Tag Archives: cheeseburger

ROOFTOP PATIO EATS: Burger for breakfast @ Gardiner Museum

You know when there’s a restaurant that’s hiding in plain sight, a place you’ve walked past a whole buncha times, but never been inside? Well, right across from the ROM, and within stumbling distance of Bloor and Avenue Road, sits the Gardiner Museum, a three-story space completely dedicated to pottery. And wouldn’t you know it, but their third floor restaurant is called Clay.

This place is pretty much just open for brunch though, as they close at 3 pm every day. But that doesn’t mean they only serve breakfast food, bro. Can you say cheeseburger at 10 am???

Their signature CLAY Burger combines short rib and brisket into a thick, juicy patty, topped with water buffalo cheddar(!), with pickled red onions and radicchio instead of lettuce in a surprise twist. Oh, and I also paid $4 to add a fried egg on top, just so I could call it breakfast. 😉

Fries are extra-crispy, slightly salty and served with some funky sauce that’s kinda like a remoulade or mayochup. Maybe I shouldda asked for ketchup?

And when it comes to beer, there’s only three choices here — Peroni, Ace Hill Lager or Steam Whistle Pilsner. A Steam Whistle will do just fine, though…

This Royale Cheeseburger is part of a balanced breakfast.

Now, I’m a pretty big fan of Reign, the fancy restaurant inside the Royal York Hotel. At this place, we’ve chowed down on wild boar, a badass bison chateaubriand… man, I even ordered takeout from them on Valentines Day! So when I heard they were open for brunch, I figured I should probably check it out. Of course, here on Triple B, brunch doesn’t mean avocado toast, or a seasonal salad or something. Instead, we’re going for their signature Royale Cheeseburger — it even has a fried egg on top!!!

OK, so I had to pay extra to add the egg (7 bucks, as it turns out), but this still makes for the best breakfast I’ve had in a long time. You’ve got a thick ‘n juicy patty, topped with white cheddar, some nice, thick bacon, lettuce, tomato and pickles, on a brioche bun. The egg just kicks it up a notch!

Fries are also on point, fresh-cut and chewy. They only give you this tiny little thing of ketchup, though — please sir, can I have some more???

Since the Royal York is right across the street from the Union Pearson Express train, it only makes sense that they’ve got Henderson’s Pearson Express IPA on tap. I remember their beer selection being much better the last couple times we were here, but hey, the beer I had for breakfast wasn’t bad, so I had one more for dessert…

Mother, tell your burger not to walk my way…

Now, I don’t always drink cocktails, but when I heard about Mother, this funky little cocktail bar named after my second favourite Danzig song (Twist of Cain FTW, bro!), you KNOW I gotta check it out! And it turns out they’re serving up a signature brisket and short rib burger…so I think I’ll have one of those.

Now their Mother Burger isn’t all that big, but sometimes good things come in small packages…like Glenn Danzig. Burger is nice n juicy, with minimal toppings on a soft brioche bun, and you can really taste that the meat is a cut above. Whoa-oh, bro!!!!

I was somewhat disappointed that they were sold out of the Lost Craft Neapolitan Stout, so I had to settle for their Skyline IPA, which was not a bad consolation prize. This brut IPA is light and dry, just a little hoppy, and packs an unexpected punch at 6.2% — kinda like that guy who knocked out Danzig.

Of course, you can’t go to a cocktail bar and not order a cocktail… This here’s called Porcelain, and it’s got all kinds of crazy stuff like dry sake, jasmine baiju and Italian violet liqueur, for a nice, sweet, and totally not evil taste. It can bang heads with me any day, bro!!!!

TORONTO’S TOP TAKEOUT: 50% off Bacon Cheddar Burger!

Now, we’re all about value here on Triple B, so when I found out that Earls was dishing out half-price burgers on Skip the Dishes, I was all over that like Jason Lee’s mustache! Now, for nine bucks, you could get a Bigger Better Burger with fries, but for just a dollar more, you can upgrade to their Bacon Cheddar Burger. That’s about the easiest dollar I’ve ever spent, son!!!

Now, there’s definitely no shortage of bacon strips on this bad boy, and they cook ’em till they’re nice ‘n crunchy, just the way I like it. Combined with other classic toppings — lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, mustard and mayo — on a lightly toasted bun, and that’s some pretty good eatin’ for 10 bucks, bro!!!

Fries were about the same size as McDonald’s, but not as crispy or as salty. Came with a double pack of ketchup — dude, Double Pack of Ketchup was my nickname in Lunch Lady Land — but I still needed a couple more packs of ketchup to finish ’em off. Let’s just say that after 13 months of takeout, I’ve got a whole fridge fulla ketchup, bro!!!

TORONTO’S TOP TAKEOUT: Filipino fried chicken from Jollibee

When Jollibee first opened in Scarborough and Mississauaga, I heard people waited in line for, like, three hours, bro. But since the downtown Toronto location opened just a couple weeks ago, right in the middle of Second Lockdown, I could just walk right in and order right away…

While they do have some other stuff on the menu, this place is known for fried chicken, so we gotta start there. I got a three-piece meal with fries, and one of the pieces was spicy, just to try it. Nice, crunchy breading while the chicken was hot ‘n juicy. The spicy piece had a bit of a kick, with all the seasoning salt on the skin, so I had to take a few sips of their signature pineapple juice…

Hey, it’s probably healthier than soda pop, right?

Now, they didn’t have the Amazing Aloha Yumburger, topped with pineapple and bacon, at this location, so I had to settle for a regular Yumburger with Cheese. And it was pretty basic — beef, cheese, and a whole lotta mayo. The patty tasted like a Salisbury steak, so I’m guessing that if you order the burger steak with gravy, it’s probably the same thing. I shouldda known not to order a burger at a fried chicken joint, anyways…

Of course, you KNOW I’ve still got room for dessert, bro, and that means it’s peach mango pie time. This soft, breaded treat was still warm after I scarfed down everything else, and the super-sweet filling was super tasty! Man, I’d eat this over McDonald’s any day!!!

TORONTO’S TOP TAKEOUT: Take me down to the Paradise City, where the lamb is lean and the beef is juicy…

Now, when I heard that my main man Jason Momoa was munching on Ozzy’s Burgers, this funky little joint in Kensington Market, you KNOW I had to check it out, bro! They might not have any bat head burgers or Crazy Train fries, but when I found this sandwich, named after a Guns ‘n Roses classic, I wasn’t gonna wait till midnight to start the show!!!

They call this burger Paradise City, and it’s like a Slash guitar solo in Flavourtown! You’ve got a lamb patty on top of a beef patty, with not one, but two kinds of cheeses — cheddar AND Havarti — plus peppers, onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles and a spicy BBQ sauce! Man, this burger’s so juicy, I’m gonna need some extra napkins…

PATIO LIT EATS: Detroit style pizza and burgers in Parkdale

Now, with some unseasonably warn weather yesterday, we got to enjoy the last day of (unheated) patio season 10 days into October. We’re hanging out in Parkdale, at this funky joint called Gianna’s Patties and Pies, that opened up during the (first) lockdown over where the Tennessee Tavern used to be. Not gonna lie, I’m gonna miss their AYCE pierogis, but when I heard that this new place was serving up Detroit-style pizza, along with a cheese skirt burger, then you KNOW I had to check it out, bro!!!

Up first is the Frico Cheeseburger, with its massive fried cheese skirt. You’ve also got tomato, pickles, a couple hot peppers, and then I paid extra to add bacon, cuz the first rule of Flavourtown is Always Add Bacon! This burger was so messy I couldda used more than one napkin, but when you get a bite of that deep-fried cheese, along with the beef, that’s TheBomb.ca, bro!!!

But you KNOW that burger was just a light snack in Flavourtown, son! Up next, we’ve got a 10″ by 14″ Hawaiian pizza, topped with braised ham, fresh pineapple, basil and this wicked awesome sauce imported from Ono Grinds in San Diego. Now, I definitely don’t mind pineapple on pizza, and this was one of, if not, the best ham & pineapple pizzas I’ve ever had. You’ve got nice chunks of meat, the sweetness of the fresh pineapple, plus, since it’s Detroit-style, that ring of burnt cheese around the edges… The cheese is what makes it, bro!!!

Of course, we’re not washing this down this ham and pineapple with a pina colada or nothing like that..

Instead, we’ve got a couple cans of Kizuna, this hazy, Vermont-style IPA from Godspeed. This dry-hopped brew has enough citrusy, hoppy flavour to go good with Hawaiian pizza — or probably any pizza, dude! And at 5.8%, I could definitely crush a few of these before the sun goes down…

PATIO LIT EATS: Celebrating the end of summer @ Belgian Moon Brewery

Just when it looked like summer was over, we get hit with a heatwave, driving temperatures up to the mid 20’s this weekend. So we’re celebrating the last (non-heated?) patio adventure of the summer at the Belgian Moon Brewery at stackt, this funky outdoor market made of shipping containers at Front and Bathurst.

Now, if you think that Belgian Moon is only about Belgian White beer, think again, cuz we’re trying four different brews that don’t even need no orange slice, bro!!!!

This Mango Wheat beer captures both the smell and taste of mangoes, making it the perfect beverage for the end-of-summertime blues!

On the other hand, their Iced Coffee Blonde was maybe just a touch too much. I mean, if you blindfolded me for a taste test, I would swear I was drinking coffee, not beer. But hey, at least I don’t hafta worry about the caffeine crash afterwards?

Unlike the other two beers, this Lemondrop Pilsner didn’t live up to its name so much. I mean, it doesn’t really taste like lemons, but it’s still a nice, crushable pilsner…so I guess I can’t complain!

We’re saving the heaviest for last with this West Coast IPA, checking in at 6.1%. Another solid beer that lives up to its name, it’s got a decent amount of hops, without being too puckery. Now, this totally goes against what you think when you think Belgian Moon…but that’s what makes it awesome, son!

Of course, you can’t drink all those beers on an empty stomach, so we’re ordering up some bruschetta fries, topped with basil oil, tomatoes and a whole lotta parmesan — tie yer nonna down, fratello!!!

And since I couldn’t decide between a cheeseburger and a chicken burger, I went ahead and got both. They call this the JoyDoubleUp, and it’s a double down in Flavourtown, with a smashed beef patty, cheddar cheese, lettuce, pickles and slaw…and then a crunchy, saucy piece of fried chicken on top. Man, all that’s missing is some fish to make it a Land, Sea and Air trio, bro!!!!

PATIO LIT EATS: They made this burger a Triple B just for me!!!

Now, back when Assembly Chef’s Hall first opened, I came and I conquered pretty much every stall in the place. I even checked out their patio a couple years ago, and it was pretty sweet. Now, not every vendor has reopened for business — Cherry St Bar-B-Que is noticeably missing — but they’ve introduced table service out on the patio. So, while you can’t go around and order at the counter(s) anymore, you can order stuff from a few different places, and they’ll bring it right out to you.

This also gave me a chance to check out this funky joint that wasn’t even open the first time I stopped by, but is serving up what Toronto Life once called this city’s best new burger — Resto Boemo! Now, this place had a Single B and a Double B burger on the menu, but I was like, “Dude, can I get a Triple B, bro???”

These patties weren’t super huge, so I could totally house a triple. (And yes, there is a third slab of beef tucked under there, even if you can’t see it in this photo.) But aside from being super-stacked, this burger was plain and simple — lettuce, onions, pickles, lots of American cheese and an oozy aioli coming out all over the place. Can’t complain about that at all! Paired with a side of Parm Frittes, which are basically just fries, but tossed with herbs and cheese…yes please!!!

Since this blog isn’t Burgers, Bacon and Shirley Temples, I washed this bad boy down with a couple of Farmer(s) in the Sky, a nice, refreshing, dry-hopped pilsner from True History Brewing. The brewery is based in Toronto, but it says on the back that this beer was brewed in Calgary — either way, it still tastes good to me!

Of course, you KNOW we’ve still got room for dessert, bro! This Nutella sundae was six dollars, but you could add a shot of Kahlua for another six dollars. So, basically, you gotta spend the extra six dollars. The booze was the best part, bro!!!!

PATIO LIT EATS: The Caesar that eats like a meal!

Now, I’ve been wanting to check out Score on King for a while, but never got a chance to go until last night. This place is known for its legendary Caesars, and you know my motto’s always been go big or go home, so I’m going for the biggest, tallest, most overloaded of them all — The Checkmate Caesar:

Now, this bad boy is so big that they can only serve it to (at least) two people, so that’s why I brought a friend…and then I didn’t share. You’ve got a pulled pork sandwich on top of a cheeseburger on top of a Cornish game hen, with a pulled pork mac ‘n cheese hot dog, chicken wings, onion rings and a chocolate brownie sticking out the sides! And all this on top of a drink served in a Hoegaarden pint glass, which, even on its own would be the second-biggest Caesar I’ve ever had…but this one’s got a lot more toppings, bro!

So, we’re starting off with the pulled pork mac ‘n cheese hot dog, which was probably the most precariously perched piece of food. The dog itself was hot ‘n beefy, but both the mac and the pork were kinda cold, which was a little weird…

Next up, we’ve got the pulled pork slider. Now, I don’t love pulled pork unless it’s really good, and this one was just OK. The coleslaw inside the sandwich and the pickle on top were a nice touch, though!

Now, this cheeseburger was pretty basic, but it was definitely above average. Patty was thick and hot, and there were just enough toppings to add support without stealing the show. I might try one of their other burgers next time I come here…if I don’t just go for The Caesar Grande, though!

These wings were what I like to call sports-bar spicy — they’ve got a decent kick, but not gonna melt your face off. At least by now I had taken enough food off the top that I could actually stick a straw in and drink some of the Caesar!

Onion rings were pretty good, nice ‘n crunchy, and went well with the wings. If they were a little cold, that’s on me because I ate three whole sandwiches before I got to them!

Now, at this point, I had eaten a pretty decent amount of food. I mean, if I was at a Super Bowl party, I’d have probably stuffed this much down my piehole by the second quarter. But I still had the biggest, most intimidating part of this dish left to go — the full Cornish game hen:

Even though I left it for last, this chicken was still pretty tasty. Skin was deep-fried and crispy, and the bird was tender and juicy. It’s a good thing that it was so melt-in-your-mouth, cuz I could barely chew at this point…but you KNOW I still ate it all, bro!!!!

And of course, I still had room for dessert…

Now, I already had a few bites of this chocolate brownie before I remembered to take a picture, but it was still pretty tasty. At this point, I had eaten enough food to curl up in a ball and go to sleep — but only after watching the Flames shut out the Dallas Stars, son!!!!

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