It’s finally Halifax Burger Week Eve, and you can almost taste the burgers! I’ve been seeing lots of planning and discussions on all the various options for this year, and it is very clear that this city is excited to start sinking their teeth into some delicious burgs!

For the final part of this preview series, I get up close and personal with the burger options from Black Sheep, The Stubborn Goat, and Gahan House.

Also don’t forget to check out all the other burgers I’ve previewed in the other parts of the series (Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3)!

Black Sheep

Burger: Lamb Burger – Spiced Oulton’s lamb, fried goat cheese, beet relish, spicy mayonnaise and a sesame bun

Price: $17 with $1 going to Feed Nova Scotia

Over the last couple years of doing Halifax Burger Week, I have not really had a lamb burger that was worth remembering. Until now. Coming in strong with a great sized burger, Black Sheep has upped the lamb burger game with their tasty creation!

The spiced lamb from Oulton’s is seasoned perfectly, and the flavours that come through are a delight. The beet relish was something I was unsure about going in to this burger, mostly because I have never really been a fan of beets, but surprisingly I really enjoyed the subtle sweetness that is brought to the burger and how well it worked with the lamb.

The component that takes this burger from good to great is the brick of fried goat cheese. Not only is the goat cheese on its own delicious, but then they give it a crunchy outer coating by frying it, and making it that much more amazing. Overall a great burger that is a must during the event!

I went with a Hunky Dory Pale Ale from Boxing Rock Brewing Co. to accompany this burger. This brew has quickly become one of my favourites, and I find that I can usually make it work with any type of burger!

The Stubborn Goat

Burger: The Thai-Duckin – chicken-mushroom patty with green onion, duck fat tomato relish, sesame-orange daikon slaw and miso foie aioli, served on a sesame seed bun

Price: $6

With so many restaurants that participate in Burger Week, it’s always nice to come across one that stands out from the others because of its originality. This is definitely the case for the burger from The Stubborn Goat this year.

For their burger, they have created a chicken and mushroom patty that is unlike any burger I have had before. It is a delicious, savoury patty, that has a lighter feel than a typical beef one. The duck fat tomato relish brightened up the burger with its freshness, and there was also a nice mild flavour from the duck.

I was a big fan of the sesame-orange daikon slaw. It had a really great mild and tangy flavour, and it was so crisp which added to the overall texture of the burger. Throw everything on a nicely toasted sesame seed bun and you have a truly unique option for Burger Week!

I was recommended the Wylde Mylde Blonde Ale from Downeast Beer Factory. This crisp beer is well-balanced, and is a very refreshing choice that fits perfectly with The Thai-Duckin!

Gahan House

Burger: Braised Beef Philly Cheesesteak Burger – Red wine demi-braised beef, pretzel cheese sauce, house-made porter mustard, green peppers and onions on a grilled and buttered pretzel bun

Price: $15 with $1 going to Feed Nova Scotia

Last year, Gahan House snuck its way into my heart and my top 3 burgers of Burger Week, so I was expecting big things from them again this year, and thankfully they came through with a truly meaty treat.

Opting to go with a red wine demi-braised beef, as opposed to a traditional patty, already makes this burger stand out from the others. The copious amount beef was piled on the soft buttered pretzel bun, and it was amazingly tender and the way it was prepared really brought forth a delicious flavour combination.

The pretzel cheese sauce smothered the beef, and it had that awesome, cheesy taste and texture that everyone loves! I was also pleasantly surprised by the porter mustard. I didn’t get any on my first bite, but I definitely did every bite after that and I loved how much of a punch this house-made mustard gave to the burger!

It is worth mentioning that this was a fork and knife burger for me. The amount of meat and cheese that was oozing out the sides would have made eating with my hands an extremely messy time. That being said, having a burger jam-packed full of delicious ingredients is hardly a complaint in my book!

Which burgers are you looking forward to trying during Halifax Burger Week? Follow me on Twitter and Instagram to let me know where you’ll be chowing down, and to keep up with future instalments of the preview series, as well as my adventures through this year’s event!