Vera's Burger Shack (Newton)

For all the gourmet burger joints we have in the GVRD, one that gets lost in the shuffle is Vera's Burger Shack.  Purchased and operated by former BC Lion Noah Cantor, the place expanded fast with locations popping up all over the Lower Mainland. While some closed over time and many have remarked how it isn't as good as it used to be, I still believe they make a solid burger. With that in mind and a few Groupons to burn, Zamboni Guy and I visited the Newton location to find out if Vera's can still ride with the big boys.

Zamboni Guy, being the ever patriot, went for the Canuck loaded with a 6 oz. fresh patty, bacon, cheese, lettuce and tomato on a sesame bun.  Well-charred and fairly moist, the patty was big enough to ensure meat in every bite.  As evidenced, there was enough crispy bacon and melted cheese for health purposes.  For myself, I had the BBQ Burger with a 6 oz. patty, smoked white cheddar, bacon, fried onions & BBQ sauce.  Due to the addition of fried onions, the burger was larger-looking and ate differently too.  There was an aromatic crunch to go with the background smokiness of the cheddar.  Interestingly, I didn't really noticed the BBQ sauce.

On another visit, Argumentative Girl decided on the 4 Cheese consisting of a 6 oz. patty graced with feta, cheddar, smoked white cheddar & cheese curds. As much as there was plenty of cheese, the burger didn't eat heavy, yet it was plenty Earthy and salty.  This time, I wanted to go big and opted for the G-Money with 2 x 6 oz. patties, cheddar & fried mushrooms.  Yah, this was monstrous and very messy with juicy meat sandwiched in between melted cheese and mushrooms.  The bun surprisingly held up to the mess while not being too firm.  As for the fries, they were the crispy fresh-cut variety.  Honestly, as much as people have remarked that Vera's is not as good as before, I still think they are still good and stands up well to the other gourmet burger spots.

The Good:
- Fresh meat
- Good fries

The Bad:
- Not cheap
- It's not fast food, so you'll have to wait