Burgers Ordered: The Double Cheeseburger
The Experience: Upon learning that Laura and Arian, who made their Burger Weekly debuts at Burger on Smith, were goin to be in Toronto for a few days, Burgermeister Brad sought them out to request our burger expertise, “When you are in Toronto, you must go to Burger’s Priest!” They were immediately intrigued at the thought of some delicious Canadian beef patties, ay. But what they came across surpassed their expectations.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnkvG8s3OKQ]They arrived on the scene in the midst of a blizzard, about a 15 minute cab ride from the center of downtown Toronto. What seemed like a wild goose chase upon arrival soon turned into a mission. The joint looked like your typical take out spot from the onset, with mostly diehard locals and a few tourists who had ventured from far away lands. The only ‘table’ in the spot was a bar with 5 stools, all of which were filled when they arrived. The walls were strewn with images of other cities’ burger havens, from J.G. Melon (Saint J.G. Melon) to In ‘n Out (Saint In ‘n Out). There was godly presence all around.While they had heard and fantasized about the ‘secret menu’ (filled with over-the-top burger creations), Laura and Arian settled on the regular menu; perhaps due to their inability to order in our hunger-haze, or perhaps due to our desire to experience a simple burger done right. Two double cheeseburgers were the call of the day. A major positive side to the Burger’s Priest menu is the DIY toppings option; everything from ketchup to pickles are selected the customer.
The hipster chick at the counter rung them up, their order coming to a total of $24.50. When Laura handed her a credit card she looked at her in either confusion, disgust, or amusement as the silly American Burgermeisters didn’t know that the Burger’s Priest is a cash only spot. Though this policy required stepping back out into the blizzard to locate a working ATM, this did instill Laura and Arian’s hope that they would soon be consuming Toronto’s best burger.
Ten minutes later, the moment arrived; the hipster chick called out their order. Laura frantically shot the requisite #burgerporn photos before delving into the juicy double awesomeness before her.
The Taste: The first bite was magical, the second even better. Most reminiscent of a Shake Shack burger, this burger was perfect for several reasons:
First, the bun; it was truly perfection. Similar to the Shack burger bun in loftiness & texture, this bun didn’t have the same processed taste. The Burger’s Priest’s bun tasted like what burger buns should taste like.
Second, the paties; the meat was perfectly cooked, and at medium temperature it was juicier than Laura and Arian were used to for a thinner beef patty. They could tell the patties were crafted, seasoned, and cooked on the premises, and that they were definitely never frozen.
Finally, the toppings; while there was no signature sauce on this bad boy, the ketchup & mayo combination did just the trick for the Burgermeisters. In addition, the option for pickle toppings on the menu is ALWAYS a plus. And the cheese? Ah yes, the cheese! Enough said.
Laura and Arian finished their burgers in a timely fashion, due to the lack of comfortable seating but also due to the delectable nature of this Canadian delicacy. A Slow Down Burger in its purest form, it was impossible for the Burgermeisters to take their time. They snacked on the fries, which were also up to par and offered an extra little treat for their long journey before venturing out into the cold, while attempting to digest. By the time they left, the joint was packed with hungry hockey-loving, maple syrup-eating lumberjacks who also thought they deserved some beef-tastic lovin’ on this snowy Toronto afternoon.
The Verdict: All in all, the Burgermeisters would definitely return again. They would also like to attempt the ‘secret menu’ (filled with MONSTER-sized burgers), if their appetites allow for it. Good job, Canada, good job.
The Burger’s Priest is located at 1636 Queen Street East & 3397 Yonge Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
