If you are a burger lover check out The Vancouver Best Burger Challenge from Richard Wolak – Vancouver Foodster. Twenty-nine different restaurants are offering burgers and voting takes place until December 3, 2012. Some burgers are on the regular menu and others have developed a special burger available until November 30, 2012.
I sampled a couple of the burgers this past week as part of the launch.
Chef Travis Redpath’s 5 1/3 ounce beef burger patty is made from Clinton, BC grass-fed and grass-finished thirty-five day dry-aged ground beef butchered by the Honest Butcher and seasoned with only salt and pepper. The patty is topped with Armstrong semi-soft Amber Ale cheese provided by The Village Cheese company. Max’s then adds two slices of herb-crusted smoked bacon from Woodland Smokehouse sourced from Gelderman farms in Abbotsford. This crazy deliciousness is then stuffed into their fresh onsite-baked brioche bun made every morning in the bakery downstairs. The burger is then topped with their signature Big Max sauce, shredded iceberg, sliced tomato, red onion, a pickle and served up with a side of BC Kennebec fries freshly chipped and fried up in beef tallow. A burger you’ll have to fight with yourself not to finish no matter what your appetite.
Max’s is also doing some pretty amazing stuff on the cocktail side and onsite bartender, Marc Smolinski, whipped up a Pomme De Terroir, a whisky sour variation to accompany the burger. Sticking with the local theme, roasted gala apple puree, bosc pear shrub (drinking vinegar), local bitters, Canadian whisky and R & B Brewing Raven Cream Ale are combined in this excellently balanced number.
Price: $15.00
http://maxsburgers.ca
Location: 521 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, 604-873-6297
Twitter: @MaxsBurgersVan
Luke’s Corner Bar & Kitchen – Southern Veggie Burger
Luke’s has recently gone under a revamp and now brands itself as arestaurant celebrating New American cuisine & Southern hospitality. Chef Megan Martin spent two months with three different consulting chefs creating their Southern Veggie Burger (I will have to ask why three chefs. She seemed like an easy going sort, but perhaps she’s different in the kitchen!). This burger has quinoa, toasted almonds, black beans, panko bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic, onion, spices and is topped with wild mushrooms, BC White Cheddar and beer battered dill pickles and jalapeno peppers as well as granny smith chipotle ketchup made in house. Chef Martin asked if it would convince us to switch from a beef burger, and I had to say no, because nothing beats that meaty beefy taste of a true burger. However, this veggie burger would be something I’d go back for for a refreshing change and is certainly one of the better textured and flavoured vegetarian burgers I’ve had. We tried some of the sweet potato fries as well. Nicely seasoned. Great texture.
Location: 2996 Granville Street, Vancouver
Twitter: @LukesGranville
Web: http://www.lukescornerbar.com
Whet had the disadvantage of being the last on the stop, but I’m a pro and had simple sampled rather than devoured the previous items so managed to give this burger a proper evaluation. Chef Peter Gray uses ground chuck to create a 7oz patty and serves it up with chimichurri and crispy fries. Great accompaniment to their growing selection of craft beers.
Price: $15.00
Location: 1517 Anderson Street, Vancouver
Twitter: @Whetkitchenbar
Web: http://whet.ca/
Gramercy Grilled Cheddar Cheese Beef Burger
I’ve not tried the burger, but this is my, ahem, watering hole, so snapped a shot. From the sounds of glee from a few seats over as the burger was devoured, it’s a winner. Chef Dennis Huang’s burger is beef with lettuce, tomato, red onion & chipotle mayo served with house cut Yukon Gold French fries and mushrooms, bacon or a fried egg can be added for $1.25 each.
Price: $14.00
Location: 2685 Arbutus Street, Vancouver
Twitter: @gramercygrill
Web: http://www.gramercygrill.ca/
