White Rock Burger Co.

For all the places that boast smashburgers, not many actually do it right.  Sure, they are indeed smashing a ball of ground beef with a cast iron burger press on a flattop.  However, only a few places create a maillard where we have that nuttiness and aromatics.  Furthermore, a smashburger isn't a smashburger if there aren't crispy edges.  That is why Between 2 Buns has been my goto place for a proper smashburger.  Yet, there maybe a serious contender with White Rock Burger Co.  We dropped by to check them out and their take-out window at the back of the Wooden Spoon.  They operate from 4:00pm on from Wednesday to Saturdays.   

To get a baseline of sorts, we ordered the Big Rock sporting 2 smashed patties, double American cheese, pickles, caramelized onions, lettuce and co. sauce on a potato bun.  Remember when I mentioned that smash patties should have crispy edges?  This had it in spades where the fully seared meat was also nutty and aromatic.  Nicely seasoned as well where the cheese was a bit crispy as well.  Having the sturdy potato bun helped keep things together without being too dense.

Fully-loaded and sporting 2 slices of crispy pepper jack cheese, we had the Fuego with double patties, pickled jalapeños, pickles, caramelized onions, shredded lettuce and chipotle mayo on a potato bun.  This was monstrous with the crispy and nutty cheese as well as the equally crispy beef patties.  Lots of tanginess and bite from the crispy fried jalapeños.  Extra spice was provided by the earthy chipotle mayo and extra crunch from the pickles.

Another large burger was The OG on brioche and stuffed with double patties, aged cheddar, thick cut bacon, crispy onion rings, shredded lettuce, dill pickles and co. sauce.  Since they used a brioche bun here, the bread was lighter and just slightly less sturdy. However, that allowed the crunchy breaded onion rings and crispy bacon to be the main textures.  They piled onto that with crispy cheese and of course, the seared edges of the smashed patties.

Going in a different direction, but also maintaining a crunch of some sort, we had the Spicy Southern Fried Chicken.  I found the chicken itself to be fairly moist with a uniformly crunchy coating.  It was definitely spicy and a touch sweet.  Those bread & butter pickles provided crunch and another layer of sweetness to cut the spice.  However, fried jalapeños provided more tang and spiciness as well.  This was also served on brioche and that is the proper bun for this in my opinion.

Last burger was the Cajun Chicken which featured a grilled chicken breast.  It was well-charred being smoky and a bit spicy from the Cajun rub.  I wouldn't have called it juicy, but the chicken breast was far from dry.  It was nicely complimented by the crispy thick-cut bacon and that tangy tomato jam.  Completing the burger was some melted cheddar, lettuce and co. sauce.  Once again, this was on a brioche bun which was soft and light. 

Naturally, we had to get some sides too!  Fries were crispy with some potatoness left.  Really enjoyed the Mac & Cheese as they used Cavatappi which held onto the cheesy sauce well.  Poutine was solid with a mild gravy and legit cheese curds.  Loved that their Onion Rings were breaded (my preference).  They were very crunchy where the onions didn't fall out.  Lastly, my favourite was the Dirty Fries as they were completely coated being spicy with the cooling of the mayo sauce.

We tried some of their Dips including the Garlic Aioli, Co. Sauce, Spicy Honey Mustard, Cool Ranch BBQ and Chipotle Mayo.  For me, the classic aioli was the best as it was creamy and had big roasted garlic flavours.  Chipotle mayo was great too with earthy, smoky and spicy vibes.  Honey mustard was great with the onion rings with its spicy sweetness.  I found the Cool Ranch BBQ to be tangy with some herbaceous notes.

For drinks, we had one each of the Sparkling Lemonade and the Strawberry Sparkling Lemonade.  Truly refreshing to wash down the big burgers with measured sweetness and some fizziness.  Overall, we were really impressed with the smash burgers at White Rock Burger Co.  They do their patties right with crispy edges and compliment them further with crispy cheese.  Great textures and accompaniments.  Will be back in a heartbeat.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Smashburgers done right

- Textures on point

- Large burgers

The Bad:

- Only takeout, so better have a place to eat it if you aren't going home

Casse-Croûte MangeDansMonHood

After our morning visit to Automne Boulangerie, we walked down the block to our 2nd eating destination in Casse-Croûte MangeDansMonHood.  This place is well-known for their smash burgers that were once only available during pop-ups.  Their menu is supremely simple and focused.  Only 2 burgers, fries and poutine are available.  Hey, I've always said, do one thing and do it right!

Since we were already a bit full from some pastries at Automne, we decided to only get a few items.  As mentioned, the menu is pretty small and we didn't have much to choose from either.  Hence, we got both available burgers including the Happy Double Cheeseburger.  This was a simple concoction with ketchup, mustard, onions and pickles.  Something doesn't have to be complex to be tasty and this was the case here.  From the well-toasted bun to the smash patties with crispy edges combined with 2 slices of American cheese, this was delicious.

Now as much as we enjoyed the Happy, the Cali Double Cheeseburger was even better in my opinion.  Just by looking at the name, I'm thinking this is a nod to In-N-Out with lettuce, double cheese, onions, tomatoes and pickles with MDMH sauce.  Now this was the best thing we ate since it was messy, saucy and salty (in a good way).  Combined with the thin smashed patties and toasted buns, this had some real In-N-Out vibes. 

We ended up with the Poutine for our side dish and it was pretty good.  The house-cut fries that were underneath the gravy were still somewhat crispy and had a nice aroma.  Plenty of potato texture as well.  The gravy was thick and mildly-seasoned, yet still flavourful.  Lots of legit cheese curds that were mostly not melted (which is how it should be).  Overall, the stuff at MDMH really hit the spot.  Legit smashburgers with crispy edges on the patties.  There was enough fat for flavour and to keep things from being dry.  Would come back!

The Good:
- Do one thing and do it well
- Crispy edges on the smash patties
- Good poutine

The Bad:
- Not a lot of seating, so get there early or be lucky

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

 

Meltwich Food Co.

So it goes without saying that the veritable sandwich doesn't get the accolades it truly deserves.  Often dismissed as a quick lunch option generally in kid's lunchboxes, it is associated with fast food spots such as Subway.  However, if you go gourmet, you will likely find really great Italian sandwiches at some delis and even full-service restaurants.  Okay, how about something in the middle?  A bit more exciting and refined than a basic sandwich, but not something that is as expensive as a proper sit-down meal.  Well, we have Meltwich, where it is counter-service restaurant that is a step above your typical fast food joint.  As the name suggests, they specialize in grilled sandwiches with plenty of cheese.  We made our way out to the South Surrey location to sample some this 100% Canadian-Owned chain (this matters right now!).

We wanted to go basic first and went for their Classic Melt, which for all intents and purposes, is a grilled cheese sandwich.  Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the sandwich because it was prepared expertly.   I thought the bread choice was excellent as it grilled up beautifully to be crunchy with a buttery nuttiness.  However, it was not heavy as it ate with a robust texture but was not dense.  Best of all, it was packed with cheddar cheese that was completely melted and stringy.

Of course we had to get some fancier sammies and that we did with the Southern Fried Chicken Melt.  At first, we were concerned at how flat this looked as compared to the picture on the menu board.  However, it wasn't important how it appeared to us rather, the eating experience was king.  Beyond the crunchy buttery grilled slices of bread, there was a wealth of crispy fried chicken.  Although it wasn't juicy, the chicken remained moist and was well-seasoned.  Meshed with the American and cheddar cheeses, we had plenty of ooey gooey goodness and saltiness.  Add on the chipotle, buttermilk dill sauce, tomato corn salsa, pickles and shredded lettuce, there was no shortage of creaminess, added moisture, spice and tanginess.  Getting something that was from their value menu for under $10.00, we tried the Pesto Chicken Melt.  This really did have a great pesto hit and the chicken was moist.  Again, it was encased with the same excellent grilled buttery bread.

One of the most surprising items we had was the Philly Cheesesteak.  By looks alone, this didn't appear to be anything special.  However, beyond the soft brioche bun, we found beautifully seared thin slices of beef that were tender and well-seasoned.  I loved the texture as well since the meat had some crispy bits and some drier portions.  This created a textural contrast as well as offering up nuttiness.  The bun itself brought everything together with a soft hug.

 

In addition to their sandwiches, the menu features a variety of poutines.  We had 2 versions including the Classic (not pictured) and the Chicken Bacon Ranch.  These featured medium cut russet fries that were fairly crispy where there was no gravy.    There was a generous amount of legit cheese curds that had a nice squeak to them.  I found the gravy to have a good viscosity and not overly salty.  The buttermilk dill drizzle on top added plenty of creaminess and brightness.

 

They also have a variety of sides too and we ended up with 2 of them including the Mac & Cheese Wedges.  These were pretty typical with Kraft-esque mac & cheese coated with a crispy batter.  They were a bit dry on their own, but the side of dill dip, it was good.  We also had some Mac & Cheese and it was rather saucy.  The flavour was quite muted, but after adding a splash of their delicious gravy, it added the slight saltiness that this needed.

 

Lastly, we had some of their milkshakes to go with our meal.  We had both the Oreo and Mango Milkshakes.  Surprisingly, the mango was much sweeter than the Oreo.  I was expecting the opposite.  They were fairly smooth while not being particularly heavy.  There was some iciness with the Oreo.  I did like the flavour of the Oreo as it captured the essence of the cookie without being crazy sweet.  Overall, the sandwiches at Meltwich were really good!  Bread was grilled up beautifully with a nutty butteriness.  They were generous with the cheese, which made things ooey gooey.  Poutines were on point too with delicious gravy and legit cheese curds.  For those who want to support Canadian, Meltwich is totally a Canadian-based chain.  Check out their daily specials, the Philly Cheesesteak can be had with fries and drink for only $13.00.  

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

The Good:

- Delicious well-prepared melts

- Legit Poutine

- Specials make things affordable and also their under $10.00 menu

The Bad:

- I thought the mango shake was a bit too sweet

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

Ma Poule Mouillée

Seeing how a bunch of non-toasted bagels from St. Viateur wouldn't necessarily satisfy us, we made the short drive over to Ma Poule Mouillée.  Of course there was a lineup and we stayed the course for 45 minutes...  We needed to see if this was better than Romados down the street.  Not sure why we didn't visit the place the last time we were here because it is across the street from La Banquise.

Anyways, we did finally get to the counter and we ordered the Louis Cyr (1/2 Chicken) with roast potatoes.  You can choose fries instead and this came with a side salad too.  We opted for the spicy and it was mild in our opinion.  As for the chicken it was not as juicy as we were expecting.  Rather, the breast was a bit dry and really need the sauce to give it moisture and flavour.  The dark meat was predictably better.  As for the potatoes, they were excellent.  Creamy and soft inside.

To get a variety of things, I also ordered the Little Talbot which was a chicken sandwich in a Portuguese bun.  Due to the dry breast meat, the sammie ate as such.  I asked for spicy and the sauce helped a bit but again, it wasn't that hot.  I guess I should've asked for more.  The side of fresh cut fries were excellent.  Crispy with plenty of potato goodness inside.

Okay, the real reason we were here was for the Poutine with chicken, São Jorge cheese and chorizo.  OMG, this was freakin' delicious and life-changing.  With all that savoury and rich gravy, the chicken was suddenly reborn.  Look at all that cheese!  It was stringy and completely covered the fries.  The chorizo added meatiness as well as a good kick.  Got everything in one bite and my mouth was very happy.

We also added one each of the Coconut and Portuguese Tarts for some sweets at the end.  I thought the Portuguese tart was quite good.  Loved the flaky and light tart shell and the silky custard filling.  It wasn't too sweet and that worked for me.  However, the coconut tart was definitely sweeter and aromatic from the coconut.  Overall, I found the chicken a letdown especially a place that promises juicy chicken.  However, that poutine is high-level.  I would come back for that.

The Good:

- Oh that poutine!

- Loved the roast potatoes and fries

- Tarts are quite good

The Bad:

- The actual chicken, especially the white meat, is not juicy

- Spicy could be spicier

Pause V

Arriving late into Quebec City meant we had really no choice in rental cars.  We were saddled with a Chrysler Pacifica, which would've been awesome if we brought the kids, alas we did not.  That infortainment unit must be the crappiest I've ever experienced.  It kept crashing and messing up my navigation!  Hence we took a little while to get to our hotel in Downtown and once we got settled, there were limited options in terms of late night eats.  We did stumble upon one a block away from our hotel in Pause V.

For Elaine and Costanza, they were in the mood for some Poutine Brune and as such got the classic in medium.  They weren't shy on loading up the legit cheese curds atop fresh cut fries.  Once melted from the delicious gravy, it was an ooey gooey experience.  Those fries were perfect with a crispy exterior giving way to plenty potato texture inside.  About that gravy, it was flavourful to the point of salty but not being salty.  

As you can see, they also had some Cheeseburgers and they were also fantastic.  They looked rather unassuming, but the bun was nicely toasted being soft, but robust enough to keep things intact.  The burger patty was meaty with natural textures.  It had been grilled up with some smokiness and had good flavour.  The only added ingredient was some shredded lettuce and burger sauce.  Basic but good.

Viv wanted something more than basic and ended up with the Country Burger with all of the same things as the cheeseburger except with the addition of a slice of grilled ham and fried onions.  So was this any better than the basic cheeseburger (that costs less)?  No not really.  I mean the ham added more flavour and the onions were sweet and caramelized.  But the basic cheeseburger was king.

So we also got a Shawarma Mixt with both beef and chicken.  In actuality, the beef was chopped up burger patty (which wasn't a bad thing).  This combined with pickles, lettuce, garlic and kebab sauce in a grilled pitta was quite filling and rather tasty.  There was the meatiness of the beef and chicken that was complimented by the sauces and then the burst of tanginess from the pickles brought things alive.  The grilled pita was crispy adding texture and also keeping things intact.

Lastly, I added the Poutine Steak Haché for good measure.  Yes, it was essentially the same classic poutine brune, but with chopped-up burger patty on top.  Therefore, the burger meat made this more fulfilling and robust.  I loved this poutine so much, I came back the next night to get one to go!  Overall, Pause V was a surprise find when we were desperate for food.  It fit the bill and more so.  I would come back the next time I'm in Quebec City!

The Good:
- Solid eats including the burgers and poutine
- Inexpensive
- Nice people

The Bad:
- Basic things are good, don't need to go beyond that, it isn't better  

Fritz European Fry House

I can't even remember the last time I visited Fritz European Fry House.  Sure, there is an old blog post about it, but that wasn't the last time I ate there.  It isn't as if I don't want to re-visit the place, because I I like their frites (or fries, whatever you want to call them).  I'm pretty sure it is under different ownership by now too.  The main reason I haven't been back is that I do not live in Downtown anymore and frankly, there is not much space in there to eat the frites and/or poutine fresh.  I personally do not like eating my poutine while walking nor do I want to take it somewhere far where it will get cold and extra soggy.  However, I was staying within a block away due to a conference and it was the perfect opportunity to pick up a late night snack and have it still piping hot in my hotel room.

So yes, I got myself a medium-sized Bacon Poutine.  I gotta say, this was one fine poutine with plenty of crispy frites topped with a considerable amount of cheese curds.  Throw in a boatload of crumbled bacon and thick gravy, this was a decadent and sinful treat.  I thought the gravy had a nice consistency and was plenty flavourful.  The melted cheese curds were stringy and was evident in each bite.  I didn't remember it to be this good, but am glad I got to have it again.

Of course I also had to get some Frites and I went big with the large size.  Yah, that was a huge cone of some crispy frites that were full of potato goodness inside.  The best thing about these frites was that they were not too thin where they would merely be crisps and not too thick where it would be too dense. Seeing that this was less than 5 minutes from the time I received them, they were still hot and fresh. 

Naturally, I wasn't about to dip these into ketchup (nothing wrong with though), so I went for a couple of dips including Garlic Lovers and Chipotle Mayo.  Being the classic accompaniment, the garlic aioli was creamy and aromatic.  This is my personal fav.  However, the chipotle mayo was pretty good too with some heat and smokiness.  Now this post is a bit short, but since they only have these 2 menu items (poutine can have different toppings though) and no hot dogs available at the moment, this is all I could order.  This is also all I could eat too!  Still good to me and if I have the chance to eat it again, I will!

The Good:
- Solid frites
- Equally good poutine
- Open late

The Bad:
- Nowhere to eat them other than walking around, which is okay for the frites on a nice day