It’s that time of year again! Halifax Burger Week is now less than a week away, and social media is buzzing with excitement. With 59 restaurants participating last year, I didn’t think that this event could get any bigger, but The Coast got to work and they have a whopping 79 restaurants involved this year! With more options to choose from than ever, I wanted to give an early look into some of the delicious burgers that you can sink your teeth into this upcoming March 18th-24th.
I had a great response from restaurants that wanted to be involved, so much so that I’m breaking this ‘Preview Series’ up into multiple parts! For the premiere, I’ve included the Burger Week offerings from Krave Burger, Niche Lounge, and Hali Deli. From what I’ve experienced so far, it’s looking like this year’s Burger Week is going to be extremely tasty! But enough with the talk! Here are the first three burgers in the Life of Burgers Halifax Burger Week 2016 Preview!
Krave Burger
Burger: Bacon Jam Cheeseburger – 100% beef patty on bacon jam, topped with cheddar, pickles and Krave sauce
Price: $6 (Krave Lager will also be on special all week for $3.99, making for a $10 burger & beer combo)
The Bacon Jam Cheeseburger is back, and it’s as delicious as ever! During last year’s Burger Week, Krave offered up this little number, and boy did it stand out! They’ve decided to bring it back for the week again this year, with a few changes. They’ve gotten rid of the lettuce and tomato this time around, so now your taste buds can focus on all that meaty, saucy goodness.
As always, they do it right with their all-beef, no filler patty which is packed full of those juices you look for in a burger. The Krave sauce is amazing (I usually get a side of it to dip my fries in as well), and the lightly toasted, buttered bun almost melts in your mouth! Obviously the star of the show is the bacon jam, and it does not disappoint. With it’s sweet and smoky flavours, the jam works so well in this burger as a subtle, yet tasty, addition. While it appears that this creation is pretty simple in concept, trust me when I say that you’re going to want to visit Krave during Burger Week!
Niche Lounge
Burger: Crispy Spicy Chicken Burger – Hand-breaded chicken breast, mozzarella, bacon, tomato and lettuce with a jalapeno aioli, served on a toasted bun
Price: $8 with $2 going to Feed Nova Scotia
While beef will always be the king of the burger world, it’s nice to see that restaurants are embracing other meats when it comes to Burger Week. Not only does it break up the continuous amount of red meat for people like myself who go all out, it also opens up the door to so many more creations and flavours, and it really makes BW that much more delicious!
This year at Niche, they decided to go with chicken for their protein, and I think it was a good call. I’ve always loved the chicken/bacon/cheese combination (not the healthiest of things but damn is it good) so hearing about this burger got me all kinds of excited. There was a very generous portion of the chicken, and the breading on it was awesome! It had a great crunch to it, and with the spices they incorporate, it also gave a bit of a kick. The real heat, however, comes from the jalapeno aioli. I’m the kind of person that doesn’t mind some heat on his burgers, even though I can be a wimp about it sometimes, and this burger definitely has you reaching for your glass of water.
This is a solid chicken burger, and it’s a great option for Burger Week participants. My one piece of advice is to come to Niche on an empty stomach because this burger is going to fill you up!
Hali Deli
Burger: Hali Burger – Hand-created, fresh double ground local beef patty, topped with a crisp potato latke, house-steamed famous smoked meat and a sweet pepper relish, all on a grilled onion bun
Price: $6
Last year, after trying all 59 burgers during Burger Week, I had the hard task of picking my top 3 burgers for the week. One of my choices was Hali Deli, and the burger they had last year just so happens to be the burger they are offering up for burger lovers again this year!
Hands down, my favourite part of this burger is the potato latke. Its crispiness gives such a great texture to the burger and it really levels everything out. The meaty-ness of this burger fills your mouth with so many awesome juices, and while it can get a little messy, it is totally worth it! There is a reason why their smoked meat is considered famous, as it delivers many times over when it comes to flavour. Tying it all together is the sweet pepper relish. This condiment provides a great mixture of both sweet and heat, and with the perfect amount incorporated, it is exactly the flavour that this burger needs. I highly recommend that you stop by and try this creation, because I promise that you won’t be disappointed!
I’d love to hear from you about anything Halifax Burger Week! Follow me on Twitter and/or Instagram (@lifeofburgers) and tag me in any pictures, thoughts, or comments you have about the week!
