Fresh Burger (Richmond Hill, On)

Tastes Good Like a Hamburger Should.

For Jacques Kavafian it was time to plot a different course in life. Having spent 28 years in the financial industry he was ready for a new challenge. Taking his love for food and most specifically hamburgers and fries he created Fresh Burger. In his words, "Many of them (nouveau burger joints) complicate the hamburger into various concoctions. We emphasize the taste of the hamburger itself. At Fresh Burger we promise to offer great tasting hamburgers done right." What a concept. A burger place that is focused on the platform (the burger) rather than the myriad of condiments/concoctions that drown out the fundamental building block on which they construct these monstrosities. But don't get me wrong, a well executed monstrosity is still a very tasty thing.


Kavafian is following a template used by Southwest Airlines. Founded on 4 basic tenets; Equipment (in this case the burger not an airplane), Price (make it as inexpensive as possible without cutting corners), Service (he's all about keeping the customer happy), and Simplicity (Keeping a small menu and concentrating on doing a few thing very well rather than a number of things poorly). Jacques is also taking cues from other successful companies as well. His house made burger sauce is inspired by that of the great In 'n Out chain based in California.

The store is quite small and the menu, as I pointed out, is even smaller.
As of now, you basically have two options, burgers and fries. There is some room to customize within those two options such as Poutine and single or double burgers but at the base, burgers and fries is all Fresh Burger does.

So let's get a look at those items shall we?? 

I will first point out that all cheeseburgers come with American cheese as a default. Upon request you can change up to Cheddar, Swiss or Provolone.

Double Cheeseburger: An excellent burger. Two 4 oz. ground sirloin patties, American cheese on a soft white bun. This is what it's all about. Simple and absolutely delicious. Sirloin isn't overly fatty but Jacques doesn't over cook them so they're still juicy enough and the flavour of the meat is nicely complemented by the cheese. Which also adds a nice creaminess. The bun provides little more than a way to get deliciousness to the mouth and soak up whatever juice does run out.
 
Prime Burger: A White Board special this is even better than the single or double. Made with USDA Prime Beef it's a little fattier and as such, juicier with that unctuousness that fat can give. Adding bacon and cheese just makes it that much better. It comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, pickle and secret sauce as a default and while I removed the rabbit food I stuck with the sauce and I'm glad I did. It's very good and lends a nice flavour component.
 
Fries: These are really good but nothing I would consider the best I've had. Fresh cut and nicely fried I think maybe they could've used a bit more salt but that's something you can easily add at the table. I like the size and they didn't come with a whole bunch of those crummy bits that you sometimes find when a place cuts 'em fresh.
 
Poutine: A decent representation of this classic Quebecois dish. Made with beef gravy as basically every place in the GTA does but the flavouring wasn't quite right. So all in all, I'd say that if you like poutine you'll probably like it but not love it. If you're one of those so called "connoisseurs" of the dish then you'll probably find enough to complain about and should probably steer clear. FWIW, my buddy Gus, an expat Montrealer gave them his approval.

So there you have it folks, quite possibly THE BEST burger in York Region and one of the better ones the GTA has to offer.

You can find Fresh Burger at 9206 Leslie St. in Richmond Hill, On.

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You can also find them on the web, facebook and Twitter.



Well that's all for now folks, we'll see ya next time in the food court.

Patty and Franks (Toronto, On)

Gourmet Burgers and Hotdogs.

"Gourmet Burgers and Hotdogs." "Signature" burger. Sigh.
Here is another case of not judging a book by it's cover. When I see things like "Gourmet" attached to burgers and such it makes me think that they're really over thinking things. Gilding the lily doesn't make it better. When I see the use (or in many instances, over use) of buzz words like "Signature" it makes me wary. That there's a corporation just trying to sell a concept based on a craze. Cutesy names are another red flag. Like you need to sell the sizzle because the steak isn't good enough to sell itself. "Beau Thai" is a good example of a name that's a turn off. Sometimes I'm right. Sometimes of course those things should just be over looked. Such is the case with TO's newest burger emporium, Patty and Frank's. Which doesn't fit the first two warning signs and walks a fine line with the last.
 
Perhaps they should've led with this: "At Patty and Franks Gourmet Burgers and Hot Dogs, we create juicy burgers from family recipes and offer real food without any fillers or preservatives!" That's the kinda thing I like to see. That's the kinda place I love to visit. Let's face it, there's nothing inherently "Gourmet" about ground beef or a simple hot dog. They're simple yet tasty concoctions and in no way need gussying up.
 
So, once I was able to silence the alarm bells and give P & F's a chance I was glad I did. Opened in the fall (of 2013) they're, as you can imagine, doing burgers and dogs (Patty & Franks, get it??) along with some of the normal sides and terrific shakes. Located in Greektown their off to a fast start. Immediately grabbing the attention of the GTA's burger loving crowd and so far, the early reports are great. Both links and disks come in preordained creations or you can mix and match parts and accessories to create your own masterpiece. The best part is, everything is house made. Yes, even the Onion Rings.
 
From the outside it's yet another store front along "The Danforth." Mixed in amongst many restaurants it's bright and simple outward appearance makes it stand out from the rank and file.
 
Inside I loved the space. It's kind of a cross between retro a burger place and a modern burger place. Bright, white and clean like an operating room it has some subtle reminders of the glory days of the diner. Chrome napkin and straw dispensers with vintage Pepsi logos on them are a nice homage to days gone by.
There's some hardwood on the walls with real tables and chairs (not quasi booths) filling out the dining room. There's a prep kitchen in the back and an open assembly kitchen in the middle of the space.
 
So let's get a look at what's cookin' in those kitchens.
 
P & F Style Frank: A hot dog with cheddar, real bacon bits, chopped up burger and sautéed onions. I loved it. The wiener was good quality and everything had a nice balance with the exception of the burger meat. It was rather lost in there.I added only mustard and was rewarded with one of the best dogs I've had in the GTA. Perhaps anywhere. Sadly for you self proclaimed "Purists" out there the dog doesn't have the natural casing and snap that y'all see as a deal breaker. I'm not as picky and worry more about taste than anything else. On this second issue, they deliver in spades.
 
BYO Burger: I liked, not loved the burger. It's 5 oz. AAA CAB (yeah) that is seared on a flat top and then finished on a grill. I ordered my usual bacon cheeseburger. It tastes very much like it's a grill burger not a flat top. As such, there's just no way I'm gonna love it. It's just not my style. I spoke with one of the owners and had a debate on the merits of the grill or griddle. He loves the searing of the flat top but thinks that it NEEDS to see fire. I disagree but this is Canada and we're not only allowed to, we're better off because we can. So, all that said, a good burger is a good burger no matter how it's prepared and this is certainly one. I'd order it again.
 
Traditional Poutine: Probably the closest to the real deal I've had in TO. It's made with beef gravy (which isn't traditional) but at least they seem to understand that it's more of a sauce than actually a gravy. The best I've had is at the Montreal Pool Room and this seems close. The flavour and consistency is very good. The curds were massive and melted nicely. The fries on their own were nice, crispy but a bit under salted. Perhaps because they were being covered with salty condiments. It's better to err on the side of under salted so no big deal. The purists here will lament the lack of squeak but as I've said in the past, I like my curds to melt so they wouldn't squeak anyway.
 
Onion Rings: Also very good. Home made they passed the pinch test although some of the breading did shatter and fall off. The pull test they passed with flying colours. They were tasty in a basic way. Not a lot coming from the breading other than crunch so the onion had to and did carry the dish. They were a bit greasy even for rings. I mentioned it to one of the owners and he said he knew that and is working on it.
 
Shakes: The Strawberry/Banana was fabulous. (no picture) Made with real ice cream, strawberries and bananas. What an idea!! I can remember back as far was when I was a kid that being a great combination of fruit flavours.
It seems, thanks to a competitor who shall remain nameless, that while Toronto was getting a burger upgrade, a residual effect was an upgrade in the shakes being offered around town as well. At the very least, the availability of great shakes.
 
So there you have it folks. Great, (not) gourmet burgers, dogs, shakes, well lots of great stuff in one of the cities newest fast food havens.
 
You can find Patty and Franks at 467 Danforth Ave. in Toronto, On. 

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You can also find them on the web, facebook and Twitter.
 
 
Well that's all for now folks, catch ya later in the food court.

Motor Burger (Windsor, On)

Vrrmmmmmmmm

I'm quite certain you've heard this story before. Several times over in fact. A business is no longer viable due to the "Economic Downturn" that occurred late in the last decade. It happened all over the globe but perhaps no where more so than the Detroit/Windsor area. While they are separate cities in separate countries they're more than just cross river neighbours. Their communities are tied together in just about every way imaginable. The parade of cars crisscrossing the Ambassador Bridge (and through the tunnel) on a daily basis for work or play is staggering. Not to mention that north of one quarter of the commerce between the two countries crosses that bridge connecting the two metropolises (or is that metropoli??). Simply put, if one bumps it's knee, the other says ouch.

(Ted Mosby fun fact: The D/W crossing is one of two crossings where you actually head north into the US from Canada.)
 
That down tur......well, lets call it what it was, a full on, dreadful recession, destroyed many businesses. A few were able to weather the storm and survive and others, such as Noi in Windsor's Little Italy, were forced to reinvent themselves. The Italian restaurant that once required you to wait for a table suddenly found itself struggling.  Could they have stuck it out and waited for the up turn?? Maybe. Not wanting to chance it and interested in a new challenge the place underwent a transformation that has spared them the executioner's axe. When Gino Gesuale and Jay Souilliere reopened as Motor Burger, most people didn't see it coming.
 
Motor Burger is the marriage of burgers and cars. The automotive themed restaurant opened in 2009 and has been going strong since. A trendy vibe and functional design is punctuated with chalk, schematic type drawings of cars and that's not the end of the vehicular theme. Menu items are named for automobiles or automotive terms. Heck, even the napkins are actual shop towels. And, much like the auto industry itself, they're in on the green movement. Ditching bottled water and utilizing a reverse osmosis system for their flat and sparkling waters for instance.
 
While they tell you the restaurant is a “present day rendition of a vintage burger joint with a modern twist on design” it may be better to think of it as a Bar and Grill focused on burgers.
They've also dipped their toes into the lubricant business. Creating their own craft brews right on the premises.
 
The success and quality of Motor Burger hasn't gone unnoticed either. Recently Readers Digest recognized their Deux Chevaux Burger as best in Canada. The Huff-Po has it as one of (#16) the Top 24 Brew Pubs in Canada. What brought it to my attention though was the visit paid by the You Gotta Eat Here gang. They were also featured in a National Film Board of Canada documentary series GDP which investigates the financial woes of Canadian businesses such as this one.

But enough of this, let's get a look at these vehicular inspired goodies.
 
The Motor Sauce is incredible. A compound mayonnaise that's full of garlic and chilies that's roots are in the French (and Creole) condiment, remoulade with chipotles added to the party. It comes on burgers or as a dipping sauce and is quite nice. It's not overly hot but does have a bit of jump and some tanginess.
 

We started with an order of Chili Spring Rolls. A really solid opening act here. Not quite blown away but very happy with these. Chorizo chili, lime, black beans, smoked cheese and topped with sour cream. The main taste is the chorizo with the others playing a supporting roll. They come 3 to an order, are deep fried and cut in half lengthwise.

 

The Motor Mac n Cheese is solid and fairly standard. There's not a lot that stands out but it's solid none the less. The use of tortiglioni rigate is a great choice for two reasons. First of all the standard elbow that's used in M&C is nice but the added length and helix shape are both aesthetically pleasing and seems to stand up better to the cheesy sauce. As well, "rigate" means it has those little ridges on the outside of the noodle. That adds surface area and more for the sauce to cling to. The pasta was nicely cooked. Falling somewhere between a perfect al dente and over cooked.

The Shrimp Fuel is, as you can imagine, a shimp burger flavoured with chilies, garlic, fresh tomato, cilantro and topped with avocado and mango salsa. I had probably over hyped this burger a little too much in my mind. I found it to be really good but still just ever so slightly disappointing. There was nothing wrong with it, in fact, it's very well executed. I guess the flavours were a little more subtle than I was expecting. Having seen it on TV I was excited to try it. It happens.
 

The Auto Strada burger is an absolute home run. It took everything in me to forego a beef burger for a sausage burger. I can honestly say it's one of the best burgers I've had and easily the best non beef burger ever. Chipotle rubbed northern Italian sausage, gorgonzola cheese and sliced apple slaw. There's a lot going on here and it's all good. The sausage is very flavourful and has a decent hit of spice. The cheese and slaw are up to the challenge as supporters. I just thought this was crazy good.

So there you have it folks, some truly great burgers in a hip, trendy setting.

You can find Motor Burger at 888 Erie St (Via Italia) in Windsor, On.

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You can also find them on the web, facebook and Twitter.


Well that's that folks. Catch ya next time.

Huntsville's 20 Most Distinctive Dishes Pt. I

As many of you know I married a southern girl. Originally from Memphis and raised in north Mississippi, both her and her sister (Sil) have now relocated. Known on here as Mrs. Sippi she's living up here in Canada while Sil's journey would see her settle in Huntsville, Alabama (her parents would later follow). This, if you've been scoring at home, you may already know.

With family in Rocket City, several times a year we make the drive south. Stopping along the way at some great mom and pop shops that I've shared with you here.
I've also shared some of the great eats the City of Huntsville has to offer as well.

You may have noticed me referencing a list of the 20 Most Distinctive Dishes in the region. Originally published by the Huntsville Times and posted on AL.com it's a pseudo guide to noshing in the greater Huntsville area. I set out to sample each and every item on the list. Along the way I've made new friends, eaten interesting foods, discovered great new restaurants and foods I didn't know existed.
Some items I found to be absolutely incredible while others were miserable failures. Either in terms of taste or execution.

So here are my findings in the order they appear in the original article.

This is part 1 of a trilogy in 4 parts.

1) White Bean Chili ~ Duffy's Deli. (Huntsville)
It's possible this is the best thing on the list.  In fact, it's so much a part of Duffy's that the recipe is considered an asset to be sold with the business. I asked if I could get a copy and that was the explanation that accompanied the "Sorry." It was suggested that the recipe is simple and not hard to decode. I suspect there's RoTel in it and plenty of recipes exist for Rotel White Chili.

What makes the dish is the generous amount of cheese loaded into the cup before the chili.

I can also recommend the Deep Fried Cheesecake for dessert.


2) Hush Puppies ~ (Old) Greenbrier Restaurant (Greenbrier)
Rumour has it these deep fried cornmeal dough balls (finger shaped here) were invented by hunters as a way to keep their dogs satiated. As meals were prepared a simple cornmeal dough ball was fried as a treat to “Hush the puppy.” Around here pretty much everyone agrees, these are far superior to any other hush puppies.

They don't need it to "Make" them but make sure you try them dipped in white sauce.

I will also recommend the Catfish Plate.


3) Coconut Pie ~ Gibson's BBQ (Huntsville)
The name Gibson is synonymous with BBQ in north central Alabama. What some may not realize is they're also famous for their outstanding pies. Sadly, this Gibson's has lost it's way over the years serving Q not nearly worthy of the family name. However, their pies are every bit as good as ever. The coconut offering possibly leading that charge.

What makes this dish is it's home made.

I will recommend you stick with pies and skip the BBQ.


4) Chicken with White Sauce ~ Big Bob Gibson's (Decatur)
The Commodore. The Patriarch. The Headwaters. Whatever you want to call Bob Gibson, he practically invented north/central Alabama BBQ. His main contribution is a little known (outside the area) condiment simply named, White Sauce. At Big Bob's they take their smoked chickens and give them a dunk in the white stuff. It's fantastic. The tangy, mayo based finishing sauce nicely balances out the smokiness of the chicken.

What makes this is the balance of chicken and sauce.

I can also recommend the ribs. Some of the best I've had.


5) Hamburgers with Cheese ~ Big Spring Cafe (Huntsville)
First of all, they're not cheeseburgers, they're hamburgers with cheese. Cooked on a flat top they're held in an au jus bath until serving. They get a quick trip to the sandwich press and voilà. It comes slider size with pickle and mustard.
Add some onion for the classic condiment combination. So named because they did not require refrigeration.

What makes this is the simplicity. Just a great, easy snack.

I'll also recommend the Chili Burger. On the list of 100 Things to Eat in Alabama Before You Die. As is the Slaw Dog.


So there you go. Stay tuned for part 2 coming to a computer near you.

 

Mama’s Boys Burgers (Toronto, On)

Mama’s Food is Fresh not Frozen

If you've been following along at home you've certainly figured out I love burgers from a flat top griddle. The heat nicely sears the outside of the beef which then fries in it's own juices. There are people who don't care for this kind of burger. Citing a "Flame Broiled" offering as the best. If you're one of those who can't decide or if  your buddy likes the other, then Mama's Boys Burgers in Toronto's east end is a good choice. Offering both types of sandwich and plenty of other great consumables.

Opened in the spring of 2012, Mama's Boys is a bit of a throwback to the type of place that wasn't hard to find in TO in the 70's and 80's. Greeks doing home made burgers, soulvaki, O-Rings and fresh cut Fries among other things. As the turbulent decade drew to a close these joints had, for the most part, sold out. Once a place to get great fast food they expanded and quality suffered greatly. Others were bought up. In any case, few survived.
Thankfully, this little hidden gem has the kind of goodies that will take you back to those times. Offering fresh everything. Not frozen fries and burger patties. They pride themselves on that fresh quality.

From the outside it's not much more than a corner unit in a strip mall.
Inside is bathed in sunlight and is straight up fast food. An order station where Bessy (Mama) will be waiting for you (usually) and a long counter where the condiment station resides.
There's seating for a couple dozen with tables and a ledge along the windows.

Like with a lot of these places there's an open prep kitchen and a main one in the back. Here's where you'll likely see "Mama's boys."So let's get a look at what the boys are serving up shall we??

Everything, as they tell you, is "Made with love."

They have the usual suspect when it comes to condiments but a signature offering is Spicy Feta. Oh baby this stuff is good. Hot peppers are pureed with olive oil and blended into some crumbled feta. The richness of the feta is nicely cut by the acidity of the peppers. Said peppers add a nice bit of heat and some flavour with the oil smoothing everything out. It won't blow the doors off you but if you're not into the hot stuff, it'll probably get your attention.

They offer a few different French fry options. I've had some plain and they're okay. First off, the fries weren’t overly salted which is better than being too salty and easily fixed. They use fresh cut Yukon Gold potatoes which are considered a very good all purpose potato but I  believe that Russet's make better fries. Creating a crisp and golden brown on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside fry. These ones here are somewhat limp. Not at all a deal breaker though as the taste is still solid.

The Poutine, is good but not great. My feelings on the fries are the big reason. A simple food like this can only be as good as it's weakest link and the tater of choice is just that. The gravy is beef which seems to be the norm here and is quite good. The curd seems to have some squeak which will make the purists somewhat happy. As I said, all in all, this is good stuff.

The Greek Fries again are good but not great. Again, the potato being the weakest link. These fries topped with crumbled feta, olive oil and oregano are still pretty tasty. The cheese isn't as pungent as I'd like but it's fine none the less. The oil and oregano work really well in the dish. So again, over all, good.
 
The Pork Souvlaki is, stop me if you've heard this, good but not great. In fact, it's very good. What really keeps me from rating this higher is that it's fairly mildly marinaded. Souvlaki can range from mild to punch you in the face bold with garlic and oregano flavours leaping out at you. I prefer that latter. This offering is incredibly tender though, has a nice taste but didn't stand up that well to the tzatziki which in and of itself is fantastic. It normally comes in a pita but I had it on a bun and added some of that great Spicy Feta. Very good overall.

I really liked the burger. Called the Signature American it’s a Banquet Burger that has sautéed onions on it. As you can imagine, being named American, it’s 4 oz. (per patty) double burger done on a flat top. It’s not in my pantheon of great burgers but is solidly in the next group below. The beef is ground in house but, as with the fries, under seasoned. A little S&P helped with that. The beef was otherwise good and while the cheese lacked a bit, (only 1 slice) the bacon had a good presence. I love onions and want to love sautéed onions on a burger but I just don’t seem to. So next time I’ll omit them.

So there you have folk. Some really good fast, no make that fresh food in Toronto's east end.

You can find Mamas Boys Burgers at 480 Danforth Rd in Toronto, On.
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You can also find them on facebook.



Well that's all for now folks, see you again in the food court.

Zip's Cafe (Cincinnati, Oh)

Cinci’s Best Burger? Vol. II

For more than 85 years residents of Cincinnati's gorgeous Mt. Lookout neighbourhood have called Zip's Cafe their local watering hole. Opened in 1926 it's made it's reputation not on it's service, beer lineup, (which incidentally now features offerings from the terrific Great Lakes Brewing Company) or quaint atmosphere but on it's burgers.

Such is their reputation for burgers that they're often rated as best in Cincinnati by local diners, bloggers and media outlets alike. In fact, they're burgers are such an institution in the area they resisted adding bacon for almost their entire existence. However, in the spring of 2013 they gave into the smoky, salty overlord. At 5pm EDT Wednesday, April 24, 2013 they held their bacon release party. An event marked earlier in the day by Cinci mayor Mark Mallory declaring it "Zip's Cafe Day" in the Queen City.

What makes their burgers so good?? 2 words: Flat Top. Well, that cooker of all things delicious and of course quality ground beef delivered daily by Bleh-Avril & Sons, Inc. and the soft honey egg buns from Klosterman Bakin Company on which they are served.

The cafe sits right in Mt. Lookout Square and has an almost European feel to it. Hanging baskets adorn the facade and a nice green awning punctuates the front door.

Inside it's dimly lit adding some ambiance and is rather a tight squeeze. The main dining room out front seats about 30. Behind that is the "Code Room" which is really just the bar area and behind that the kitchen. There is a number of beautiful old Cinci-centric photos scattered through out. A toy train circles the dining room and pokes its head into the bar for a short stretch.

But enough of all that,  time to get to the million dollar question; are they the best burgers the city has to offer?? In my mind, no. That's not to say that they aren't fabulous eats though. So let's get a look shall we??

The Chili Cheese Fries are good even if they are pretty low brow. Shoestring fries are covered in a very tomatoey chili and smothered in cheese sauce. It really is a very tasty dish however the complete antithises of fine dining. They very much reminded me of the ones at Ritzy Lunch in Clarksburg, WV. Where the chili and cheese almost completely dominate. While I think the dish would be better suited with a heftier fry, I'd miss this mess if they changed it. As with Ritzy Lunch, it was almost like chili cheese potato soup. Which as I'm sure you can imagine is a good thing.

Their Burger is a text book rendition of the Classic American Cheeseburger. Fresh ground beef, simply seasoned, done on a flat top and served on a Wonderbread style bun. It's right in line with the likes of Miller's Tavern in Detroit. It's absolutely perfect, tasty, juicy and beefy. It practically melts in your mouth.

I just couldn't resist the Train Wreck Burger. This is their basic sandwich with deli ham, three cheeses and Mettwurst. It also comes with a host of condiments but I skipped most of them. I don't care for tomatoes on a burger and for the most part, can't stand lettuce on one. There are of course exceptions to rules but I wasn't about to make one here. Anyway, all the flavours worked nicely together and at times took turns standing out. Delicious.

Well there you have it folks, some great burgers in a historic Cincinnati pub located in a quaint part of town.

You can find Zip's Cafe at  1036 Delta Ave, Cincinnati, Oh.

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You can also find them on the web, facebook and Twitter.


Well that's all for now folks, we'll catch ya later in the food court.