When Charles Zuckermann of the Global Group invited me to be a judge for Yaletown’s Best Burger competition on Canada Day, I jumped at the chance. As you may know, besides eating pho at Dot Com Pho, I’ve been all over the city on Dot Com Burger runs. The best burger competition were part of the Canada Day Street Party festivities happening in the area, which included the Yaletown Grandprix.
Yaletown’s Best Burger competition pitted seven of Yaletown’s best restaurants in a competition to see who can make the best burger without using any pork. The contestants were:
- SOCIETY Dining Lounge
- Earls Yaletown
- BBQues
- The Hamilton Street Grill
- Section 3
- The Hub Restaurant
- Glowbal Grill
Joining Sally and I on the judging table were Richard Wolak from Vancouver Foodster, Erin Ireland from It’s To Die For, Cassandra Anderton from Good Life Vancouver and Raul Pacheco-Vega from Hummingbird 604.
How Do You Eat 7 Burgers?
Unless your name is Stephen Fung, you don’t eat all 7 burgers in one sitting. You just take a few bites of each and leave the rest. The winner was decided by a consensus of the judges. We deliberated for a few minutes after trying all the burgers. It was a tough call but in the end, we award the title of Yaletown’s Best Burger to the Hamilton Street Grill.
Thanks to Charles for inviting me, thanks to all the restaurants that participated, and thanks to everyone who came out on Canada Day to try out some great tasting burgers. I’m sure this will become a yearly competition.
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{ 55 comments }
Hi John,
Judging burgers at the competition sounds like wine tasting then. Almost. You didn’t mention spitting the food out after rolling it around in the mouth to get the flavor and the subtleties of taste.
I wonder if you ate the whole burger after the competition ended and if it was the winning one.
Good luck to all the contestants and I’m sure that the winner will see more sales thanks to the competition.
Vance
John was really doing serious judging by checking the ingredients.
Serious AND Yummy
John is a champ.
Yes specially in food …
I love John’s choice (except few ones)
Wait, did I just see a waffle burger? Anyways, I hope you and your daughter had a good time John.
Yes, Earl’s Yaletown made a Waffle Burger.
I’ve tried chicken & waffles but not a waffle burger. I bet it’s delish!
I think that waffle adds extra grease and personally prefer waffles with something else.
Well it’s the first time i’ve actually seen a waffle burger. It must taste great!
Well Burger should have the taste of burger … I do not want to compromise its actual test.
Though experiment is always welcome.
Awesome contest. Personally I think that the best burger in the world is made two towns over from where I live.
I love when you post about food. I know I’m weird. See you at ASE.
I don’t have a favorite burger myself. But I’m a HUGE burger fan.
Cmon d3so, Who doesn’t love a burger!
I also love burgers, especially from burger joints and not just from Burger King or McDonald’s
I agree. Johns food blog anyone? I definitely would be a frequent visitor.
Lol yeah, this is the 2nd food related post i’ve seen in the past few days!
Those look like some tasty burgers!
Nabeel
So many burgers to taste … I would love to be judge of this kind of event.
I can’t read these posts anymore, they make me too hungry.
I want to judge Burger too..
It look yummy
Me too… Think it’d be so fun and delicious to be brought around town or to have food brought to me to get my opinion of it.. I would love to have that for a job!! Woohooo!
Sweet!
What a burger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Those burgers look delicious! It’s about lunchtime here in NZ and those pictures have decided me on lunch today.
Those burgers look yummy! Happy Canada Day John.
Back from gourmet burger lunch at Burgerfuel. They are franchising and you may see them soon in the USA.
Looks like a great way to celebrate Canada Day! Some tasty looking burgers for sure.
look tasty, never had a waffle burger before
They all look delicious to me!!
They not only look delicious but some of them look quite patriotic too. This is the first time I’ve seen burgers with flags attached to them.
Lol patriotic burger! That’s something new i guess
They all look very tasty, I am sure it was a hard job to find the best. Only good is that you only have to go through this ordeal once a year
SY
I don’t know about the waffle burger! Is that a Wurger or a Baffle?
I’d call it a baffler.
Further possibilities: Waffger or Burfle
SY
Those bugers look great, I’m going to make one now.
It reminds me of when i was in Winnepeg, such a long way from the UK.
may go back next year.
Great looking burgers! That had to be fun tasting them all.
I’d like to EAT those burger
Goodie
burgers*
Very Tasty selection Indeedydeed!! Fried Onionz are a Key Secret Topping to any Great Juicy Burger! my own BBQ BillyBurgers also have Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce + Garlic Salt + McCormick’s Spicy Pepper Medley by Club House. Yumbola Batman!!
Aw, I wish I could get those burgers for free too!
John what was the reason of picking Hamilton Street Grill.
And which burger was from them in the photos ?
Ok … got it from Richard Wolak blog.
Here is the winning burger photos
http://vancouverfoodster.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/FB-DSC_2135.jpg
Ironicly, it is one of the least yummy looking ones
Boy these were really delicious.
Erin really cover the photos of burger nicely.
See here photos here –
http://itstodie4.com/yaletowns-best-burger-contest-meaty-competition/
All those photos look amazing. It’s a shame that I don’t have any of those burgers in my neck of the woods.
Yea I would love to taste those burgers, they all look so good.
Those are some exciting looking burgers! I love the little Canada flags and the one with a waffle bun! What determined the winner? Overall taste, appearance, feng shui?
All those burgers look pretty fine John. I’m sure it was a lovely attendance on your part. Both enjoying food and being a judge after all!
- What a sweet girl :3 she remembers me of myself when I was her age
- I like burgers, but not those kinds, yes indeed they are ummm… huge? but I would eat only what I like from it… judging from the photos that wouldn’t be too much.
Boy those small burgers were really looking great.
One burger one bite.
Wow those burgers look so delicious and some of them are so original, I never seen a waffle burger before.
Yea but Im sure the waffle would add great taste to the burger. Its fun experimenting. The egg on the burger looks good too.