The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro

• Author: WantsToTravelMore
• Accommodation: Toronto Accommodations

The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro has four locations in Toronto including on The Danforth (Danforth Ave between Pape and Greenwood), St. Lawrence Market, The Beaches and — the one we went to — Bloor West Village.

Bloor West Village does still have a hint of the small town to it as there are fewer high rises in the area and is right near High Park. You can walk the stretch of Bloor West between Jane and Runnymede Streets and poke your nose in and out of shops and restaurants.

The Works does try to take the basic hamburger concept and boost it up a level. The menu seems to confuse people as they are very careful to explain it to newbees. Basically you pick you pattie, pick from a variety of themed toppings and choose your bun and side.

The word topping doesn’t really do justice to the “Dirty Snake” topping, which is caramelized onions, avocado and Havarti or the STRATUSfying topping which has goat cheese, tomato, red pepper, cucumber and shredded carrot. The vegetarians in the crowd liked this one as there was a veggie pattie offered. As I prefer the meat versions, I was pleased to see “Lean Domestic Elk” (for an extra $3.39) on the menu. I tried it and it was still a burger but a little more chewy. I had the Leaside topping which included mushrooms, bacon and cheddar.

The children in our presence did well by the KD and fries and milkshakes and even at some of the cucumber and carrots.

Pricing was reasonable and the decor made the 11-year-old say “I feel like we’re in an alley.” They had fences and other industrial decor items inside, but the whole front had sliding windows so you could feel part of the neighbourhood.

For more information, www.worksburger.com.