Halifax Burger Week 2013!

Posted on March 30, 2013 by shipwrekkt

When The Coast announced “Burger Week” in conjunction with 21 participating restaurants, I couldn’t have been more excited. I love the Halifax burger hype and the idea that we could be a burger destination. Burger Week gave us eight $5 burger selections, as well as 13 burger creations with some proceeds going to FEED Nova Scotia. Participating restaurants varied from burger legend, Darrell’s, to the head scratcher, Jungle Jim’s.

I kicked off Burger Week with a full blown burger crawl. I visited 4 restaurants and split the burger at each place with a hungry pastry chef. (Pastry chefs can EAT!)

The Armview – Classic Burger

Our first stop was The Armview, the coolest little west end diner that doubles as the neighbourhood bar. Their $5 burger promotion was their Classic Burger: A grilled, house-made 6oz patty with sauteed onions, mustard and ketchup on a sesame seed bun. As far as classic burgers go, this one is quite sizeable. The burger is not revolutionary in any way, but is an excellent rendition of a simple diner burger. We left the Armview satisfied, though we were pumped for something a little more mind-blowing.

Ace Burger – Deluxe

My partner in gluttony had never been to Ace Burger, so that was the obvious choice for blowing our minds and palates. Ace’s Deluxe Burger (Getaway Farms grass fed beef, Brothers’ back bacon, PEI cheddar, frizzled onions and dijonnaise on a Kaiser) is usually $7 but was a $5 special for Burger Week. We were told we would have to wait 45 minutes, since everyone else in town obviously had the same idea. Gus’ was so packed that people had to eat their burgers in the VLT room, and some people were sitting on the stage. Halifax loves Ace Burger, and it is clear that Ace Burger loves Halifax!

Bearly’s – Texas Burger

Next up was Bearly’s House of Blues and Ribs (and now Burgers). Our server told us that he had never sold so many hamburgers in his career. I looked around the bar and everyone was eating burgers and analysing their Burger Week Passports. It was clear that Halifax was hyped! The Texas Burger (home-made, locally produced Canadian steer beef, jalapenos, cheddar cheese, onion rings, and salsa) was served with fries and coleslaw for a measly $5. We really enjoyed this burger! The meat was a finer grind and we could taste the grill marks and a touch of heat from the jalapenos.

Harbour City – Dragon’s Breath Blue (Lamb)

I wanted to check out Harbour City Bar & Grill in the Delta Halifax because I totally loved their offerings at Savour Food & Wine. There was a confusing description on the Burger Passport of what turned out to be several choices. Tandoori Chicken, Cashew Peanut Veggie, and Crabby Patty were a few, but we decided to go for the Dragon’s Breath Blue (a lamb burger infused with local blue cheese). The burger came with a 16oz Barking Squirrel Lager for $17. I have to admit, I have never met a lamb burger I have loved and this was no exception. Being blue cheese lovers, we lamented that there was no additional cheese on top of the burger, which was just kind of plain. We were disappointed, which was too bad because the service and ambiance were great. We reluctantly conceded that we were sleepy and bloated, and thus halted the burger crawl.

Cheese Curds – Spinach & Mushroom Burger

Oh, but I’m not done yet! After a weekend spent in the forest doing my Wilderness First Aid certification, I was hungry for more burgers! I went with some classmates to Cheese Curds to check out their Burger Week selection. For $8.75 I got a local home-made 6oz patty topped with sauteed portobello, crimini and button mushrooms, wilted spinach, and Swiss cheese. I wish there was more seating at Cheese Curds and less pressure to choose from an overwhelming list of toppings, but we found a table and I kept my burger simple. The result was a solid burger with big fabulous chunks of perfectly cooked mushrooms. My modest burger allowed the bun to hold its integrity, instead of falling apart (as it has been known to do on the gargantuous CC Porker).

Willy’s Fresh Cut Fries and Burgers

Willy’s is known for its pizza corner poutines, but for Burger Week they had a $10 8oz Oulton’s beef patty with bacon, cheese, beer battered jalapenos and onion rings. This burger definitely brought the beef! However, as a fellow burger quester pointed out: “It’s pretty good, but the lettuce on it is a joke!” True enough. What is the point of a bland flappy iceburg lettuce leaf crowning a deep-fried meat orgy? The deep fried jalapenos were a nice touch on this burger, lending a bit of heat and crunch. Unfortunately, the bacon was undercooked and I ended up pulling a lot of it out. This burger was a bit too monstrous for me, but it had potential. I’ll make a return trip to Willy’s in the future for something a little more manageable.

Rock Bottom Brewery – a standard hamburger.

On the last day of burger week, I hit up Rock Bottom for lunch. I have already praised Rock Bottom for their amazing peanut butter burger, yet I have been less impressed with the rest of their burger menu. For Burger Week, $5 got me a regular hamburger with fries, rice, or roasted potatoes. Rock Bottom uses Nova Scotia beef, flame grilled and topped with lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle and served on a sourdough Kaiser bun. The simplicity of this sandwich enabled the beef and bun to truly shine. Rock Bottom’s choice of quality beef and bread elevates its hamburgers to gourmet status. Plus, the beer is some of the best in the city.

The burger at Tempo

My final Burger Week indulgence was Tempo, which offered their regular menu burger with a 16oz Barking Squirrel Lager for $15. This burger features Oulton’s beef, aged cheddar, iceburg lettuce, smoked tomato ketchup, fried onions, candied bacon, soft bun, tempura pickle, and fries. I’m glad it’s on the regular menu, because it was fantastic (if not difficult to fit in one’s mouth). The tempura pickle was a nice touch, but the beefy goodness and symphony of flavours is what made me love this burger.

I wanted to pick some winners, but I don’t think I can. Ace Burger was exceptional as always, Bearly’s was a surprising winner, Armview is a perfect classic, Rock Bottom elevates the standard pub burger, Willy’s has burger potential, Cheese Curds makes a solid sandwich, and Tempo is a class act! Harbour City was disappointing, but perhaps the cashew peanut veggie was the star? I guess I’ll never know, since the Burger Week specials are not on the regular menu. Either way, it was really nice to see all the hungry Haligonians supporting this promotion and so many restaurants getting involved. So much burger love for a city of 400,000!

Halifax Burger Quest: The Works

Posted on March 2, 2013 by shipwrekkt

Opening night at The Works was crazy! From 5pm-7pm The Works was peddling free food by donation to FEED Nova Scotia. My jaw dropped when I saw people lining up all the way down the block. Many of these folks had tasted the deliciousness of The Works on trips to Ottawa, and others had heard tell of its reputation. Still others had caught a social media whiff of the promise of free food, and lined up in droves. Owner Alan Garner entertained the hungry line-up with “true stories”, free milkshake coupons, and his own brand of sarcasm. Two hours later, my toes were frozen solid and the door was finally opened to us!

Totally worth it.

The Beaverbank: caramelized onions, chipotle ketchup, havarti, and 4 double smoked bacon slices $14.66

I first encountered The Works in Ottawa on my way across Canada in 2009, and again in London on my way back across Canada in 2012. I was ecstatic to find out that Halifax would soon boast of the first Works franchise to exist outside of Ontario, lovingly opened by owners Alan and Jody Garner. I was so excited I prematurely blogged about the Works opening way back in August! Those of you familiar with my preliminary Halifax Burger Quest should be eager to know that The Works now takes the title for best service, best atmosphere, best variety AND best burger.

The Love Goat: peppercorn crusted burger with goats cheese and bacon $14.67

Somebody on Yelp stated that the burgers are under seasoned. Personally, I like my burgers to taste like beef. If I want my beef to taste like spices, I’ll eat a donair, or meatloaf, or kafta. However, I realize there are those of you who like spicy burp invoking burgers, and I’ll re-direct you to Cheese Curds. OR – you can try one of the peppercorn crusted burgers from The Works, which has a slight crispiness and a full on peppercorn attack. Slap on some goats cheese or gouda and bacon, and we’re good to go!

Tidball Baker: die cut chips, sour cream, green onions, bacon $12.35

Yes, there are potatoes on that burger. Don’t be surprised. There are 70 burgers on the menu, with toppings ranging from eggplant to kraft dinner. You want a peanut butter burger? The Works has 3 varieties. Boo-yah! Aside from the overwhelming variety, the best part about The Works is the beef. It is the perfect thickness, nice and beefy, and it is perfectly cooked.

Not Yo’ Burger: fried tortilla, avocado, fire roasted cheese dip, a blend of diced ripe tomatoes & minced garlic. $13.34

If beef is not your thing, The Works also has ground turkey, chicken breast, veggie patties, portobello mushroom cap, and domestic elk (+$3.67). If you don’t like gluten, there is a gluten free bun. For sides you can get several varieties of potato or vegetable (I like the coleslaw), or upgrade to onion rings, poutine, deep fried dill pickles, Kraft Dinner, or chilli. I’m not so sure I can recommend the salad. I can say that I was very impressed with the onion rings and dills (the latter being a hard item to find in Halifax). There is also an impressive milkshake menu, some smoothies, floats, and most importantly, there is beer.

Kamikaze – jalapeno, chipotle & banana peppers, cheddar cheese & hotter than hell sauce $12.94

I’d like to extend a big welcome and thank you to The Works! Rather than eliminating the competition, The Works offers a different hamburger experience and compliments the now legendary trilogy of Relish, Ace, and Cheese Curds of the Halifax burger explosion. #burgerlove!

The Works (Halifax)
5431 Doyle Street
(902) 405-9333
Web Site

Ace Burger Co.

Posted on November 4, 2012 by shipwrekkt

Halifax Burger Quest
Category: Gourmet-Style

This post was supposed to happen a week ago when I made the unfortunate assumption that Ace Burger would be open for both days of City Harvest. It was a very disappointing Sunday, when it seemed as though no restaurants were open in north end Halifax.

So heads up burger eaters! Sunday is not your day for grass-fed Nova Scotia beef burgers starting at $6. Ace Burger’s web site states: “Still closed Sundays – Except when we’re not!” Well, I’m not taking my chances any more.

The kitchen is open during the lovely punk, metal, and indie rock shows that infiltrate this venue on Thurs/Fri/Sat. Otherwise the kitchen is open til 9pm. Since Gus’ Pub is lovingly known as a dive bar, the atmosphere is better enjoyed by some than others. Personally, I love the atmosphere of this north end gem and advise any delicate souls to check it out early before the raunchy music and bottles of Olands start filling up the place. And remember, CASH ONLY.

Deluxe Burger @ Ace Burger

And here is what I came for, finally. The Deluxe Burger ($8) is the same as the Classic ($6) only with PEI cheddar and Brothers’ back bacon added to it. Otherwise it would be a Getaway Farms grass-fed beef patty with frisee lettuce, frizzled onions, pickle and Dijonnaise on challah. This combination is apparently the same burger that is served at the Brooklyn Warehouse (the restaurant that has taken over the kitchen in Gus’ Pub, thereby creating Ace Burgers, FYI).

Even though the patty is thin, it is lovely and complimented by the surprisingly tender local back bacon and gooey cheese. The frizzled onions are crispy but still have some onion-y goodness on the inside. The Dijonnaise is the perfectly creamy condiment. This burger was made in heaven.

I brought a small crowd with me to Ace Burger, partly for the tail-end of my birthday celebrations, but mostly for the hamburgers. My friend Aaron wasn’t as impressed with the Deluxe as I was. He desired more seasoning in the meat. I blame his lack of enthusiasm on his hangover.

The pork burger @ Ace

Stu had the Pork Burger ($7) which, as you can see, features giants slabs of pork loaf in a bun! Upon closer inspection you would be able to see carrot, daikon and cilantro garnishes and a brown sugar sriracha glaze. Exciting! It’s like a banh mi burger! I took a sub-par photo and took a sub-par bite since Stu was hell-bent on devouring this impressive sandwich in record time. His only adjustment involved asking the kitchen for a bottle of sriracha to amplify the heat.

Clam Po’ Boy @ Ace Burger

Isn’t it gorgeous? Garnished simply with iceburg lettuce, smoked tartar sauce and pickled onions, this “burger” allows for an abundance of Nova Scotia clams. A “Po’Boy” is a type of sub originating in Louisiana often stuffed with deep fried oysters, shrimp or clams. Here the concept is fused into a burger. Unfortunately, we found the clams to be a little chewy, but I’ve heard enough rave reviews of this burger to consider maybe it was an off day for the Clam. Aesthetically, it is a thing of beauty, and I would give it another chance.

The Veggie @ Ace Burger

The Veggie Burger ($7) is a sliced loaf, much in the style of the Pork, and consists of roasted mushrooms, shredded veggies, lentils, oats, miso & tahini. Well, that’s awfully luxurious compared to the dried up soy patty that wins ever year in The Coast Awards, now isn’t it? The patty has a nice crispy exterior and soft tasty insides, aided by mint-chevre yogurt, pickled beets and a satisfying herb focaccia bun.

Lamb @ Ace Burger

The Lamb Burger ($8) features ground lamb from Wood ‘N Hart Farm with lemon-sumac mayo, goat cheese and arugula on that delicious herb focaccia. The lamb meat is infused with spice and the goat cheese exploded into my mouth with every bite. My vegetarian correspondent had this to say: “It smells really good”.

The fries ($3.50) were decent, and poutine ($5) is available (though I was hoping they would make the Newfie poutine from City Harvest part of the regular menu). There is also “seasonal salad” ($5) and food and drink combos. I mention the prices because they are super cheap for such amazing quality! Mini glasses of draught are only $2.25 – take advantage of these.

I think the Deluxe Burger from Ace is the best burger I’ve had in Halifax so far. Tune in next week when I join some fellow Hali-foodies at Cheese Curds Gourmet Burgers!

Ace Burger Company

2605 Agricola St.
(Gus’ Pub on Agricola & North)
Halifax, NS
(902) 423-7786 (Gus’)
Web Site

Relish Gourmet Burgers

Posted on October 14, 2012 by shipwrekkt

Halifax Burger Quest
Category: Gourmet-Style

Welcome to the first entry of my Halifax Burger Quest! Here is how it’s gonna go down: I will be reviewing burgers from 3 different categories: Gourmet-Style, Pub Style, and Diner/Drive-In Style. I will also review the vegetarian burgers at each location. I don’t like numerical ratings, but I will eventually declare the winner and runners up.

Originally, my intention was to order the most basic burgers on the menu, in order to make fair comparisons. However, I have found that ordering standard burgers does not do a good job of showcasing their potential. So I will be ordering burgers that represent more of the signature style of the restaurants.

I am very excited to finally be starting this quest, so with no further ado, I present unto you, Relish Gourmet Burgers.

Relish is a gourmet burger chain originating in New Brunswick, and a recent addition to the previously non-existent Halifax burger scene. When we walked in, we immediately realized we had walked into a gimmick. We were greeted with a scripted “Welcome to Relish!”, which is kind of annoying, but I have to give the girl at the cash credit because her friendliness and helpfulness persisted beyond her script. The decor is also very “nice”; it’s clean, colourful, modern, and perhaps an indication of the ridiculous amount of money you’re about to spend on a hamburger.

I don’t think there is ever an occasion to spend $20 with tip and tax on a burger platter. But if there was such an occasion, I would expect the beef to be local, grass-fed, free-range … hell, I’d want to be able to shake the farmer’s hand. Relish proudly serves fresh Angus Beef, but unfortunately, it is from Alberta. Other options include a veggie or ground turkey patty. The fries are produced by McCain and are enthusiastically marketed as “Atlantic Canada Fries”. Though frozen, they are thawed before getting dumped into the deep fryer, which gives them a crispy exterior and lush buttery interior.

I ordered a burger unique to the Halifax location: “The Halifax Explosion”.

Halifax Explosion from Relish

The Halifax Explosion features habanero pineapple, pancetta bacon, aged cheddar and curried onion frites. These toppings are in addition to the standard base toppings of shredded lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic mayo, and beet relish. The burger is impaled by a wooden spike and topped with a pickle slice. The bun is sturdy and graced with poppyseeds. The patty is a little thin for my liking, but the texture and flavour of the beef are agreeable. I didn’t find it to be too overwhelmed by the toppings, which were lovely. Don’t be intimidated by the habanero; it is powder gently sprinkled on the pineapple and just gives the burger a pleasant kick. The onion frites contribute a nice crunch, although I couldn’t taste the curry.

The fries were a huge surprise! They were perfectly crispy on the outside and the inside was something I could only describe as … poofy, like a buttery cloud of awesome! I’ve never come across French fries quite like these. Usually I would prefer that a restaurant make their own fries from scratch, but in this case I had to let the fries speak for themselves. And they did.

Another cool thing about Relish is that you can get fry dippers for $1.50. I got the creamy goat cheese, but I also had my eyes on the curry mayo.

I brought along my vegetarian associate, Brie (like-the-cheese), to help me rate the veggie burger.

Veggie Burger at Relish

The vegetarian patty is a “secret mixture of ground button mushrooms and chickpeas”. Brie ordered the “L.A. is My Lady”, which, aside from the base toppings, involves avocado, roasted peppers, basil pesto, and goats cheese. We both enjoyed the softness of the patty; it was not dry at all and was pretty tasty. I don’t know if there was enough goats cheese on it, because she kept stealing my creamy goat cheese fry-dip. Out of 5 she gives it a 3.5, with a 5 being my home-made veggie burgers ; )

Other vegetarian friendly burger styles are the “Harvest Jazz” (blue cheese, havarti, caramelized onion, walnut pesto), “The Greek Tycoon” (feta cheese, marinated peppers and onions, kalamata olives, tzatziki sauce), and the Cabo Diablo (tomato jalapeno salsa, guacamole, sour cream, hot sauce).

Overall, I was impressed with the service, ambiance, and food at Relish. I wasn’t particularly impressed with the price. Stay tuned, and see how Relish Gourmet Burgers compare to the other gourmet-style burgers in Halifax!

Relish Gourmet Burgers
6024 Quinpool Rd.
Halifax, NS
902-474-4152
Website

Eat This Town

A Halifax-Based Food Tourism Blog

Tag Archives: halifax burgers

Halifax Burger Week 2013!

Halifax Burger Quest: The Works

Ace Burger Co.

Relish Gourmet Burgers

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