No matter how much snail soup I promise I’ll try, no matter how many entrails our chefs bake into pies, when I'm off the clock I’d rather just follow my heart and have a burger. Having worked through most of the restaurant burgers in town, I've been exploring the carts lately, and today's entry is from NE Alberta and 23rd's Retrolicious. The refreshingly friendly team has a large menu of comfort classics, including burgers, chili, and fried chicken and waffles. Their cast-iron burger ($7) is billed as "1/3 pound fresh beef" ("fresh" is underlined, which I figure cancels out the "frozen" in "fresh frozen," a useless descriptor good enough for many restaurants), and comes on a nicely toasted bun with American cheese, small-leaf arugula, tomato, and their "gravy" (special sauce). Things stand up well. The patty is cooked through to medium, though still moist, and its top selling point is the fragrant and flavorful dark crust formed by the griddle. I'd ask for half as much of the special sauce next time, as the acid is out of balance with the meat and it contributes to a little home-stretch structural stress, but it passed the test: when finishing the burger, did I wish there was a second one I could begin eating? Yes. The seasoned fried potato wedges ($3, not battered like a jojo) were tender and nearly greaseless.
The overall vibe of the cart is clean and attentive (they even walked out and checked on the food, which many brick-and-mortar places can't be bothered to do), and based on this initial glimpse I'd happily order further from the menu.
