My review last week of four burger joints prompted readers to write in with their favourite burgers in Ottawa. Here are some of the recommendations I received:
“Best burger I’ve had in Ottawa was at Play (Food and Wine) about two years ago,” wrote one. “Every time I travel I realize how burger places here are comparatively mediocre.”
“I want to recommend the lamb burger at The Black Dog Bistro in Manotick — one of the best burgers I’ve ever eaten, topped with grilled red peppers and goat cheese. Yum!” wrote another.
“Have you tried Chez Lucien on Murray Street? Its crazy busy after 5 p.m. but so worth the wait,” wrote a third. “I love the Bourgeois burger with melted brie cheese, sliced pear and little bits of fried onion. Comes with fries and salad. So yummy!!!”
“Come to Perth to the Hungry 7 diner located on Highway 7,” wrote a fourth. “Chef Dave will make you a great burger!”
I’m glad for these recommendations. They, along with some of my other favourites, have led me to formulate the burger paradox, which goes like this: while the best pizzas are served at pizzerias, the best burgers come from non-burger joints. I guess it just takes a chef’s hands, or at least a willingness not to cook all the juice out of the patty or inundate it with goopy toppings.
For what its worth, some not-so-usual burgers that I find myself craving:
- The foie gras burger at Two Six {Ate} in Little Italy
- The pig cheek burger at Navarra in the ByWard Market
- The shrimp burger at Kazu in Montreal
I realize that we’re stretching the definition of a burger a little, but still — the above options are — or were, in the case of Chef Rene Rodriguez’s super-indulgent but off-the-menu pig cheek burger — good eating.
The Navarra Pig Cheek Burger, circa 2010.
UPDATE: There was some banter Tuesday on Facebook that Rodriguez and his crew will bring back the Pig Cheek Burger, this Friday at lunch at least, if not longer, in part as a salute to the late Citizen food editor Ron Eade, who was quite a fan.
As for burger joints that nail it, my votes go to Burger n’ Fries Forever on Bank Street, and Vera’s Burger Shack in Bells Corners.
Burgers from Burgers n’ Fries Forever on Bank Street.
A fully loaded Vera’s burger from the Bells Corners burger joint.
And you?
