538954 Tue Jul 15 10:39:51 -0700 2008 46 23 Ontario (including Toronto) 0 3870508 Just tried this brand-new place on Brock near Queen in Parkdale, in the old Rosie's dirty-bird fried chicken and grease spot. They've renovated it and are serving bison burgers, beef burgers, chicken and veg burgers, plus fries, poutine (with real curds), salads, etc. I wasn't that hungry so I just had a takeout bison burger ($4.50) with old cheddar (95 cents) and grilled onions (50 cents) on top. The burger was good, cooked medium-rare which I was overjoyed about, I guess they must grind on-site. The meat could have used a little more salt. The bun was a nice brioche-style, with a good bread-to-meat ratio. Having the LCBO right next door was too tempting, so I got a tallboy of Tecate to accompany the burger whilst sitting at my desk. I am having a good day. We've been waiting for a new work lunch spot around here, and I know my co-worker just bolted out the door to get a poutine when I told him they had curds, so I expect more reports will be forthcoming soon. They don't seem to be licensed for booze but they were saying they did just get their patio license and the furniture is being delivered today. And they're open until 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays, which should be useful for the Ossington and Wrongbar crowd. Tue Jul 15 10:40:02 -0700 2008 29140 childofthestorm 1 3871654 While I truly appreciate any attempt to rehabilitate what may have been the ugliest building in Parkdale, I have my doubts about the wisdom of setting up shop in that location. Being right next to a busy LCBO, the patio is sure to feature a lot of 'street theatre'. That said, this place is so close to me that poutine as a takeout is an option. That and a medium rare burger mean's I'll have to give them a try now! Tue Jul 15 15:55:44 -0700 2008 3870508 49045 Pantz 2 3877386 Tried this place yesterday. They are promising, but need to work out some kinks. First off, no air conditioning means that the interior is just brutally hot. You might as well be working the grill yourself. Another issue is ventilation. It didn't seem adequate and the whole place reeked of oil, like a Fish & Chip shop. I ordered the Bison burger with bacon and cheese and the poutine, which the menu board states has "real gravy and real curds". I get my order home and find the burger also has sautéed onions and mushrooms. Luckily, I like those items, so I dig in. I'm happy to say the burger is really good, cooked just a little under medium. Nice grilled flavour, nice texture, with that big bison flavour, almost uber beefy. Good ratio of burger to bun. Toppings are also good. However, if you are getting toppings you didn't order, I would recommend (not) ordering either mushrooms or onions. (Not) ordering both added a soggy factor to the bun. The poutine is really disappointing, only fit for the green bin. They get big points for using actual potatoes, but the fries are overcooked crisps and nearly, if not actually, burnt. There's an unpleasant bitter note in them, and I'm wondering about the freshness of the oil used. Or have they just burned enough fries that it's already bad? Gravy is a little bland and the cheese curds are as well, but with the bad fries, it's hard to say if they are just overwhelming everything else. To sum up, the burger is good and worth repeat visits. Fries…I'll try again and hope they master the Friolator. They were getting steady business around 8:30 on a Wednesday, so the LCBO traffic may work out for them. Thu Jul 17 10:25:34 -0700 2008 3871654 49045 Pantz 1 3878633 Intrigued by this new burger spot in Parkdale. I ordered the bison burger to go this afternoon. It was a real treat! The meat was juicy and flavourful. No hockey puck burgers here! Nice gourmet toppings and sauces too. A unique spin on burgers! Looking forward to the licensed patio. Menu seems to have good variety for a burger joint. Thu Jul 17 15:55:34 -0700 2008 3870508 210769 Señor Food Bag 2 3879136 Welcome to Chowhound. What's your favourite burger in the city? Thu Jul 17 19:11:23 -0700 2008 3878633 29140 childofthestorm 2 3886064 only in Toronto for the summer (I'm from Buenos Aires), so I am not so familiar with T.O burger joints...I am definitely enjoying this bison burger, especially at 3am on the weekends...! Sun Jul 20 16:55:13 -0700 2008 3878633 210769 Señor Food Bag 1 3880282 Im with pantz on this one. There is a definate need to iron out the wrinkles. They messed up my order and served my order to someone else who ordered after me. so i had to wait whilst they remade a burger for her first. Duh. They recognized that there was a problem and offered complementary lemon juice and water, or "homemade lemonade" Bison burger was burnt and dry, poutine was vile due to the sludgey vegetable gravy, that tasted like burnt black bean sauce. Lemonade was too tart. I was underwhelmed, if thats a word. there is about 25 tables? and with four orders on the go, they screwed up. Its understandable as the girl behind the order desk couldnt take a phone call because they were "really busy". Oh and the bickering between staff that went on was entertaininger than the usual bum parade to the LCBO. I will wait a month and go back to try their beef burg and roast bison samitch and potentially good frites, au natural (as i deem them too thin for poutine). And see where they stand. I overheard that they may have delivery soon..... Oh and even on the second run through my order they forgot the pickles , dammit! Fri Jul 18 08:22:50 -0700 2008 3870508 210918 nipsyD 2 3880803 Ha, yes, they were bickering like crazy when I was there too! Probably a good idea to wait a while. I'll be back soon though, as I am so sick of the lunch options around here. There is only so much sharwarma and pho that a guy can eat. Fri Jul 18 10:40:00 -0700 2008 3880282 29140 childofthestorm 3 3881265 Totally get you on the shawarma/pho thing. It's all I eat here (Asia 21 at King and Dufferin has great vermicelli though!) So I went to Stampede for a Bison burger today and it was great. Juicy and rich meat with a bun that does not overpower. Toppings are good but not too interesting. I was hoping for more nifty relishes/sauces a la Buddha Dog. It was too muggy today but that cute patio with the coloured Umbra chairs really brighten up that corner. Definitely hitting that when they get a license! Fri Jul 18 12:38:20 -0700 2008 3880803 210997 Sui_Mai 3 3881282 In the hood, The Beaver does a wicked Lamb Burger. It seems to have survived a few menu iterations, so I'm not the only one that thinks so. BTW, do not order a burger from the Swan. Fri Jul 18 12:44:17 -0700 2008 3880803 210997 Sui_Mai 4 3881864 I agree about that Lamb Burger at the Beaver. Went there last month for the first time in a year or so and I remember almost being shocked at how juicy and tasty it was when I took the first bite. Goes to show how hard it is to get a good burger is in this town. And the Beaver doesn't even have a kitchen, they just cook everything with steam nozzle on the espresso machine. Fri Jul 18 15:44:20 -0700 2008 3881282 49045 Pantz 5 3970423 cumbraes was making them for beaver for a while, pretty sure they still are. Tue Aug 19 16:49:42 -0700 2008 3881864 21070 cupcakez 1 3882491 Went to Stampede tonight and it was awesome. Bison burger was excellent, service was friendly and fast, fresh squeezed lemonade yummy delicious. Sat outside on the fantastic patio (altho no license yet). Didn't try the fries or poutine. Will definitely become a new regular place for this Parkdalian. Fri Jul 18 21:14:39 -0700 2008 3870508 148987 shillmon 1 3883101 So why is it only new Hounds like this place? Hmmmmmmmmm. Sat Jul 19 08:00:18 -0700 2008 3870508 12072 Googs 2 3883797 Who you calling new, pal? Ha, I know what you're saying though. Although to be fair I liked but not loved it...it needs some work for sure. I think it's worth a try though, especially given the dearth of options in that area. Sat Jul 19 14:08:55 -0700 2008 3883101 29140 childofthestorm 1 3886049 Considering this place just opened about a week ago, I see some great potential. Bison burger was good and cooked perfectly. Although fresh cut fries were tempting, I couldn't resist the sweet potato option and was not disappointed. All around a good experience and the patio really does brighten up the area. Will be back for sure. Sun Jul 20 16:47:08 -0700 2008 3870508 211616 Foodman X 1 3892041 i live next door to the grill and have been there several times already. Love the sweet potato fries.... but would like some sort of aioli. the staff is super friendly and they have done an amazing job transforming what was Rosies. Bison burgers are really tasty. Instead of avocado slabs maybe guacamole on the burger would have been better. can not wait until they have beer there. this could be an amazing patio for watching some craziness. i hope they do not have trouble with the locals. did not care for the onion rings. they should serve nachos. Tue Jul 22 14:06:02 -0700 2008 3870508 212211 wolfmanharv 1 3916892 Went there tonight. They are fully licensed now. $3.75 for a 50, $4.50 for guiness, Organic, and beers like that. They also have a Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum milkshake. Haven't tried it yet.... but it sounds great to me. Got a Bison Burger with goat cheese, dijon and the freebies. It was cooked to medium. Would have liekd it a little rarer, but hey, it was still very tasty. While I was waiting, another customer got a double order of the yam fries. He ate them there, and then got another double order of the same... I was already wanting to try them.. I will definitely go back. Wed Jul 30 18:24:58 -0700 2008 3870508 47462 PrawnSolo 1 3918079 Made it here last night. Overall, thought it was quite good. Had a bison burger with sweet po fries and a beer on the patio. Amusing watching the Parkdale hoods and drunks meander by just dying to take the beer off your hands. Would have preferred a bit thicker burger but it was well cooked and the fries were definitely excellent. If I lived across town I wouldn't make it a regular destination but for a 10 minute walk it's definitely worthwhile. Thu Jul 31 07:37:35 -0700 2008 3870508 21599 airsey 1 3924087 stopped by yesterday for a take-out bison burger with old cheddar, onions, and tomato. overall, the taste of the meat was great but mine was cooked well-done! or rather over done... it kinda ruined the burger. the bun was nice, and i also think the bun/meat ratio was great. also, yummy yummy old cheddar. i thought it was a little expensive ($7), but i'll probably give it another try and make sure they cook it medium/medium rare. Sat Aug 02 07:07:03 -0700 2008 3870508 13092 jayseeca 1 3924956 Stopped by last week to try a bison burger. I've really been feeling the need for a great burger fix lately and was crossing my fingers here. I asked for medium, they said the meat was ground off site so I ended up going with medium. The burger came well done and was understandably dry. Disappointing as the place seems so interesting. Sat Aug 02 14:35:57 -0700 2008 3870508 185596 JamesJT 1 3966935 tried this place and it fails into the fail category unfortunately. the fries were improperly blanched and after that improperly fried. check your blanching, oil and/or fryer and spare me a box of soogy and undercooked frites. i had the beef burger and it tastes and looks suspiciously like a frozen patty to me. the bun was so-so, lettuce limp and raw onion-wtf? thanks for the nasty gas. i asked for the aged cheddar on the burger(nothing more than black diamon old) and they didn't even melt the cheese on the burger instead they just lazily threw it on the bottom end of the bun. they also have some home-printed sign on the register in reference to "real change instead of spare change for pan-handlers" i sure hope they are giving a portion of their earnings to help this issue and not just giving some more usual left-wing, liberal bleeding heart rhetoric malarkey. learn how to make a decent burger first. Mon Aug 18 14:02:24 -0700 2008 3870508 123951 insideman 2 3968835 I recently tried this trendy burger joint on a trip to Toronto (I'm from Boston). The bison burger was cooked perfectly medium-rare, as it should be. The bun was very fresh; the aged cheddar, onions, and bbq sauce were perfect compliments to the burger. <boston rant> For anyone traveling to Boston, unfortunately there's no equivalent burger place here that serves bison. The one attempt in Boston - Know Fat Lifestyle grill - does not even compare or fall into the same class as Stampede Bison Grill. You have to travel out to near Worcester to buy fresh bison cuts and make it on your own. </end boston rant> Stampede Bison Grill does the bison right. Large meat portion, hand-made flavour (tastes fresh, and definitely not frozen). insideman - I can't speak about the beef burger but the bison is amazing. The aged cheddar is definitely NOT black diamond, it tastes significantly better. They don't melt the cheese here. The mid-melted texture adds to the dynamic flavour of the burger. I tried both the regular fries and the sweet potato - both excellent (perfectly crisp) and didn't have that old oil taste. This was during the weekend of Aug 1- 4. Plus, the namesake here is the bison - so try it! You'll thank me. Tue Aug 19 08:12:48 -0700 2008 3966935 219636 gluttire 3 3968910 Welcome to Chowhound! Tue Aug 19 08:39:53 -0700 2008 3968835 115140 cowhound 4 3969696 What type of cheese do they use there? Has anyone asked? Tue Aug 19 12:37:55 -0700 2008 3968910 202405 tjr 3 3969557 Yep, the aged cheddar is definitely not Black Diamond, but they seem to have some inconsistencies which is bringing them down. My burger was wayyyy over cooked and it ruined the whole burger, no matter how much I enjoyed the bun and condiments on their own. Tue Aug 19 11:55:34 -0700 2008 3968835 13092 jayseeca 4 3969785 specify the doneness then, if that bothers you. BTW, 4.50 for a bison burger is quite a low price. We're stuck with $6 bison burgers in Boston, and they don't even compare to Stampede's. :( Tue Aug 19 13:03:41 -0700 2008 3969557 219636 gluttire 5 3969849 I've had the bison, chicken sandwich and burger and they were each delicious and cooked perfectly with a nice bun. The salad is substantial for a side too with a nice homemade vinagrette and the option to add goat cheese and roasted red peppers. A nice alternative to fries. And the cheese was certainly not Black Diamond. Sometimes I see comments about hamburgers here and wondering what people are expecting. Tue Aug 19 13:26:06 -0700 2008 3969785 18477 jamesm 6 3970109 Their veggie burger is good, as well. I liked it because it doesn't try to emulate meat. It is a veggie burger. I tasted their yam fries, and must have hit a good day as they were crisp, and the oil was fresh. Tue Aug 19 14:49:57 -0700 2008 3969849 10837 erly 7 3973047 i never complain about food even when i feel let down but this trip to a simple burger shop was just wrong on all fronts. if there was something redeeming about this place then i would gladly speak of it but unfortunately the whole experience was blah. Wed Aug 20 14:17:30 -0700 2008 3970109 123951 insideman 8 3973678 I don't think this is some simple burger shop - the menu is varied w.r.t. meats and toppings. It's a buger joint, and does a great job. Wed Aug 20 17:56:05 -0700 2008 3973047 219636 gluttire 9 3978564 I meant to say - it's a burger joint. :) Fri Aug 22 10:56:11 -0700 2008 3973678 219634 bostonianfusion 9 3978575 I meant to say - it's a burger joint. I don't know why it logged me in to my old account here. Fri Aug 22 10:59:21 -0700 2008 3973678 219636 gluttire 4 4247492 I wouldnt discount the black diamond, as i see thier staff wandering around the price chopper frequently. also really enjoy it when the kitchen staff from the beaver come in and buy all the baguettes that the chopper has, when of course ive planned a meal around a baguetted sandwich. Mon Dec 15 06:14:40 -0800 2008 3969557 210918 nipsyD 1 4005213 ive been to stampede twice now and had the veggie burger (twice now). the first time it was really undercooked, and so everything kinda fell apart and subsequently, tasted awful. the second time, however; was excellent. the patty was cooked through and had a nice char on the outside, which made me appreciate the uniqueness of the veggie patty they use. most places use a requisite yves-style all tofu burger, which is not only flavourless, but a huge amount of tofu to digest. stampede's veggie burg had a combination of nuts and grains and veggies i think, with almost no discernible tofu. also, it was topped with sprouts and a slice of roasted red pepper, and for 4.50 you can't really go wrong. i would highly recommend it to vegetarians and meat eaters alike, because it has a lot of flavour that both sets would enjoy. Wed Sep 03 05:36:11 -0700 2008 3870508 212701 petitaubergine 1 4039710 Is this place still open? While driving down Queen this morning I looked up the street but saw nothing on the patio. Perhaps they have to move the furniture inside for the night due to the "quality" of the neighbourhood? Tue Sep 16 12:50:38 -0700 2008 3870508 53671 Davedigger 2 4040037 It is dangerously near my apartment...so I have been there regularly since they opened. Tasty, tasty bison... yum. Tue Sep 16 14:39:43 -0700 2008 4039710 21026 Non Doctor 1 4091297 I finally got to the grill yesterday at lunch. Had the bison burger with cheddar, tomato, onion, pickles and mustard. It was quite good. Cooked medium rare, but wasn't as juicy as I expected. I suppose that's because bison is so lean. I also ordered the sweet potato fries on the recs of a few in this thread. Bad idea. I don't like any fries that have a coating on them. To me it ruins the flavour. In fact I could barely tell the difference between the grill's yam fries and Col. Cluck's fries. Yuck! Will be wary of the fresh-cut fries and poutine in the future. I only noticed on the way out that they had fresh-squeezed lemonade. Will have to try next time. Also, they are now licensed. Wed Oct 08 13:27:48 -0700 2008 3870508 53671 Davedigger 2 4092192 Bison, while leaner than beef, does not have to be dry. This comes from either poor quality meat or improper cooking. Wed Oct 08 19:41:57 -0700 2008 4091297 202405 tjr 2 4277968 The roast bison sandwich is jui-jui-juicy! I think they should just sell those - they couldn't dissapoint! Sun Dec 28 12:58:42 -0800 2008 4091297 210997 Sui_Mai 1 4602968 Eating here tomorrow eve with a wee spawn -- has the poutine gotten better? And I presume burger is the way to go... (it's my first time) Thanks. Thu Apr 16 19:04:20 -0700 2009 3870508 278975 mikefly 2 4603843 just went for the first time yesterday. unfortunately my experience included all of the problems people have identified in the posts above. the place was very busy, with walk ins and phone orders coming in all the time. but half hour wait seemed excessive, especially since people who have ordered after us were getting their food. it turns out, our order was somehow 'lost'. not sure if the piece of paper fell on the floor, or someone got our order or what. they handled it very well however - offered to refund us (you pay up front), and give us the food for free, or give us a coupon for next visit. we opted to wait for the food since at that point we were starved. took another 15 minutes to get our food. we both found our burgers to be much too overcooked, rendering them dry. the flavour of the meat was very nice, and the bun was good, but overall the burgers were disappointing. the fries for the poutine was overcooked (deeply brown with a burnt aftertaste), but i liked the gravy and the curds. the onion rings were pretty good, fresh and crispy. so it wasn't great, but i will try it again and this time will specify how i want the meat done, to see if it makes a difference. it was a thursday night and they were swamped, so two guys doing it all (cooking, taking orders, cashing people out) may simply have meant they were too stretched. the place seemed to have lots of regulars which makes me think they get things done right more often than not. hope you enjoy your dinner! Fri Apr 17 06:46:02 -0700 2009 4602968 17778 Kasia 3 4605754 Do they have anything like Sweet Potato fries to go along with the Bison Burghers? How busy are they at lunch time on a weekday? Fri Apr 17 17:07:27 -0700 2009 4603843 194774 Smachnoho 4 4605883 Yes, they have sweet potato fries. I haven't tried them yet, though. Their regular fries are freshly cut and above average. They also have poutine which I haven't tried either. I like that they have freshly made lemonade. I've been twice during the week at lunch and it's fairly quiet. But during those times they just had the one person running the whole place, although we received our food promptly. Fri Apr 17 18:19:52 -0700 2009 4605754 10762 num nums 5 4607023 Okey... Bison burger was okay, but not awesome. toppings were mediocre. Perhaps i should have specified that I wanted it less well done, but typically I like my burgers on the well done side... Burger portion was very large. I will try the beef next time. Poutine was excellent!! .. The best I have had in Toronto -- a little too salty, but that's okay for a poutine! .. i will try to try the Caplansky's one that has gotten good reviews. Lemonade was delish - but it's frickin lemonade. Beer selection was not my favourite, but was reasonably priced. It's strange that it took what seemed like 30 minutes to prepare the burgers.. there was no one else in line, and 2-3 staff people. (one was clearly being trained and supervised, so this could account for some of it) .. How can this take so long? Anyhow, I felt good supporting local business, and exteme shock at the level of gentrification in Nouveau Parkdale. It isn't even slightly scary anymore -- apparently the crack whores are being pushed west. Sat Apr 18 11:09:28 -0700 2009 4605883 278975 mikefly 6 4607039 oh mikefly, all tho the hood has had a dramatic change in the last few years, come by at night, there are still some very scary corners...but its home... Sat Apr 18 11:20:18 -0700 2009 4607023 111770 robgm 1 4613952 I hafta say the service (which for a take-out joint doesn't usually come up for me) is pretty slow and unorganized - albeit very friendly. But at a busy time, complaining about waiting 15 minutes for food?? - that's no biggie. I have only had bison burgs and bison sammy and never a complaint - very tasty. Like I said before they should just stick to one great thing and slam it out (keep the fries too). Tue Apr 21 05:18:03 -0700 2009 3870508 210997 Sui_Mai