Burger, Part III

I can't help comparing all recently eaten burgers to the one I had at Craft...

Stopped in at the newish burger joint on Ossington, BQM (Burgershoppe Quality Meats). The place was packed, and I kept having to flatten against the wall to make room for the servers while I waited for my takeout order. Speaking of the servers, even without me eating in, they seemed like a crew of real pros and were very friendly.

I ordered the Shoppe burger, which is topped with freshly grated horseradish, mayo, caramelized onions, and arugula. (I got them to hold the tomato.) Cooked to medium, it was certainly juicy and tender. I'm going to cut them a break, as I was out in the freezing cold with my burger for close to 15 minutes and had to throw it in the oven when I got home to reheat it. That said, I found the burger a tad underseasoned, especially considering the toppings should have packed a flavour punch. I didn't taste the horseradish at all and the onions just couldn't do it all by themselves.

While it wasn't a bad burger, Craft still comes out on top for less money.

I needed a beverage to go with my burger. So, I picked up two bottles of 2007 Clos Bagatelle Cuvée Tradition, based on the listing in today's Cheap Eats Toronto post and a follow-up with my friend Christopher, who's the sommelier at Mercatto. They're an affordable $14.95 a bottle, so I figured I'd get one to drink now and one to save. Chris didn't steer me wrong.

I'm only just starting to learn a few things about wine, so I can only tell you that I liked this wine right from the first sip. I'd describe it as warm, full-bodied and fruity - without being overly sweet - and light on the tannins. The label says it's a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan grapes. I've recently realized I really like Shiraz/Syrah, so it makes sense that I took to this wine. Glad I bought two!