Category: Scarborough

Location: 2075 Lawrence Ave E, Scarborough, ON M1R 2Z4

Website:  https://www.saltyz.ca/

Price: $29-ish

What We Ordered:

• Lebanese Burger
• Swiss Mushroom
• Sweet potato fries

Burger Review:

The hubs suggested we try Saltyz Grill after learning of its existence somewhere online. The reviews looked good and I really wanted to try the Lebanese Burger. So I hopped in the ol’ Jeep and trekked through the first snowfall of this season for take-out. The place was not busy at all, and there was plenty of parking out front.

The Lebanese Burger was better than I thought it would be. It tasted like a shawarma plate, which is perfect for me. It does have fries in the burger, but they were hardly noticeable. What really stood out was the nutmeg flavour of the sauce, the sweet n’ saltiness of the pickles, and the coleslaw.

My only couple of complaints was the sauce was so runny that my burger was desperately soggy by the time I got it home even though we don’t live too far. And my other complaint is they use styrofoam containers and non-biodegradable bags for the burger.

Meat: Patties are thin, but they stack them twice with a slice of cheese in between. The hubs thought his was a bit too well-done for his liking. But I found mine to be perfectly medium-well. They tasted fresh and formed on-site (ie not pre-fabbed frozen), but I didn’t ask to confirm. That’s just my hunch.

Toppings: The Lebanese Burger comes with fries, pickles, cheese, coleslaw, ketchup, mustard, and house sauce. I was worried I wouldn’t like it with ketchup and mustard, but if it was indeed on there at all, it wasn’t overpowering and blended right in. I don’t know what magic they put into their sauce, but it came out tasting like Shawarma with that hint of nutmeg. YUM!

Bun: The bun is a sesame seed bun. It wasn’t bad or anything, but it didn’t stand out as anything special. I might even lean towards saying it was a bit too big and fluffy. But it worked well with this burg. Unfortunately, the bottom was very soggy by the time I got it home to chow down, so I’d suggest consuming asap.

Other Food

I did have a taste of the Swiss Mushroom burger and it was just ok. But I’m not a huge mushroom fan, so maybe that had more to do with it. The hubs had a sample of my burg and we both agreed the Lebanese Burger was where it’s at. He decided if he orders from here again he’d get the Lebanese burg for sure. We also had some sweet potato fries which were chunky and delicious. They didn’t come with any dip though which is normally a nice little touch I like to see since sweet potato fries work great with aioli, but aioli is not something most people typically have at home.

Atmosphere & Staff:

The place is in a little plaza with other restaurants and shops. There was plenty of parking at the time, but I can see how it might get crowded if there was an event going on nearby or when we’re no longer pandemic living. The staff was very friendly. I was greeted at the door by a guy unloading supplies and carrying them in. The lady behind the counter was nice and friendly, and at one point another lady peak out from the kitchen to give a smile as well. The interior is very spacious and glamourous. It looks recently done. The picture below is only showing the back half of the restaurant and there’s a whole front section as well. The place would be perfect to host a birthday party or some other celebration (post-pandemic of course).

Final Verdict:
4 stars

The Lebanese Burger is definitely worth heading out for if you’re into fusing your craving for a burg with the deliciousness of Shawarma. I know I’ll be back for this mash-up.

Location: 41 Lebovic Ave A121, Scarborough, ON M1L 4W1

Website:  https://avengersburger.com/

Price: $39.50

What We Ordered:

• 2 x Avengers Assemble
• Hi, I’m Peter
• 3 x fries

Burger Review:

Avengers Burger is tucked away in a little Food Court in a recently opened Mega Plaza that never quite took off. The Plaza is pretty barren, other than a bank, three burger joints, a few other restaurants, and a smattering of retail outlets. Plenty of parking but very few customers.

This joint uses a Marvel Avengers theme to name their burgers after the comic book heroes. I’m surprised this place is not in an epic legal battle with Disney over the character infringements. They’ve named their burgers things like Iron Man, Hulk, Spiderman, and Scarlet Witch. But it seems there is no reason to give the burgers these names as the toppings don’t match up with the characters. For example, the Scarlet Witch on the menu is a double beef patty, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, & rosemary garlic aioli. But Scarlet Witch is a twin with serious telekinetic powers from the fictional country of Sokovia (think real-life Kosovo). If I was crafting a Scarlet Witch burger, I’d either go with something that feels Balkan, like feta cheese and a fresh tomato chop, or lean into the “scarlet” theme and get hot with some chili pepper jelly or hot sauce. As it was, the names of the burgers didn’t match up with the characters so it seemed kind of pointless to open the owners up to get their butts sued off.

Meat: Patties are formed on-site from Costco ground beef. That’s right, Costco. They’re grilled and steamed on a flat-grill under a metal bowl. This gives a nice crust on the burg, although it does come out perhaps too well done. There doesn’t appear to be any seasoning other than salt in this patty. It’s fine.

Toppings: The Avengers Assemble comes with iceberg lettuce, sliced tomato, round pickle slices, and rosemary aioli. I added onions and ketchup. I think rosemary aioli is not the best choice for burgers, as rosemary gives the meat a meatball taste that I’m not crazy about. Overall, it wasn’t mindblowing.

Bun: The bun seemed like a bakery brioche. It was good, but seems like something you can pick up a nice local bakery spot.

Other Food

The fries were spectacular. They cut them fresh on-site and they seem double fried. They’re thin with a lovely caramel colour. They’d do well with some malt vinegar.

Atmosphere & Staff:

The place is in a Food Court in an outdoor strip mall. But the strip mall is relatively new, and since the pandemic started not many shops have opened up to fill up the Food Court. There was only one other restaurant in the Court, so it was pretty lonely and empty. The guy working the counter seemed friendly enough, if not pretty bored from long bouts of being solo in a seemingly abandoned Food Court.

Final Verdict:
3 stars

Avengers Burger is decent if you’re in the area, but I wouldn’t go out of your way to add to your burger tour. Although, the fries are pretty good.

Location: 15 William Kitchen Rd, Scarborough, ON M1P 5B7

Website: http://jollibeecanada.com/

Price: $11.85

What We Ordered:

• Amazing Aloha Yumburger
• Crispy Fries
• Pineapple Juice 

Burger Review:

I’ve been wanting to try Jollibee since it came to Canada in 2018. If you don’t know Jollibee, it’s a famous Filipino fast food joint. I’ve heard of long lines that snake outside into the parking lot on busy days, especially when it first launched. Thankfully, the line up today didn’t go out the door but it was deep.

I noticed almost everyone had an ice-filled yellow drink with their meal, so I knew I had to try that. I also wanted to try the burger and the fries so I got the Amazing Aloha Yumburger combo with the yellow ice drink (which turned out to be pineapple juice). They had someone in line taking pre-orders so everyone could move along faster. Once you order and pay, you get a buzzer so you can sit down and relax while they whip up your meal.

I did not like this burger. Maybe it’s an acquired taste because people do like eating here. I noticed though that it seemed like most people were eating the chicken or spaghetti so maybe even the regulars know not to get the burger and I wasn’t in on the secret. I felt awful afterwards, my heart was pounding and I got a headache shortly after my meal. I had to take a walk in nature and drink plenty of water to deal with my Yumburger hangover. I will absolutely never go back again.

Meat: The Amazing Aloha Yumburger comes with two patties with a slice of processed cheese in the middle. The patties are somewhere in between the McDonald’s regular patty and quarter pounder in thickness. It is super salty and the seasoning reminds me of bad meatloaf. I feel like there was some MSG in there too, but I can’t confirm that. It was probably the worst patty I’ve ever had.

Toppings: This burger comes with honey mustard dressing, pineapple slice, lettuce, American cheese, and bacon. The bacon was gross, and I ended up pulling it out and throwing it out. But the rest of the toppings were good. The pineapple was a nice addition and the honey mustard was sweet.

Bun: The bun was ok. It’s a standard fast-food burger bun, no sesame seeds. I can’t say much about it, it was pretty unremarkable.

Other Food:

The fries tasted exactly like McDonald’s fries. I think the only difference was they were slightly thicker, but just a hair. If you put them in front of me and said they were McDonald’s fries, I would believe you. I liked the fries but the Yumburger was so heavy and gross that I only managed to eat about a quarter of what they gave me. The pineapple juice was the saving grace of the whole meal. It was delicious with a generous portion of ice. Perfect for a hot day.

Atmosphere & Staff:

It’s busy here. Be prepared to eat and run to avoid the crowds. The interior reminded me of McDonald’s because they have the same red and yellow colours with trendy greys and beige walls and seating. The staff was friendly and they really work hard to get everyone through the line quickly by taking pre-orders and giving out buzzers for when your order is up. Many of the tables are shared space like you’d find in a Shake Shack or similar. So you may find yourself cozying up with a stranger for your meal.

Final Verdict:
2 stars

I felt super gross after this burger. I liked the pineapple and honey mustard but the meat was not good. Both the bacon and the patty were awful. I would not come back here unless I was forced against my will. If that happens, I would just have the pineapple juice and a side of plain rice to save my tummy and taste buds from abuse.

Location: 480 Danforth Rd, Scarborough, ON M1K 1C7

Website: View menu at skipthedishes.com

Price: $12.90

What We Ordered:

• American Single
• Fries

Burger Review:

Anyone who lives in the area knows about Mama’s Boys. They serve up burgers, fries, and shakes, as well as a host of other classic neighborhood goodies like chicken souvlaki and steak sandwiches. I’ve been eating at this place for almost 10 years and there was a time when the burger had a Greek-seasoning that wasn’t great and it would be hit-or-miss in the consistency of how good it was. In the last couple years though they’ve gotten rid of the Greek-seasoning and become much more predictable with how the burger turns out. I like this burger as they make it currently. The toppings and bun go really well together and they have some toppings and condiments you don’t normally see at other places. It means you could make some interesting combinations like feta, tzatziki and olives, or bacon, cheddar, jalapenos, and sriracha. Unfortunately there is no blue cheese but don’t let that stop you from enjoying this local favorite. 

Meat: 4oz of never frozen premium beef grilled on a flat top. It says on their menu board that they don’t use filler, but it seems to me like they might use a brine. I don’t even know if that’s a thing. The meat comes out almost suspiciously soft and dark brown in colour which you can see in the cross section image below. I like it – but there’s something about it that’s a bit different than just straight ground beef and minor seasoning.

Toppings: Choice of toppings including olives and jalapenos. I got jalapeno aioli mayo, ketchup, honey mustard, green leaf lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles. The pickles are length-cut and the onions are red onions that are longer than diced, but not ring cut. This is one of the few burger joints that offer honey mustard, which I love on a burger.   

Bun: Typical hamburger style bun. I think the Mama’s Classic which is a 6oz burger comes with a sesame seed bun, but the American has no sesame seeds. 

Other Food:

The fries are thick cut and cooked to golden brown. I didn’t ask, but I’m sure they’re not frozen. They don’t taste like they’ve been frozen. These are perfect for sharing because there is no way I can eat all this goodness all by myself. 

Atmosphere & Staff:

This place is an eccentric dive. Mama has murals on the walls of a fictional place that looks like … I don’t know… Italy maybe? Flags from countries all over the world wrap around the windows, along with LED lights, and kitschy decor that looks like it was put up for a special event and never taken down. The place has that been-here-forever kind of grease you can see on the ceiling and floors. I wouldn’t call it dirty – just well used for a long time. Don’t get me wrong on the look, I love the place and I’m happy to take my kids there any time. The girls at the counter call me “honey” even though they’ve got to be younger than me. If you get Mama herself, be prepared to have free cake or watermelon offered. If you’re a regular, expect Mama to come over and ask how you’re doing and if you’re enjoying your meal. Enough inside seating that a spot usually opens up even when it’s crowded, although no one will mind if you ask to share a table and there is outside picnic tables as well. 

Final Verdict:
3 stars

This burger is good and made to order. If you’re in the area, you should make this one of your go-to joints even if it’s just to support a local family business. 

Location: 3 Chelwood Rd, Scarborough, ON M1K 2K5

Website: http://www.the6burgerbar.com/

Price: $12.90

What We Ordered:

• Home Burger
• Greek Fries

Burger Review:

This buger is very simple and it tastes good. But it is something you could easily recreate at home. It looks like this restaurant is using the same ingredients you can pick up in a grocery store, the buns on the counter said “Dempster’s” on them, and I know I’ve gotten those myself at the grocery store. The guy uses a small flat top with a press to cook the burger. You get your choice of toppings, including jalapenos and olives. But I’m just not overly impressed with this burger. Would I order here again? Yes, but only because it’s close to home and means I don’t have to cook dinner. Plus the Greek fries are addictive.

Meat: Handmade patties (but not fresh ground on site) Angus beef. The guy did shake something on the patty as it cooked, but it may have been just salt and pepper.

Toppings: Iceburg lettuce, sliced tomato, diced white onions, length wise cut pickles, ketchup, mayo, BBQ sauce. These toppings were all piled on the top part of the stack. They were very standard and reminded me of what I’d find at a classic family BBQ picnic.

Bun: Kaiser soft bun similar to the ones you’d get in the grocery store bakery department. It was slightly toasted on the grill top on both sides.

Other Food:

The fries are the bagged variety but the guy took the time to cook them right, bringing them up from the oil and tossing them and putting them back in the oil several times before serving. The toppings on the Greek fries are piled high and delicious. It includes tatziki, feta, Greek dressing, and Greek herbs (like oregano). I do really like these fries and will be thinking about them. My hubby got the chicken sticks dinner and said the portions were huge (enough to feed him and the kids).

Atmosphere & Staff:

The place is tiny with only a few two seater tables along the wall. There is free parking outside (bonus!). The guy running the place (who I think is the owner) is really nice and threw in a free pop with my order. There was an older guy in the back hand making patties while watching The Price is Right. The place seems a little dirty in the same way you’d see at any greasy spoon that is not a franchise or chain. It is best as a take out only experience.

Final Verdict:
2 stars

It’s not a bad burger if you’re simply not in the mood to cook. The food portions are generous and the owner is nice. However, you could easily recreate this burger at home so I wouldn’t recommend making it part of your Canadian Burger Tour.

Location:  1960 Lawrence Ave E. Scarborough, ON M1R 2Z1

Website:  http://www.topgunsteak.com/ 

Price: $17.49

What We Ordered:

• Freedom Fighter
• Cheese Fries with Beef Bacon

Burger Review:

I like Top Gun Steak. The menu has a ridiculous amount of creative burgers to choose from. I got the Freedom Fighter which comes with crusted jalapenos and guacamole. The burger is not too spicy with the jalapenos but it’s deliciously messy and gooey with all the cheese and guacamole piled on top. The toppings are generous and this burger tastes great.

Meat: 6oz Canada prime beef, daily grounded and never frozen. The meat tastes good. I would say it has decent fat content throughout. The patty is not too thick or thin, making it a nice choice for any burger lover. I didn’t find it to be overly salty and it didn’t taste like there were any seasoning added other than salt making it a true beef experience.

Toppings: One piece of torn leaf lettuce, one slice of tomato, several pickles sliced round and slightly sweet, sprinkling of diced white onions, fried crusted jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese and cheddar cheese, guacamole with diced tomatoes, and chipotle aioli. These toppings are messy and that’s totally ok. It adds a lot of moisture to the burger and bun and I did not need to add any ketchup or sauces to add flavor or moisture.

Bun: Yellowish bun was a bit stale and maybe too thick on the top part of the bun. The bun is where this burger really falls apart as it’s too stale and takes a bit away from the overall experience.

Other Food:

The beef bacon on the fries was very fatty so it was a little chewy at times but it had a wonderful smokey flavor to it. The toppings were all on top and hard to mix into the whole fry experience in the take out container but this was only a minor complaint since overall these fries are really good. The cheese topping with rosemary garlic aioli was addictive. The fries say “homemade” on the menu and seem to be the fresh cut not-frozen variety. They are cooked to that slight malty brown colour and really delicious. The fries were not super crisp, but that may have been because it was takeout and had the cheese on top. I didn’t mind at all though since overall they taste really good!

Atmosphere & Staff:

I got take out and my husband picked it up. I haven’t been in the restaurant yet personally. He says he does not like the interior and would never dine-in. He once described the guy working the counter as looking “really mad” for no reason.

Final Verdict:
3 stars

I flip-flop a lot on the rating of this burger. Having had it a few times, I have to say the meat and bun quality are not consistently good enough for me to rate higher than 3 stars. However, the toppings are wonderfully creative and I do recommend giving it a try if you’re in the area.