in the description really made Showtime Bistro stand out.

The ambiance features warm lighting and rich wood paneling, but what sold me was the theme; cinematic. They have TV screens playing classic movies as well as famous quotes adorning the walls. Not to mention most of their burger options revolve around this theme. I guess you could say a touch of Hollywood rounds out the experience at this halal burger joint in Scarborough.

The Mike Tyson burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

As soon as we entered, shortly after filming our 5-year anniversary Q&A for our YouTube channel, we were greeted and taken to a table. The staff were all very pleasant and offered to give recommendations as this was our very first visit.

After taking a look at the menu, I ordered the Mike Tyson burger. It came with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, a pickle, bacon, fried battered jalapeños, topped with Havarti cheese and Showtime’s signature spicy mayo. I also had to try the Ferrero Rocher milkshake because that alone was something I had to try.

Ferrero Rocher Milkshake/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Within minutes, our orders were ready and brought to us on a patter. The Mike Tyson looked well cooked and very well compact for a gourmet burger. The first bite was delicious and had the right amount of flavour for what I was craving. I liked the fact that the jalapeños actually complemented the taste vs. just burning my mouth like it usually does. You could see the juice as you bite into your burger. You can tell they use good quality meat. However, the bun was so soft that it kept crumbling and it made the whole eating experience a bit messy. I'm sure that can be easily fixed if you ask for your burger bun to be well done.

The Ferrero Rocher milkshake was by far the highlight of my dining experience. That thing was like a satisfying meal in itself. It was very thick and filling, but makes you full of guilt after. I try to avoid dairy as much as possible but this is the only exception because it's that good. I can confidently say that if you have this milkshake, you will want to go back again and again. I'm currently craving it.

Here's the rundown. Showtime Bistro is fantastic and a must-try for those looking for something halal set in a modern cuisine. The cinematic theme they have going really adds to the dining experience. I would go back just to have the Ferrero Rocher milkshake again. The Mike Tyson burger is one of the best halal burgers I think I’ve ever had. Highly recommend everyone to give this restaurant a shot and dine in the spotlight. It’s worth the price and you won’t regret it.

8.7/10

---

Mark's Review

We’ve reached another milestone at #BurgerTours, but this one is more momentous. We are 5 years old! I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by, and how many burger joints we’ve tagged across Toronto and Canada. Hopefully, in the next 5 years we will be able to take #BurgerTours abroad and feast on what the world has to offer.

For this milestone tour, we take you to North Toronto where we visit a popular halal bistro that serves crafted burgers, wraps, sandwiches, poutine, and much more.

We visit Showtime Bistro!

The Pineapple Express/Photo by Mark Avila

This joint guarantees 100% halal servings, and has a broad menu ranging from entrees, desserts, milkshakes, and mocktails. But, we were here for one thing... the burgers! They offer a decent burger selection and I opted for the Pineapple Express, a new addition to their menu lineup.

The Pineapple Express is a beef patty burger layered with spicy jerk seasoning, a slice of pineapple and topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, and jerk mayo. On top of that, it was served with big chunks of potato wedges which were nicely cooked and seasoned. I also couldn’t resist an order of the Mango Milkshake.

Taking that first bite I immediately caught the spice and sweetness from the jerk seasoning and mayo, which was a nice balance between the two flavours. Had the pineapple been grilled, that additional sweetness would’ve been a good compliment to the taste of the burger.

Overall, the burger was juicy and perfectly cooked. The portion size was fair, and more than enough to satisfy my stomach.

I was impressed by the service and quality of the food that Showtime had to offer, and is probably one of the top halal joints that I’d visit again. I didn’t have high expectations, but this first visit definitely surpassed it.

9/10