Prince Edward Island Burger Love

Upscale burgers for a nice change of pace

Kristina and I were in Prince Edward Island for a week with my family. I will be making three separate posts at three price points to give some recommendations beyond the traditional fish and chips and lobster you typically find on PEI.

Burgs, with a twist

We only tried three different burgers the whole week, as we had other things we wanted to try. These burgers were easy to rank 1-3

The winner: Casa Mia

On our last full day on the island. and on our way to Bay fortune, we stopped in Charelottown for lunch. We decided to stop in at two different restaurants to maximize our burger trying experience. Casa Mia is a cafe serving three meals a day with an italian-ish menu. The full menu wasn't anything special, but our burger was awesome.

"The Ranchero" (pictured above) consisted of two 3 oz Island Beef Kebab Patties, Red Pepper Aioli, Cheddar Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Bacon, House-Made Ranch Sauce with Crumbled Bacon, and Fresh Tomato on a Toasted Brioche Bun topped with a Chorizo Slice.

Obviously as a burger it was heavy, and with two sauces, bacon, and brioche this ould have sunk a ship. But the ship was saved by a zesty punch from the house made ranch! It was everything you want from a burger with a 2 sauce twist. heavy, and zesty. Also, most restaurant burgers are pretty dry, but the quick cooking of two small patties left them moist and delicious.

A solid 2nd place: Sims Corner Steakhouse and Oyster Bar

We made a quick online order at Sims Steakhouse before walking the traditional Charelottown waterfront. Sims was a spot we had considered going for a romantic date night but it lost out to an Italian place that you will be hearing about soon. Sims is a traditional high end steak and oyster spot. $100 steaks in a darkened atmosphere.

The special here was called "The Southside Burger". This was made with a 7 oz Island Beef Patty, Key Lime Chili Aioli, Smoky BBQ Sauce, Crispy Fried Onions, Shredded Iceberg Lettuce, Smoked Gouda Cheese, and Brown Sugar & Molasses Bacon on a Toasted Classic White Bun.

The flavours all melded together to form a cohesive whole which was a pretty classic, juicy, burger taste. The crunch from the onions was a wonderful textural addition. The bacon is what really set this burger apart. The deep sweetness was both a perfect pairing and a great contrast to the rest of the burger.

A suprising dissapointment: Backwoods Burgers

Earlier in the trip we had visited the western side of the island to try a little burger joint. Backwoods Burgers is a little place known for their burgers and poutine. The menu was interesting but Kristinas burger from their regular menu was much better than their special.

The "Never Say Die" had a 6 oz Island Beef Patty, Fruit Punch Pickles & Onions, Sour Cream & Onion Spread, Potato Chip & Cheese Crisp, and Habanero & Root Beer-Glazed Bacon on a Toasted and Buttered Bun topped with a Rocky Road Topper. For all of the interesting words written above, this tasted like a normal burger. There were no interesting flavours, the patty was dry, and the topper, which was supposed to be similar to a marshmallow square was stale. What saved the meal was my wifes burger and my side. The patty on her burgerwas still dry but it was smothered in goat cheese, with a subtle jalepeno taste. My fries were tossed in truffle oil, and i love truffles. I would give the joint another chance if I was in the area.

Burger Love

Prince Edward Islands Burger Love is a month long event held every year. If burgers are your thing then you should mark it on your calendar. As with any event, it can be hit or miss so make sure you try a few, and choose carefully.