Burger Week: Grindhouse Burger Bar and Murrays Sandwich Emporium

Our next stop for Burger Week was Grindhouse Burger Bar. Even though it didn't have the greatest reviews online, I was tempted by their burger offering. In the end, I should've trusted those reviews!

Las Vacas Locas ($5): Beef patty, sour cream, chili, seasoned kidney-bean salsa, hot peppers and avocado on a cornbread bun. The burger was a lot smaller than I had anticipated, especially after my Hrvati Bar experience. On the whole, the burger was really disappointing. For one, the bun was too big for the patty. On top of that, the patty was unpleasantly dense, and that cornbread bun was dry and cold. Even the addition of punchy and flavourful toppings couldn't save the burger!

James actually ordered something off the regular menu because he didn't like any of the toppings for the Burger Week special. He opted for the Black & Blue ($10): Signature Beef Blackened with Cajun Spice, bacon ranch sauce, and Shropshire Blue cheese. Again, this burger was on the smaller side, but his regular bun did look more appealing than my cornbread bun. That said, I wouldn't pay $10 for this burger.

Grindhouse actually left us so unsatisfied that we made the trek to another Burger Week participating restaurants- Murrays Sandwich Emporium. As a sandwich lover, I've always wanted to check this place out for its gourmet sandwich selections.

Murray's $5 Burger Week offering was their specialty Burgster (normally $8)- a 6-oz. patty on an Ace Bakery roll with white cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and special Murray’s mayo. This was a simple burger without the bells and whistles of unique toppings (like kidney-bean salsa, avocado), but it was absolutely delicious. The Ace Bakery roll was amazing and miles better than the cornbread bun from Grindhouse. The burger here was also a lot bigger.

Originally, Mel and I intended to sample James's burger, but after one bite, we knew it wasn't enough! We ended up ordering another burger and sharing it between us. This was undoubtedly one of the best burgers that I've had in awhile. The patty was juicy, flavourful, and well-complemented by the slightly sweet mayo. Everyone loved this burger and we all wished that we had skipped the Grindhouse.

Judging by the quality of the burgster, I wouldn't hesitate to come back to try out their other gourmet sandwiches! A big thanks to The Grid for organizing such a fantastic event! I definitely look forward to another one next year!