Murrays Sandwich Emporium   647.345.7644     www.ilovemurrays.com   mon to sat 1130am-9pm, sun 12pm-6pm

Murrays is a small space on Queen West offering a delightful selection of sandwiches.  The menu caters to everyone’s liking and they also cater! From the kitchen, the BL-Tizzy ($8) is old school allowing the ingredients to shine:  crisp double-smoked bacon, lettuce, Murray mayo, sliced avocados, and juicy tomato on a crusty soft bun.  What sets this bad boy apart is the fried egg (an extra $1), not completely firm its messy, but messy equals a fantastic sandwich. 

The rings ($3) are golden fried – not much else to say about them.  However the poutine ($5) is wonderful – gravy not too rich or light – similar to chicken gravy topped with salty cheese sealing the deal.

Sunnyside Pavilion Café       416.531.2233     http://www.sunnysidepavilion.com/cafe.php lunch & dinner        May through September

The sun is shining, the air is warm and the trees are blooming – summer is just around the corner.  One of my favorite, hidden patios is up and running again.  Sunnyside Pavilion Café is a seasonal spot located right on the Lakeshore.   This spot is sunny till the late hours of the day and the menu isn’t half bad.  They have a great pizza oven and a thirst quenching cocktail list, not to mention the cottage-country view and laid back atmosphere. 

The Rude Boy      416.533.3269   open 7 days a week for dinner    https://twitter.com/therudeboyronce

Transformed from a Greek eatery into a serious burger joint, Rude Boy is winning over the masses.  The menu is small delivering hit after hit of reasonably priced sandwiches, sides and salads.  This happy spot is licensed and extremely chill with sharp servers and hard working cooks grilling in the restos small open kitchen.

The house Caesar hits the spot but could do without the chewy pickled celery. The Rude Boy ($13.50) is mind-bendingly good: maple rye bacon, salty peameal, pickled onion, garlic aioli, smoked pike creek cheddar, a softly fried egg, and Blanche de Chambly mustard.  It’s a complete hit, not a dollop of ketchup or sprinkle of salt is needed.  And the bun is golden and plump, fresh and soft with a lightly sweet finish to it; an icy cold Quebec born Chambly is the best fit. 

Meaty herb marinated Portobello, braised rapini, charred tomato relish, and garlic aioli create The Veg, the ultimate vegetarian delight ($11.50).  It takes a bit of skill to make a meat-free burger tasty and Rude Boy makes very bite exquisitely substantial – wow!  I didn’t get to try The Natural with it’s crisp lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle ($8.50) because my sister ate it so quickly;  that said, she mentioned it was awesome. 

Sides are always a must and are equally as exciting.  Freshly-cut fries dusted with fresh parmesan and rosemary, spiced with herbs are soothed with an aromatic fennel–curried catsup.  Sapporo battered onion rings are surprisingly delicate, light and a favorite, served with ballpark (yellow) mustard.

To make a good burger you need to make sure of three things: a fresh bun, a well-seasoned patty cooked to just the right temperature, and fresh ingredients; each component must balance the other.  In my opinion The Rude Boy hits all these marks.  Don’t believe me?  See it for yourself – The Truth is Out There.

Gangster Burger       647.352.3375   www.gangsterburger.com         open daily  

There is nowhere to sit and they only take cash, but this little spot just might surprise you.  They serve burgers named after gangsters, hence the name.  Today my sandwich of choice is the Don C and it comes with a 6oz juicy patty and your choice of toppings.  I topped my burger with gangster goo (housemade spicy ketchup) garlic aioli, sweet n’ sour pickles, lettuce, onion, tomato and a creamy dill Havarti.  A side of fries joins the combo, nicely seasoned with thyme and salt along with a brightly blue coloured dip (blue magic) that’s a lighter version of the classic blue cheese dip – the only problem is the tiny portion they give you. 

I wasn’t expecting much from this tiny you-almost-miss-it eatery, but I do like their burgers.

Stampede Bison Grill         416.534.4999     open for lunch & dinner daily

Hidden off queen is an interesting little fast food joint, and it’s always busy .  The menu is written on a chalkboard,  and ordering is done by circling choices on a piece of paper.  The patio is a good size and the street is always teaming with action.

Stampede is licensed, however, the menu is small and tonight the bar is out wine.  A refreshing umbrella toting vodka lemonade hits the spot. 

Onion rings arrive incredibly and intensely savory.

And finally a classic poutine is served with fresh cut fries and rich, though flavourful is topped with rubbery cheese curds. 

Next time around I’m going to try the burger.