Toronto’s Burger Trend – The Old Guard vs. the New

Toronto loves its food trends. For a while, it seemed like every restaurant that opened up was either Asian fusion or a cheap sushi spot. Pic Nic, the Black Hoof and Atelier Thuet have brought charcuterie to Toronto in a major way. And restaurants like Loire and Tati represent the best of a new wave of French bistros in the city. But one trend has arrived that is acting as a reinvention of one of our favourite foods and serves as a grand culinary hypocrisy, the gourmet burger.

Long ago burger shops were the standard for late night eats. Apache Burger (5236 Dundas Street West), Magoo's Gourmet Burgers (4242 Dundas Street West) and The Burger Shack (233 Eglinton Avenue West) would crowd with cars as big as boats, serving as a late night meeting ground for my father's generation to meet after dates or nights out on the town. Burgers, fries and sodas were cheap, tasty and served without a touch of pretension; not such an easy thing to find in the city anymore.

The aforementioned burger joints all lay just outside of downtown and are all still serving up delicious hamburgers late into the night. But for the downtown core, a simple burger isn't easy to come by anymore. Restaurants such as BQM (210 Ossington Avenue), Terra Burger (532 Eglinton Avenue West) and Craft Burger (573 King Street West) have all popped up within the last year and a half to much fanfare, with food writers and eaters alike doting on the spots as if they were the best thing since sliced bread. Burgers are served with interesting and, at times, unconventional ingredients, and prices have sky-rocketed in comparison to the old guard.

Pricing at the new joints might have something to do with the quality of meat being used. Organic, corn-fed, naturally raised, hormone-free... pick your feel good words, they've all got one or the other attached to the meat between the bun. But the question is, does the flavour stack up? Maybe the old-school spots have the distinct advantage of not caring about the way the beef was raised; flavour is paramount, and it shows in the end product.

In two weeks of burger-gorging, Apache, Magoo's and Burger Shack all dominated Craft Burger, Terra Burger and BQM in a purely flavour-based comparison. The patties were always cooked to perfection, without the juices being pressed out of them and without over-season or over-dressing. While it's difficult to prove that commercially-raised cows taste better than their organic, natural counterparts, the difference between burgers in Toronto proves there is undoubtedly something to be said about not caring about health when it comes to matters of taste.

So then, what's all the fuss about? The new locations are all well designed, utilizing raw woods, earth tones, well-placed antiques and kitschy knick-knacks that hearken back to a time long ago. The old places are, well, old. Most have never updated their look, but have become new looking because they capture a nostalgic appeal that most strive for, with laminated tables and counters and booths that look like something out of Happy Days.

Apache Burger captures the feel of a 50's burger shop exceptionally well. The neon vinyl banquettes and front sign in particular make me feel like I'm about to see poodle skirts and rollerskating waitresses. A favourite spot of the Maple Leafs (see the photos to the left of the cash), Apache epitomizes what burgers should be, and I know a large contingent of city dwellers who will still make the trek out to Etobicoke when they're in the mood for the real deal.

In my burger travels, price was likely the most notable difference between new and old. The additional cost for an organic or natural beef burger surprisingly isn't a mitigating factor if you're in the mood for some red meat, but they are still more expensive by average of $1.50. For some, the price increase is well worth the peace of mind that comes with eating a healthier cow. But on the other hand, if you're trying to be healthy, a burger probably isn't the best choice of meal in the first place.

Of the new spots, BQM feels like the leader of the pack from a trendiness standpoint. Located on the city's newest entertainment district, Ossington Avenue, BQM is filled with massive wood tables and has a menu that boasts a serious poutine selection as well as some inventive burger creations. BQM's hamburger prices are among the most expensive in the city, and with unconvincing and inconsistent results, it hardly seems worth the hype it receives because of its location.

The burger trend that is going on currently seems to simply be a medium for the bigger trend that is organic and environmentally-aware eating. As an organic food eater, I find myself surprised to say that burgers might be my one exception, and that the next time I decide to treat myself to a juicy slab of grilled patty, taste will undoubtedly be the prevailing factor in deciding where I go to get it. This is not to say I'll be going back to a chain-style fast food restaurant anytime soon, but design and price aside, Toronto's new burger joints haven't done the job in stacking up to their ancestors. The trend is without a doubt worth checking out if you're a burger lover, but don't believe the hype, the taste will tell the tale.