Vera's Burger Shack (Surrey)

Isn't it amazing that the humble burger is quickly moving from cheap eat to gourmet? Yes, there are places where we can still get it for less than $5.00. And no, we're not talking about fast food outlets either. However, there are a few worth mentioning such as In-N-Out and locally - Burger Burger. When fine dining establishments from renowned chefs are producing "gourmet" burgers, you know it's going upscale. Today, I'm not focusing on burgers stuff with foie gras and truffles; rather, it's the "better" burger where it is supposedly superior than your average fast food chain. One of Vancouver's favourites is Vera's, which has many locations around the
lower mainland.

I was in a rush today and thought by having a burger, it would take less time. Alas, I forgot that this ain't no McD's and they actually cook the burgers to order. Well, it makes for a better burger right? I decided to go for the daily special which was the V-Mini with fries and a soft drink. Don't let the name fool you, it's still a pretty big burger with a single fresh patty, cheddar, fried onions and mushrooms. I haven't had a Vera's burger in awhile and I gotta admit it was pretty darn good. This time around, the patty was quite moist with nice charring and the copious amounts of toppings made it a slightly messy eat. I got plenty of beef flavour while not running into too much grease. The bun was nicely toasted and the darn thing really filled me up.

The side of fresh cut Fries came prepared exactly how I like them - crispy while not being "crisps". Not oily from the exterior and still some potato-ness on the inside, I ate every last piece. Feeling a bit guilty after this meal, but I gotta admit it hit the spot. Once again, Vera's is not my favourite burger; yet it is certainly better than average.

The Good:
- Big burgers
- Fresh ingredients
- Fries are pretty good

The Bad:
- A bit on the expensive side
- For the price you pay, you don't get much ambiance or service