Lester's Deli

When people think Smoked Meat in Montreal, the first thought would be Schwartz's.  Now that is not a bad thing as I've had great meals at Schwartz's in the past.  However, they are not the only game in town where my personal favourite is Snowden Deli.  I've been to Dunn's and well, it is "ok".  One place I've been meaning to hit for quite some time is Lester's.  It is also a long time favourite and some would even argue it is the best in town.  Well this visit would be finally where I get to do a comparison.

For this to happen, we needed to get the Super Smoked Meat Sandwich.  This was a considerable amount of hand-sliced smoked meat on rye bread.   The first thing I noticed about their smoked meat was that it was super juicy and tender.  It was giving me ham vibes due to the wet brine rather than the dry brine used at Schwartz's.  Hence, there was less natural meat texture.  Bread was soft with some structure where it held everything together without getting soggy.  The meat was a good balance between sweet and salty with minor smoke hits.  Overall, it was a good sandwich but I personally prefer the meatiness and drier texture of Schwartz's.

We wanted to get something to compliment our meal that wasn't another sandwich, so we opted for their Hot Dog with coleslaw and relish.  Really enjoyed the buttered and toasted bun which had a nice crispy exterior that gave way to a fluffy soft interior.  The grilled all-beef wiener was smoky and juicy with a nice charred exterior.  It worked well with the crunchy and tangy coleslaw where it had sauerkraut vibes.

We ended up with a side of Fries as well as the Poutine.  I thought the fries were quite potatoey and had good potato flavour.  However, they were too soggy and need more exterior crispiness.  We also had to add extra salt to coax more flavour of the fries.  However, this was not an issue with the poutine as the gravy was thick and full-flavoured.  The ample bits of cheese curds were partially melted with some unmelted ones, just like it should be.  Solid poutine.  Overall, we found Lester's more than acceptable and a great place to grab a Smoked Meat Sandwich as well as other things.  Although there can be lineups here, they are generally shorter and the vibe is much less chaotic than Schwartz's. 

The Good:
- Ample tender meat in the sandwich
- Lower key spot
- We got really great service

The Bad:
- Fries could be crispier

 

Burger Crush

Haven't been back to Burger Crush in awhile.  Last time, I went with my son and he thoroughly enjoyed his burger.  It isn't exactly In-N-Out, but it has those sort of vibes, right down to the fries.  Originally out of Victoria, Burger Crush strives to give the classic burger joint experience.  So it is not surprising to find a very simple menu with essentially 2 burgers in several different configurations.  They have both vegan and vegetarian options including vegan nuggets.  Jackie and returned for a tasting of the menu including their fantastic shakes.

So getting right to it, let's talk about the classic Cheeseburger first.  We had it both in a single and a double.  We also loaded it up with fried mushrooms, fried onions, peperoncini and Canadian cheddar ($2.00 each).  The burgers already had a 4oz patty (2 of them for the double), cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and crush sauce.   As I've said, their burgers definitely have an In-N-Out quality to them except the meat patties are double the size and the bun is softer.  I really enjoy the burgers here since they are moist and properly seared.  Also, the components are fresh.  Those mushrooms are totally worth the $2.00 as they are buttery and full of umami.

Burger Crush not only appeals to beef lovers, they have both Vegetarian and Vegan options as well.  That burger sports the same house-made vegan patty except with vegan cheese and vegan bun for the Vegan while cheddar and brioche for the Vegetarian.  We loaded both of them with the optional toppings as well.  Although the patty was on the softer side, I didn't mind it had a crispy exterior and did have a mild sweet taste.

The only option for sides included French Fries and Crush Fries.  I like the fries here as they are quite thin and pretty crispy.  They are also salted enough.  With the same fries, the Crush Fries also have In-N-Out vibes with fried onions, melted cheese and Crush sauce.  These "dirty" fries are super saucy, yet at the same time, retain much of their crispiness.  The best part is the fried onions as they add aroma and sweetness.  This is also available with vegan cheese instead.

In addition to the burger and fries, they also offer Vegan Nuggets made with firm tofu.  Personally, I think a lighter tofu would make this item better.  The crunch from the batter is quite nice as it is not too thick nor greasy.  However, the firm tofu eats pretty heavy and dense.  The available sauces include Herb Crush Hot Crush, Sweet Crush and Original Crush.  For me, the herb crust is my favourite being creamy and almost tartar sauce-like.  The hot crush is a close second because I just like it spicy.

So we need some beverages to go with our burgers right?  In addition to sodas, they have both Milk and Vegan Shakes.  Here are some of the highlights including Root Beer, Strawberry (Vegan), Chocolate (Vegan) and Orange.  Despite being vegan, the strawberry was my favourite.  It was fruity and sweet while tasting fairly natural.  Orange was also sweet but refreshing at the same time.  Overall, the best things at Burger Crush are their beef burgers, their regular fries and shakes.  If you get those items, you will go away a very happy and full person.  For the other things, YMMV.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Beef burgers are excellent

- Fries are crispy

- Shakes (milk or vegan) are also good

The Bad:

- Tofu nuggets are too dense for me

Between 2 Buns

Here I am again at Between 2 Buns.  I think this is like my 6th time here.  Sure, I haven't blogged about every visit and really, it would be boring.  However, I haven't been back for 2 years, so it was about time I provided an update.  Besides, it was so sad that Sirius Smash Burgers at Coho Eatery has shut down.  It only leaves a few other places for these types of burgers.  Not to spoil the entire blog post, but B2B makes the best smash burgers in town in my opinion.

Unlike the last time, we didn't bother with a Single Cheeser because there is just not enough meat to satisfy.  Yes, I know that many people don't have the appetite to finish anything more than this, but believe me, it isn't the best the version.  That is why you must order the Double Cheeser with 2 crispy smashed patties, cheese, pickles, shedduce and B2B sauce.  I find elements of In-N-Out with this burger but the patties are far more seared and crisped up.  The sauce and cheese does give it those In-N-Out vibes.

We also got the Jalapeno Bacon Cheeser with only one patty.  Wait, didn't you say one isn't enough?  Well, when you pile on bacon, cheese, shredduce, pickled jalapenos, fried jalapenos and sauce, it becomes much more of a meal.  Sure, I would still add another patty to this because go big or go home,  However, it is still plenty hearty.  Lots of tangy spice from the jalapenos.  The soft toasted bun holds everything together.

For those who don't like beef or can't eat beef, they were offering an Ebi Burger with shredduce and spicy mayo.  This thing was super filling due to the huge shrimp mousse patty (which was coated with panko and fried).  I found it to be a bit too dense, but ultimately, it was still pretty good with a firm bounce texture and natural shrimp flavour.  Good spice from the mayo as it was also a bit tangy.  It helped provide some moisture to an otherwise dense patty.

Of course we got some Fries to share as well.  I consider these similar to Costco fries and it isn't an insult.  These are starch coated and fried until crispy.  The inside remains tender and soft while the outside is uniformly crispy.  As you can see, the menu at B2B isn't extensive as they want to do one thing and do it right.  That they do and you can't go wrong with their burgers.  I also like that they are licensed with a few beers on tap.  That went real well with the food.

The Good:

- Best smash burgers in town IMO

- Do one thing and do it well

- They are licensed!

The Bad:

- Ventilation isn't the best, you will smell like a smash burger when you leave (may be good too?)

- Limited seats

Langer's Deli

We've been trying to visit Langer's for quite some time.  However, every time we have been in L.A., it just hasn't happened.  This time around, it was only Viv and I, without the kids.  Hence, we did a bit more exploring into neighborhoods that may be a bit sketch.  To be fair, we didn't feel that we were in danger anytime, even though we had to walk 4 blocks to Langer's.  I guess we could've just parked in their lot and get validated, but like most times, it was full.

We didn't have to wait long as there wasn't much of a lineup on the day we went.  We were seated right by the door, which was interesting.  The first thing we had was the Matzo Ball Soup which was fantastic.  Really enjoyed the chicken broth as it was definitely chicken-flavored and the sweetness really came through.  I could also taste the mirepoix with the celery being prominent.  The matzo balls were ever-so-fluffy and texturally-pleasing.

So I know everyone will tell you to order #19 which is the a pastrami sandwich with coleslaw, Russian dressing and Swiss.  However, Viv didn't want that and heck she wasn't going to be a lemming.  So she just wanted a basic Hot Pastrami Sandwich on rye.  Well, there was nothing wrong with that choice as the meat was super tender and literally fell-apart.  It had a smoky saltiness to it that was accented by the fattiness of the meat.  Add a bit of mustard and it was delicious.  Bread was good too being a light rye that wasn't too soft either.

For myself, I went for the #12 as in the Mixed Delicatessen with Corned Beef, Pastrami and Beef Tongue.  This also came with 2 slices of rye bread, pickles, veggies and olives.  So essentially, I could make my own custom sandwich with the supplied meats.  But I just ate the meats and bread separately.  I thought the corned beef was buttery, tender and a balanced saltiness with pickling spice vibes.  As for the beef tongue, we had a similar flavor profile except since it was fattier, there was a silkiness to it.

This also included a plate of Fries.  These krinkle-cut potatoes were fried until golden brown.  Beyond the aesthetics, they were hot and super crispy.  Inside, the steaming potato center was delicate and soft.  Really good fries.  In general, this was worth the visit, even if the area is a bit colorful.  Just mind your own business and you'll be fine.  I thought the pastrami was very good and brought back memories of Katz's except being more tender and less smoky.  Whatever the case, I enjoyed it and would come back again for more.

The Good:
- Super tender Pastrami
- Loved the light rye bread
- The fries are crispy

The Bad:
- Parking is validated but the lot gets full fast
- Neighborhood isn't pretty, but you'll be find during the day  

Seoul Bowl (Lincoln Square)

This food adventure started by us being totally baffled as where to eat for lunch today.  Yes, that happens and especially when we didn't do any research, it made it just a bit harder.  We tried to hit up several spots but they were all completely full.  Serves us right for not making any reservations for a weekend.  We made our way to Lincoln Square in Downtown Bellevue and stumbled upon Seoul Bowl.  It is located in a really tiny food court and they go by a self-service ordering system.  That worked pretty well, but the food did take awhile to come out.

We decided to try out their Traditional Seoul Wings served on a bed of fries.  This was the 8 piece order, but there is also a 16 piece if you were hungry or wanted to share.  These took forever to come out and we actually had these last.  I found them to be quite crispy with somewhat rendered skin.  The meat was tender and moist but lacking in a bit of flavour.  Underneath, there were some skinny fries and they were crispy but not dry. 

We had 2 bowls including the Bulgogi Bowl loaded with beef rib eye, roasted corn, kale, pickled jalapenos, pickled radish, sweet Asian salad, sweet mashed potatoes, caramelized onion and kimchi cucumber.  Yes, that was a lot of toppings and it actually outnumbered the amount of rice underneath.  Suffice to say there was plenty of texture and flavors including crunch, tang and spice.  I thought the meat was tender and nicely marinated.  Only issue is that there was so much in this bowl, things got a bit wet. 

We also got the Spicy Pork Bowl with all of the same toppings.  By virtue of being spicy, the pork had more impact while being tender and moist.  I didn't mention the rice yet, but thankfully it was on the drier side which worked well with both the sweet soy and yum yum sauce.  Not to mention, this lessened the impact from all of the wet components.  It was basically eating all the banchan, rice and meat in one bowl.  We often do that anyways at Korean restaurants.

Lastly, we got more fries for some odd reason in the Cheese Fries.  These were just like the ones found with the wings but tossed in cheese powder.  They were crispy, but not as crispy as I would've liked because they were sitting for a bit while waiting for the chicken to cook.  The timing was a little off so these got a bit cold and soft.  I think the food at Seoul Bowl is completely serviceable and satisfying to most.  Maybe not my personal favorite, but did the job considering we were out of lunch options.

The Good:
- They really load up the bowls
- Wings were quite good
- Fair pricing

The Bad:
- Maybe the bowls are too loaded?
- Timing for the fried items are off

Buddy's Jersey Eats

So I've been to Vegas quite a few times, but each time, it has either been with my guy friends or with my family.  I'm sure you know what a guys trip to Vegas would look like and what a family trip to Vegas would entail.  Both are great, but they limit what I truly want to experience in Vegas.  So imagine my excitement when we planned a foodies trip down to Sin City!  Yep, Roanna, Jacqueline, Eileen and I traveled down for some fun and most importantly, to eat!  Finally, 4 people with the same goal and none of that other stupid stuff that costs me too much money... 

Our first top was Buddy's Jersey Eats located in The Linq along the Promenade.  It is a quick counter-service joint specializing in hot dogs (Jersey Rippers), chicken sandweeeches, waffle fries and wings.  They are open late (like to 4:00am) and is a great spot for a casual bite that is not a chain restaurant.  We sampled almost the entire menu with the Wings coming up first.  We had the Buffalo and the Dry Rub.  Loved that these wings were quite large and were still juicy inside.  The skin was well-rendered and crispy.  I actually preferred the lemon dry rub as it was flavourful and tangy while the skin was crisp.  Buffalo was good too, especially dipped into the blue cheese dressing.

We can't forget about the Hoboken Chicken Wings either and heck, the Hoboken Chicken Sandweeech.  These were totally different than the Buffalo and Alfredo.  This was all about the spice and tang which added a considerable impact to the chicken.  For the wings, it was a bit less apparent since they were tossed and topped with the peppers.  For the burger, it was right in there, so you got a burst of everything with each bite.  Of note, I would've liked to see the bun toasted (or toasted more) as it was a bit stiff.

Onto the other sammies, it continued a familiar theme with the Buffalo Chicken Sandweeech as well as the Alfredo Chicken Sandweeech.  Consisting of the same crispy chicken patty (with moist chicken meat), the buffalo was similar to the wings with a tangy spice cooled down with the blue cheese dressing.  The Alfredo was predictably creamy and cheesy with the same delicious chunks of meaty bacon.

Onto the Waffle Fries, we had the Disco and the Alfredo.  The fries themselves were crunchy but with some potatoey goodness left inside.  With the gravy on top of the disco fries, the waffle fries ate a bit softer, but were still crispy.   Lots of salty goodness here along with plenty of cheesiness.  A bit like a poutine.  I liked the Alfredo more due to the considerable amount of that same meaty bacon.  They were in large cubes that had much more meat than fat.  Hence, they were a nice little snack that I could pick off and go with my beverage.

With some of the same toppings, we had the Jersey Rippers (aka Hot Dogs).  Naturally, I gravitated to the Alfredo due to that awesome bacon.  I think that the bacon not only added the usual smoky saltiness to the dog, but the textural aspect was even more impactful.  It gave the hot dog more body and made it more fulfilling.  Not to mention the cheesy creaminess made this a rich concoction  Now the Hoboken ripper was even more flavourful due to the spicy tanginess.

We ended off strong with the Italian Donuts and they were served hot out-of-the-fryer being crispy with a warm soft interior.  It was dusted in powdered sugar and drizzled with nutella.  Pretty delicious way to end the meal.  Overall, the food at Jersey Eats is not complicated.  They have a few options with similar toppings/flavors.  However, the food is prepared properly and I found it impactful and yummy.  Prices are reasonable for the strip and it is a great place to grab a quick bite whether it be for lunch or late into the night (or early morning).

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Has a focused menu and does it right

- Food is flavorful

- Reasonable pricing

The Bad:

- Limited seating

- A few repetitive flavors

 

Boardwalk Burgers, Fries & Shakes

So why am I out in Abby again?  No, it isn't for a concert and no, it isn't to meet up for dinner with Nikita and Bluebeard either.  Rather, I was invited to try out Boardwalk Burger, Fries and Shakes at their S. Fraser Way location.  Did I really drive all the way out there for burgers?  Hey, I've done that before, I've even gone as far as Chilliwack for a fried chicken sammie.  For me, I will travel for food and sometimes, the best things are not within Vancouver itself.

To get a taste of the menu, I went for the baseline with the Boardwalk Classic sporting cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and secret sauce.  This was a fairly substantial burger since the patty was large in diameter and thick.  I found it to be on the leaner side, yet still tender at the same time.  The brioche bun was a sturdier version where it held up the wet ingredients well.  I would've liked it toasted just a bit more to soften the interior.  Despite being a small detail to some, I thought the uniformly even piece of lettuce and ample tomato ensured that I would get some in every bite.  It also looked nice too.

Going with a fancier burger, I also tried the Mushroom Swiss with sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions and mayo.  This was a very good burger with the same thick patty topped with a mountain of fresh mushrooms.  They were laced with creamy mayo and melted cheese.  These classic ingredients combined together made for pungent flavour profile of cheese and earthy mushrooms.  Lots of moisture provided by the mayo and the whole thing ate really messy, but it was worth it.

Onto a different type of meat, I went for the Hawaiian Grilled Chicken with lettuce, tomatoes, pineapple, cheese and mayo.  Despite being rather thin, the chicken breast was still quite moist and tender.  It sported nice grill marks and had a bit of smokiness.  Once again, the lettuce and tomato were fresh.  The addition of pineapple added a tangy sweetness while the cheese added more body.

To complete the variety of burgers, I also had a fried version in the Spicy Crispy Chicken with lettuce, tomato, cheese and spicy mayo.  You know my love for fried chicken sammies, so I have a good handle on what is good and what is not.  Well, this one was definitely good.  The chicken was juicy and not overdone while the batter was uniformly crunchy.  I also enjoyed that this had a good kick and lived up to its name.

Onto the sides, I had the regular fries with my classic burger which could've been just a bit more crispy.  I also had the Bacon Cheddar Ranch as well as the Poutine.  I thought there was a good amount of crispy bacon with enough cheese for some ooey gooey texture.  I enjoyed the poutine more since it was pretty traditional.  It sported legit cheese curds topped with a rich gravy that wasn't too sweet.  Those Onion Rings were also good being the breaded type. They were crunchy with tender onion within.

Of course I couldn't forget about the various types of Milkshakes they had on the menu.  I went for something a bit different in the Strawberry Cheesecake Shake.  This was served in a clear-domed cup that held more shake than a flat lid would.  Also, I could see my shake.  This was one thick shake that was still quite drinkable.  I found it quite sweet, but it worked for this flavour.  I did get the cheesecake hit while adding some strawberry notes.

For dessert, I ironically had Cheesecake.  Well, it didn't look like much, but I found it quite good.  The texture was rich and thick with plenty of cream cheese flavour.  It was only purposefully sweet.  I also had the Lava Cake as well as the Brownie.  The lava cake was pretty typical with chocolate sponge encasing a molten centre.  However, the brownie was surprisingly good.  It was rich, chocolatey and just sweet enough.  Loved the crunch from the walnuts.  So for a fast-food concept, Boardwalk offers up quite the extensive menu.  They really nail it with the burgers, whether it be beef or chicken.  I do think the fries could be a bit crispier, but they are still good.  As for the desserts and milkshakes, I appreciate they are trying to offer more than the usual limited varieties at other places.  Overall, it was a great experience and I hope they expand closer to Vancouver!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this post

The Good:
- Solid burgers
- Such a huge menu
- Lots of choices for shakes and dessert

The Bad:
- Fries were good, but could be crispier