"The Outlaw" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 12

Stop #12 of the 2017 Burger Love tour.

The second stop of the day was the Holy Cow in Morell, a small community about half and hour east of Charlottetown.

"The Outlaw" was made of 8 oz Island Beef Patty, house-made Smoky BBQ Glaze, Arugula, house-made Poppyseed Mayo, Hothouse Tomato, Dill Pickle, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Onion Rings, Maple-Glazed Bacon, house-made BBQ Ranch Sauce on a toasted Potato Onion Bun topped with a Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Popper, Cherry Tomato and Dill Pickle.

As a fan of BBQ, I liked this one. I really liked the smokey flavour of the burger and the maple bacon was plentiful and delicious.  

Rating 8.5/10

Although we set out with great intentions at the start of the day, planning to have 3 or 4 burgers, we ended up having to tap out after this one. A little disappointing at the time, but likely the right choice.  

Next @PEIBurgerLove victim, "The Outlaw" from Holy Cow in Morell. Now I need a nap! #peiburgerlove pic.twitter.com/TzRwNpKwb7

— Rod Gallant (@Rod_Gallant) April 29, 2017

"PiggyBack" - PEI Burger Love - 2017 - Part 11

Stop #11 of the 2017 Burger Love tour.

As we've done the past couple of years, my wife and I spend the last Saturday of PEI Burger Love doing a little tour, one last chance to try a few burgers. We always set out on this day with great intentions and a list of "several" we want to try but even though we split the burgers and don't order any sides we are usually pretty full after a couple. With that in mind, we try to make sure that the first two are ones we really don't want to miss and go from there.

We both wanted to try the "PiggyBack" from Gahan House so we decided to start there. Their burger consisted of 7 oz Island Beef Patty, Aged White Cheddar, Bacon, Crispy Onions, Sweet Sriracha Slaw, Granny Smith Apple Chutney on a lightly grilled Iron Bridge Brown Molasses Bun topped with a Molasses Bun & Maple Stout Pulled Pork Slider and a Gherkin.

I'm glad we started with this one. The sweetness of the apple chutney and the molasses added balance and a great flavour to the burger. The pork slider on top was a nice bonus. I put this one right at the top of the list with O'Shea's "Wingin It" as my favourite for this year. 

Rating 9.5/10

Great start to the @PEIBurgerLove tour. "PiggyBack" from @GahanPub. One of those ones I wish we weren't splitting, so good. #peiburgerlove pic.twitter.com/NYUxyBlqpT

— Rod Gallant (@Rod_Gallant) April 29, 2017

"Wingin It" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 10

Stop #10 of the 2017 Burger Love tour.

O'Shea's Pub is a great little pub in the small community of Kinkora about 15 minutes from our house. Although we don't get there as often as we'd like it's always a great time and Richie and the staff always make us feel like family when we are there.

Last years Spud's McWhiskey and the Shea-Nanigan in 2015 were one of our favourites each year so we figured this one would be good too and we weren't disappointed.

Richie and the crew knocked it out of the park again this year. The "Wingin It" had 7 oz Island Beef Patty, O'Shea's Signature Sauce, Savoury Onion Fritter, 2-year Aged White Cheddar, Bacon, seasoned Sauteed Onions, Lettuce, Tomato, seasoned Lattice Fries on a toasted Brioche Bun topped with a Salt & Pepper Chicken Wing.

Rating 9.5/10

Reward after a tough hill training run, "Wingin It" from @OsheasRichard in Kinkora for @PEIBurgerLove. Excellent. #peiburgerlove #RunAtCan pic.twitter.com/26ReDQqGf1

— Rod Gallant (@Rod_Gallant) April 28, 2017

 

"Beauty-n-the-Beef" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 9

Stop #9 of the 2017 Burger Love tour.

So after a couple of weeks away from little 'ol PEI it was time to get back into some burger love action.

It was a friends birthday this past Wednesday (26th), and another friend does trivia at a pub near their house so it was an easy decision to check out "Beauty-n-the-Beef" at Friends & Family in Kensington.

Their burger was made up of a 6 oz Island Beef Patty with Pepsi-Glaze, Roasted Garlic Cream Cheese & Caramelized Onion Spread, Arugula, Dill Pickle Slices, Apple Matchsticks, Havarti, house-made Bacon Jam, Roasted Red Peppers on a toasted Garlic Buttered Brioche Bun topped with Apple Petal & Cherry Tomato with Pickle Leaf.

A really good burger, even without bacon on it! The flavours really melded together well and the apple matchsticks added a nice sweetness to each bite.

Only a few days left and so many burgers.  Hope to be able to sample a few more before the end of the month.

Rating 8.5/10

Solid @PEIBurgerLove entry from Friends and Family restaurant in Kensington. Loved the apple slices. #PEIBurgerlove pic.twitter.com/TGeoKTOfZq

— Rod Gallant (@Rod_Gallant) April 27, 2017

"Ol' Smokey" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 8

Stop #8 of the 2017 Burger Love tour.

The journey continued with "Ol' Smokey" from Montana's. As a fan of ribs, lets just say I wasn't disappointed when our daughter decided that she wanted to go there for lunch.

Their entry comprised of 6 oz Island Beef Patty, 12-hr Smoked Pulled Pork, Bacon, Cajun Dusters Onions, Leaf Lettuce, shredded Smoked Cheddar, Mayo, Honey Chipotle Glaze on a grilled house-made Bun topped with an in-house Chipotle Honey Smoked Pork Back Rib.

It was like they snuck into my head and picked out the combination of ingredients that make me do this......

My only (small) criticism would be the bun, it was pretty plain. If it had a bit more flavour or if it had been toasted I'd be hard pressed not to give this one a Nadia Comaneci. I really like BBQ, and this bad boy had me licking my fingers and wanting more. 

Rating 9/10
 

If you're a fan of BBQ sauce like me you'll enjoy "Ol' Smokey" from @MontanasBBQ for @PEIBurgerLove. Highly recommend. #peiburgerlove pic.twitter.com/3bxwpKUzEQ

— Rod Gallant (@Rod_Gallant) April 17, 2017

"Pickled & Cured" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 7

Stop #7 of the 2017 Burger Love tour.

Open Eats is one of our favourite spots to dine in Summerside, it's a quaint, smaller venue but the food it unique and always top-notch. We don't get there as often as we like but when we are looking for a nice evening out and a special meal, we always choose Open Eats.

Their entry this year is the "Pickled & Cured" and after reading executive chef Megan Beairsto's bio on their website you won't be overly surprised by the "pickled" part. The burger consisted of Custom Smoked & Cured 6 oz Island Beef Patty infused with Ground Bacon and Umami Ketchup Glaze, Sauerkraut, Cabbage & Onion Slaw, grated Gouda, Horseradish, Green Tomato Chow on a warmed house-made Seaweed Bun topped with a Pickled Brussel Sprout.

If you've been following my reviews over the past couple of years you know that I'm not a fan of anything pickled (sorry Megan) but my wife is, so she was eating the burger this time while I ordered off the regular menu. The pasta I had was delicious, would definitely recommend as an option to anyone. I also tried a couple of bites of the burger, and if my pasta wasn't so good I would have been disappointed that I didn't order it too. The burger patty itself was easily the best one I've tried so far.   

We also lucked out, Alex was "testing" his baking skills and asked if we wanted to try a Cod Pie he was working on. Based on all of our other experiences there we knew it would be good so we took him up on the offer. It looked similar to a calzone, but the pastry was like a pie crust, light and flaky. The pie was filled with flaked cod, mozzarella, tomato, and seasoning. It was so good and I really hope it gets added to the menu. I would order it in a heartbeat.   

Rating 9/10

Awesome lunch @OpenEats today. Thanks for letting me be the guinea pig Alex, please put that Cod pie on the menu!! #foodie #peiburgerlove pic.twitter.com/VEqAooDljD

— Rod Gallant (@Rod_Gallant) April 14, 2017

"The Elephant in the Room" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 6

Stop #6 of the 2017 Burger Love tour. 

So after spending the past week in Cuba it only made sense that my first meal back on PEI was a Burger Love entry.

Not wanting to have to go too far after being away all week we decided to try out the burger at Local 311 here in Summerside. The Elephant in the Room is 8 oz Island Beef Patty infused with Calabrese and Cheddar, house-made BBQ Sauce, Mayo, Candied Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Deep Fried Pickles, Deep Fried Onion Crisps, Monterey Jack Cheese Crisp on a grilled Kaiser Bun topped with a Deep Fried Pineapple Ring.

It's a pretty neat looking burger. Since we were splitting the burger we decided to add sweet potato fries, the cajun flavoured mayo with the fries was great. Unfortunately, as I found out watching a recent episode of MasterChef, when you infuse a burger with cheese the odds of the burger being burnt dramatically increase and that was the case with the bottom of our burger. I'm not sure if they forgot to put the BBQ sauce on the burger or if they just used very little of it but I couldn't taste it so that was disappointing. The candied bacon was the champ of this entry, pretty tasty. Just couldn't get past the burnt burger taste in every bite.

Rating 6.5/10
 

 

"All.In.Burger" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 5

Stop #5 of the 2017 PEI Burger Love tour. 

As many may all ready know, I do some work with our local Jr. A hockey team, Summerside Western Capitals. Today was a game day so we decided to try the burger at the restaurant that is part of the recreation complex here in town, 511 West. We go there on a regular basis and my go-to order is their 2015 Burger Love entry the "Sugar Daddy" and it was my favourite that year so was expecting big things.

The "All.In.Burger" didn't disappoint, it's comprised of a 6 oz Island Beef Patty, house-pickled Vegetables & Jalapeno, Candied Bacon, Aged Cheddar, Spinach, 'All In' Chipotle Sauce on a grilled Brioche Bun. Not an overwhelming amount of ingredients but packed full of flavour and I really, really liked the candied bacon. Mmmmmmm bacon.

At $12 for the burger and a couple more bucks for a side, this has been one of the best values so far. If you are looking for a burger to try in the Summerside area, I'd recommend putting this one on your list. It won't disappoint.

Rating - 8.5/10

Since I was going to the Caps game, I opted to continue @PEIBurgerLove and try the "All.In.Burger" @511West at the rink. Glad I did. pic.twitter.com/75zmokSSIH

— Rod Gallant (@Rod_Gallant) April 4, 2017

"Life on Mars" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 4

Stop #4 of the 2017 PEI Burger Love tour.

I don't even know where to start with this one. It is definitely unique, but based on their previous creations it wasn't a surprise. We had no intentions of stopping at the Frosty Treat but when we were driving by it didn't take much convincing for us to pull the car in. Boy am I glad we did. 

Such a crazy combination of ingredients, the Life on Mars included 5 oz Island Beef Patty, Bacon, Deep Fried Mars Bar, Caramel Sauce on Two Funnel Cakes and topped with a Sprinkle Vanilla Ice Cream Cone!! I know it sounds crazy but it works.

It's a tricky one to eat since the bun is funnel cake, yep cake! We had to use a fork and knife to deconstruct and eat it, but tried to get as many flavours with each bite as we could.  We all really, really liked this one.

The cake was nice a crispy on the outside and moist and full of flavour on the inside. The burger had that great, unique, dairy bar taste, plus the bacon (need I say more). Top it off with a deep fried mars bar drizzled in caramel sauce. Delicious.
   
Even if you don't try the burger, if you've never had a deep fried mars bar, I suggest stopping in and having one. So good.

It's early in the month but this burger takes the club house lead and suspect that it'll stay near the top of the list.

Rating 9/10

This may well have been the most ridiculous yet delicious @PEIBurgerLove I've ever eaten. "Life on Mars" from Frosty Treat. #PEIBurgerLove pic.twitter.com/NjYbluhzd8

— Rod Gallant (@Rod_Gallant) April 2, 2017

"Meat Me on Broadway" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 3

Stop #3 of the 2017 PEI Burger Love tour. 

This was my first visit to Broadway 45 in Kensington. It's been open for less than a year but has already established a reputation as a great spot to eat. Very open concept with 20+ ft ceilings and an additional loft area with extra room for dining plus lounge chairs and couches if you wanted to enjoy a drink in front of the fireplace. We were seated in the loft area and it was a great spot to enjoy our meal.

Craft beer fans will also enjoy the variety of different brews on tap from several of PEI's microbreweries. I went with one of my favourites, Blueberry Ale from PEI Brewing Company. Friends with us went with the selection from Moth Lane Brewery.

Now to the burger, the "Meat Me on Broadway" consists of 4 oz Island Beef Patty, 2 oz Beef Tenderloin Medallion, 2 oz Braised Beef in Green Peppercorn Demi Glaze, Herb & Garlic Gouda, Green Tomato Salsa Spread, Bacon, Tomato, shredded Iceberg Lettuce, Grilled Onions, Grainy Dijon Mayo on a toasted Potato Scallion Bun topped with Pepperoncini Pepper.

A lot of ingredients but still easy to eat like a regular burger. Let me say that when you put 4 different kinds of meat on a burger you're starting off in the right column with me. The beef tenderloin medallion was tender and very tasty. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of dijon or peppercorn and you could taste those flavours in every bite.

As far as price, it was $16 for the burger which is a bit on the high side. You have the option of adding a potato side for $3 or risotto for $6. Overall a pretty good burger but didn't have that "wow" factor. Had the sauce been something sweet like a BBQ or rib flavour I would have rated higher.

If you want an enjoyable dining experience in a great atmosphere check out Broadway 45 and if you like dijon and peppercorn, this burger will be one you will want to try.

Rating 7/10

"Rizzo Burger" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 2

Stop #2 of the 2017 PEI Burger Love tour.

PEI Burger Love is one of the reasons I run and go to the gym all year. Thankfully, my wife and I normally split the burgers but as you can see from the pictures these aren't your typical hamburgers.

I love trying out the different creations that the chefs come up with and it's nice to see so much hype and buzz across PEI because of it. Restaurants are packed and, in most locations, a reservation is recommended during the month of April.

The Rizzo is comprised of two 4 oz Island Beef Patties, Rib Sauce-flavoured Bacon, Aged Cheddar, Chipotle Mayo, Onion Rings, Lettuce, Tomato on a toasted Garlic-Buttered Brizzolio Bun.

I'm a sucker for bacon and rib sauce, this bad boy had oodles of both and they didn't disappoint. The chipotle mayo added a tiny bit of heat, but not too much. Overall a pretty tasty burger and one I'd recommend people try.

On the negative side, the price of $15 + tax for just the burger was a little steep in my opinion and takes the overall rating down a bit.

Rating 7.5/10

Going to need to run extra kms tomorrow. Stop #2 @PEIBurgerLove, "The Rizzo" at Pizza Delight. Bacon + BBQ = good eatin'. #PEIBurgerLove pic.twitter.com/6gGgHEabsq

— Rod Gallant (@Rod_Gallant) March 31, 2017

"Big Red" - PEI Burger Love 2017 - Part 1

Stop #1 of the 2017 tour.

So it begins, this year for PEI Burger Love there are a record 84 beefy creations to try across our great Island.

A group of us from work normally go out to lunch at the West End Grill every Friday so we figured it would be a good place to start this year.

The "Big Red" consists of 6 oz Island Beef Patty, Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli, Smoked Bacon, Aged White Cheddar, Tomato Peach Chutney, White Balsamic Vinaigrette, tossed Arugula on a toasted Brioche Bun.

The burger was cooked well, slightly juicy and thick. There weren't any overpowering flavours, but also none that stood out. It was a good burger but not one that I would need to try again. I tend to feel a bit bad for the 1st one I try each year as I tend to stand it up against the best one from the year before. In this case it's a couple of notches below.

On the plus side, the price point of under $14 including a side will help bring people in to try it out.

Rating 7/10

1st @PEIBurgerLove stop, "Big Red" from West End Bar & Grill. Burger and bacon were tasty. #peiburgerlove pic.twitter.com/EeLwfcKlwP

— Rod Gallant (@Rod_Gallant) March 31, 2017