While the days might not be getting any cooler, Summer is slowly nearing its end. With the end of this season comes the end of the many awesome patios found in this city, so why not enjoy them while I still can! For my next patio visit, I made my way to 1707 Grafton Street where The Wooden Monkey is located. This was my first visit to this location (I visited the Dartmouth location during Burger Week) so I was eager to see what they had to offer in terms of burgers. I decided to go with their Bacon Cheese Burger.
Stats
From the menu: “Grilled 5oz. beef burger from Getaway Farm, caramelized onions, melted white cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato, dill pickles and spicy mayo”
Appearance (7.5/10)
I was pretty impressed with how this burger looked from the start. The bacon looked like it was cooked just the way I like it (not too crispy), and the cheese was dripping from all sides. I opted to add the sautéed mushrooms, and it really didn’t look like they skimped on them at all. The patty itself was already dripping its delicious juices before I even touched it, which is usually a good sign.
My one apprehension towards the burger was the bun. It looked really thin, and I was very skeptical about how well it would hold up, especially when confronted with all those meaty juices.
Taste (7/10)
I was really glad that I added the mushrooms to this burger because they were delicious! They had a great flavour, and there was definitely no shortage of them. I found that the spicy mayo went really well with the flavours that the mushrooms were providing. I also thought the onions were a nice and subtle addition to the overall composition of the burger.
The patty itself was, as predicted, super juicy. This was great in terms of the flavour and texture of the burger. However, when I finished eating, the puddle of grease that was left on the plate was slightly off putting.
I really had high hopes for this unique bun, but as hard as it tried, it didn’t completely hold together for the duration of the meal. I did enjoy how it tasted though, so it wasn’t a complete loss.
Cost vs. What You Get (6.75/10)
The cost of this burger is $16.75 (plus $1.50 to add mushrooms, which I would recommend). The meat used in this burger was local, and was pretty delicious, which is probably the reason for the slightly higher price. However, I do feel that this burger would need some small adjustments in order for me to want to pay this price again. If they improved their bun so that it held together, this price would be much more suitable.
Overall (7.08/10)
I have to give the Wooden Monkey props for creating their own unique bun, despite the structural flaws. I’ve encountered so many plain white buns, so coming across something like this is always a nice surprise. This burger didn’t disappoint me, there was just a couple small things that I wasn’t a huge fan of. I plan on making a return visit at some point in the future to try one of their non-beef burger options.
The Wooden Monkey
1707 Grafton Street, Halifax, NS
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