craft burger
wanted to check out the veggie burger at "craft burger"...but there was a line up of 8 people in front of me, on a friday at 1:45 p.m.
Is it worth the wait?....
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hippotatomus
Mar 14, 2009 01:24 PM
Just tried craft burger, it definitely satisfied the craving.. it wasn't bad but wasn't amazing. On the other hand, the fries were really good and might have been a slight salty but I loved the seasoning and would go back for the fries. My SO brought takeout home and the fries were still crunchy when they arrived.
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fonz
Mar 12, 2009 07:42 AM
Checked out Craft Burger on King St. this week. I ordered the Regular Burger Combo which includes a regular burger, fries and a drink for an even $10.
The burger meat was pink on the inside but was surprisingly dry. I didn’t find it "gristly". The flavour of the meat was decent and I could taste the beefiness of the burger. The size of the burger was good, not too big or too small. The bun was slightly larger than the meat, which was ok because it prevented the toppings from moving around and making a big mess. Overall the burger was decent but not great. The dryness of the meat was a big let down. How can you cook a burger that’s pink on the inside but dry?
The fries were the way I like them. They were a deep brown but not burnt. They were crispy on the outside and soft (not squishy) on the inside. The fries were seasoned well enough that I didn’t need ketchup for them (I like ketchup on fries).
I will go back to try their signature burgers, but this experience was not worth the $10. I'm hoping next time, the meat will be juicer or I won't be back.
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re: OnDaGo
fonz
Mar 13, 2009 09:04 AM
Either that or they press the meat down on the grill to squish out the natural beef juice.
To elaborate more on the fries for LTL, the fries seem to be cut earlier in the day and then fried to order. They removed the cut potatoes from a large bin and put them in the fryer. They did not look frozen but I dont know for sure. They were a deep brown colour and crispy. A tad on the salty side but not overly so. I usually need ketchup to enjoy fries because I find most fries greasy and the ketchup helps. But these fries were not greasy at all. The bag they came in had microscopic traces of oil.
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i can't believe how many people dislike craft. i go to that and burger shoppe frequently and have seriously never been let down. for me, it's the hands-down most reliable burger in the city - the organic with white cheddar rocks my world. have never once found it to be over cooked, i love the fries, i love everything about it. mmm, i could eat one now!
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Muffin__Top
Mar 11, 2009 11:50 AM
I gotta say its a decent burger as I love avocado on mine...
but man do the fries suck and are extremely overpriced!
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sugarcube
Oct 24, 2008 08:33 AM
Pretty decent burger, cooked medium rare as I requested (unlike Hero, which can only cooked it medium-well). However, I was a tad annoyed to discover that my Craft Bleu order was missing the avocado it was supposed to come with. I only reailsed the ingredient was missing when I opened the take-away at school.
Also, I purchased one Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk with Toffee Crunch. It was a little too sweet for my liking. Couldn't detect any toffee pieces or buttery-goodness taste either.›2 Replies-
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re: LTL
i liked the fries! The burgers (beef) were OK. I've had better burgers elsewhere (In n Out, shake shack etc).
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mrbozo
May 30, 2008 01:20 PM
Ground beef well-done is to die for. I'd rather have a samosa or a patty or a roti or an empanada or Cantonese chow mein as fast food; something one couldn't easily whip up at home and something that doesn't break the budget. The fascination with poorly executed cheap meat is curious to say the least. Oh well, pass the piri piri ...
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re: hotpeppers
mrbozo
May 30, 2008 10:23 PM
I've had my hand licked by a few of them but it hasn't induced me to kow-tow to their end product at any price.
Besides, overcooking beef as is the norm at burger boutiques, no matter its section of origin, invariably cheapens the meat. I'll take a well-seasoned medium rare hamburger made with lean ground beef from a supermarket any day over an upscale hockey puck loaded with compensatory toppings.
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re: mrbozo
deelicious
May 31, 2008 02:34 AM
Craft burger is not a hockey puck and their burgers are pink and can be ordered rare. Have u been?
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re: embee
deelicious
May 31, 2008 12:00 PM
Hey Embee. Let me qualify. Not the very best burgers from a restaurant, but I think they are great burgers for fast food. I like the bun and I enjoy the fried onions. (sometimes I get the spicy mayo too but not usually)
The original burger - they will serve it pink normally and it can be ordered rare. It is a larger sized patty than burger shoppe was when they opened and the ratio to bun is perfect for me. The beef while pink can still have a bit of chew, I don't know why as it doesnt seem like gristle. I like a bit of chew though as I don't like mushy burgers. They are char-grilled and have a nice flavour. I think Craft burger is a great improvement over what Burger Shoppe was when they opened (haven't been back). They are far superior to the norm out there while not quite backyard burgers.
Hope you enjoy. Check is in the envelope....hope I don't need to post it!
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re: mrbozo
Do you mean "well done" or do you mean "done well"?
Actually, I'm happy as a clam to eat well done beef in the form of samosas, patties, kibbes, kebabs, and such because these foods are all about great spicing. But a plain burger, tasting mainly of the beef, has got to be seared outside and pink and juicy within or it isn't worth eating at all.
I've had food poisoning so bad that the prospect of dying seemed a good idea. However, I've never become sick from eating rare ground beef.
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food face
Mar 17, 2008 04:40 PM
I can't believe nobody has mentioned the poutine. Amazing poutine. Real curds people. Real curds. In terms of burgers, for me it hit's the spot. I would agree that they overcook them. I tried a couple times asking them to cook it as little as possible. No luck. They are real tight assed about the whole raw meat thing. It doesn't have to be grey and kind of dry to be safe. Having said that, even a little overcooked I don't find it "grissly". It's good quality meat and the organic burgers real tasty. Above all go for the poutine. Ummy.
PS For about $3.00 more you can get a burger at Kiwi accross the street for lunch.
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mlukan
Mar 17, 2008 03:52 PM
Tried it out and wont be back, the meat was decent but nothing special. Fries and onion rings both frozen "Its not much work to make your own fries and onion rings considering the size of their menu" . Simply put, nothing special, how I wished it would have been.
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re: mlukan
mlukan
Dec 9, 2008 09:14 PM
I have to take back this negative review I gave. Craft Burger has become my go to place for a good burger, not amazing, but a good burger joint none the less. I stay away from the sides just because the burger is filling enough but the poutine is pretty darn good and I am happy to say I recommend this place if you are in the area. The girlfriend likes the blue burger but I'm still getting used to blue cheese to I get the regular craft burger.
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eller
Mar 11, 2008 06:33 PM
I went to Craft Burger for the first time today at about 3 in the afternoon. It wasn't busy at all, and as I've been walking past it ever since the sun started to poke through the clouds during my lunch breaks I've been wanting to try it. So after a coworker mentioned that she wanted McDonalds for lunch, I knew I had to intervene and bring her there. Plus, at that time I knew it wouldn't be lined up out the door.
We ordered the burger combos to go. I went with the onion rings, she with the fries. Her eyes lit up after seeing fresh, thick patties being laid out on the grill and after about 10 minutes we were on our way back to continue working away while working away at our lunch. After my first bite, I messaged her and asked "So?" She replied with a smiley emoticon.
Yes!
The burgers there taste a bit like Harveys' used to, crossed with how Lick's once were. Not too greasy and certainly not dry. Not quite well done (mine had just a tiny bit pink after walking for 10 minutes) with the right level of charred flavour and mixed with the standard toppings they offer, I honestly think its the best deal in the area. The buns were substantial, but not eggy or sugary or overly fluffy. My burger stayed intact and didn't drip condiments all over the paper wrapping or my desk right to the last bite.
I mentioned previously that I'd ordered the onion rings which were a bit disappointing given the caliber of burger Craft served up. They were overly battered and obviously frozen - I had two that were stuck together. I'd hoped that they were made in house like their fries were (my coworker remarked that she could tell they weren't frozen) and really, how hard are onion rings to make from scratch? Nonetheless, they were crunchy and substantial and not greasy but I also of wish they'd package them differently instead of in a muffin/bagel type bag. They're kind of hard to apply ketchup to and fork out that way.
But in all, today's lunch was a wonderful treat which I hope to introduce more of my coworkers to. I grabbed a couple of their menus and distributed them around to my foodie friends there as we all need a diversion from what Zupa serves from time to time.
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re: MindGrinder
I work practically across the street but the crowding has kept me away (I'm a little claustrophobic). I tried it yesterday for the first time, having lunch very late. It was a decent burger, but not super special. A little gristly, a little overdone. I'd eat there again, but wouldn't wait in line.
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re: betsy
pescatarian
Mar 12, 2008 08:36 PM
I can't believe how many people describe the burger as gristly - eww
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re: betsy
vorpal
Mar 13, 2008 03:04 AM
I've eaten there twice, and while I don't know about the use of the adjective "gristly", the burger was overdone and simply so-so. Fries and onion rings were also both merely so-so. Worth a stop if you're frequently in the neighbourhood. Otherwise don't bother, IMO.
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re: Blueicus
deelicious
Mar 13, 2008 10:46 PM
I have eaten there maybe 5 times. I havent ordered the frozen rings since the first disappointing visit but then again I also cant stand the frozen A&W rings that everyone seems to love.
Of the burgers, I've only ordered the organic beef patty and I too have had one that was gristly (yes - difficult to chew chunks in the patty), but the other 4 were "normal". I have enjoyed the chicken sandwich when I've requested extra seasoning. It is generous.
I work nearby so I eat there sometimes. I find the burger too dry to get excited about it - even though slightly pink inside. I do like the bun.
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I work close by and a huge burger fan (and yet to find the mother of burgers in toronto). I went in, and decided i'll give them their best shot. Got the organic burger with the works (bacon, cheese and mushroom) came to $14!!! Normal burger is $7 i think without cheese.
I asked for medium rare, the said they only make it one way, medium. Came out well done and over cooked. I won't go back. Much better burger at Wood Oven Grill in Kensigton. Superb in comparison and cheaper in deed.
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