Burger Time

Circular food critic seeks city’s best hamburger

-Jason Lewis – FFWD Jun 6-12, 2002

Simple pleasures really are the best, and for those of us who still eat meat (or don’t have a gluten intolerance) there is nothing better than a good hamburger. Fast food chains have built mindblowing franchises on cylindrical ground beef slapped between two slices of bread – with so many choices, where can you find the perfect patty?

            For comparison, I visited restaurants that prepare fresh burgers, then chose the item most closely resembling a cheeseburger.

            What I discovered was that the best burger in town doesn’t even look like a burger. Served on grilled Texas toast with hash browns on the side, the cheeseburger at the Galaxie Diner looks like a refugee from their all–day breakfast menu. Do not be deterred. The patty is grilled over open flame and the grated cheese is lovingly melted on the patty before crisp lettuce and fresh tomato (and extras if wanted) are added. The Galaxie holds the distinction of being the only place in town that puts relish on the burger without overpowering the taste. Hot and juicy, for just $5 it will leave both you and your wallet full.

            The Burger Inn wins the silver medal in the burger Olympics. They offer unparalleled variety – beef, veggie, chicken, turkey, buffalo and ostrich – and their cheeseburger is greasy in the best possible way. At the core is a succulent burger with plentiful toppings – lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion – that can be loaded with extras for a nominal charge. With three locations, Burger Inn brings quality back to burger chains and leaves you satisfied with a fast, cheap and hearty meal.

            Much has been made about the burger at Buchanan’s and rightfully so – they know their meat. While their burger is very pricey, it still takes third place because it is nearly flawless. Rarely does a burger loaded with lettuce, cheese, bacon, tomato, onion and pickle stay together when you flip the bun – this one does. This hearty burger is cooked to your specs – including their optional sauce – and offers a juicy patty and a full belly.

            The Ship and Anchor Pub and Ming both get a highly recommended honorable mention. The Ship offers a fantastic basic burger at a rock solid price. Bacon and mushrooms are extra, but the Ship Burger is a scrumptious as it is economical. At $4.95 you get a tender burger that can barely be contained by the lightweight bun, and the pile of fries you get with it are the best in the city. The Red Square burger at Ming with its special mayonnaise and ciabatta bread offers a different taste in a town where most of the burgers taste the same.

            When you’re looking for a drive-through, the best bets are Peter’s and CB’s. Peter’s Drive-In offers a great barbecue sauce and a bonus half patty – which makes you feel like a chump if you ordered the double – and CB’s Drive-In has a picture-perfect take out burger with some great fries.

            Unfortunately, Calgary seems to be awash in a sea of burger mediocrity. Most of the disappointment lies with the restaurant burgers. Diner Deluxe offers a fairly lackluster entry with nothing special except for the underdone potato wedges, and The Rose  and Crown burger is just plain over-done. The biggest disappointment is the 4^th Street Rose’s Burger Queen. Their offering is so charbroiled that it tastes burnt. The balsamic onions and tarragon demiglase add substance, but, in the end, its smoke and mirrors fails ti hide its inadequacy.

            Back-to-the-basics proves to be the rule in the hunt for burgers, where the best are those who keep it simple, but do it well. It may just be ground beef and bread, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

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