There’s a great scene in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 cult hit Pulp Fiction in which Samuel L. Jackson’s philosophical gangster, Jules Winnfield, discusses hamburgers with some ill-fated, double-crossing business associates.
“Me, I can’t usually get ’em ’cause my girlfriend’s a vegetarian,” Jules explains, “which pretty much makes me a vegetarian. But I do love the taste of a good burger.”
Thinking back to the era of that film, I can’t recall what was available on the market by way of veggie burgers, but today there are many options, some of them very tasty. Clever advances in soy-based proteins have made it possible to put something other than a giant mushroom between two halves of a bun and call it a vegetarian burger. In fact, when cooked properly, today’s veggie burgers are so close in texture and flavour to a beef burger, they sometimes raise eyebrows in suspicion.
I was recently able to see how alternative burgers stacked up against their beef counterparts in a two-part tasting for this article. My aim was to pit a local phenom against an import burger and see which came out on top. Accordingly, I hit Vera’s Burger Shack on Lonsdale Avenue and 18th Street in fulfilment of the local contestant, and Texas-based Mooyah Burgers, Fries and Shakes on Marine Drive at Phillip Avenue for the import. The rules were simple: try to order more or less the same basic fare at each place, but take advantage of the unique sides and toppings available to tip the scales.
I tried these burger havens (on two separate nights, just to be clear) with my family in tow, meaning that kid-sized burgers were in demand. Both Mooyah and Vera’s had reasonably priced options, with the former offering their Little Moo burger for $5.65 and the latter offering a so-called Mini V burger for $5. Both options were a fair size for a young appetite, though I think Vera’s edged out Mooyah ever so slightly in the weight category with their approximately four-ounce burger patty. Both eateries offer a truly staggering list of free-of-charge burger toppings, even for kids’ burgers, but both charge extra for cheese ($1.20 at Vera’s, $1.25 at Mooyah). From the perspective of the kids, both spots met their expectations of a burger joint and left them feeling thoroughly sated.
My observation of the two approaches to kids’ burgers holds true for the adult versions as well: Mooyah’s burger patties are flatter and cooked to well done, though they are, remarkably, not at all dry. They end up boasting a deep, caramelized finish that is rich in flavour and holds up to whatever toppings you deem suitable. Vera’s burger patties, by contrast, are thicker, more loosely packed and have an ever-so-slight, not-really-pink-but-maybe-not-totally-well-done-either-ness to them. I liken Vera’s to what you might find at a backyard barbecue, while Mooyah’s have the feel of a good diner burger.
At my behest, my Classic Mooyah Burger was topped with Swiss cheese, bacon, special house sauce, pickles, grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms and, simply because it was available, sauerkraut. I commend the kitchen on fitting everything into a single bun without unreasonable spillage; nine-inch high burgers drive me crazy and feel like more of a dare than a meal. The sauerkraut and pickles provided a good acidic punch in an otherwise very indulgent burger, which, alongside the fries came with a ludicrously thick, creamy, extremely rich, cappuccino-flavoured milkshake that left me feeling like I ought to fast for a month.
My Vera’s burger, a six-ounce ground lamb patty topped with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, roasted garlic, and a fried egg (a great burger addition, I highly recommend it) was similarly filling. Lamb is not Vera’s default burger, but is a fantastic optional upgrade, in my opinion. Though lean, the lamb patty remained juicy and succulent, its flavours withstanding the varied toppings. Taking the Vera’s meal totally over the top were sides of fries, beer-battered onion rings and, my favourite of the lot, Jalapeno Bottle Caps with dipping sauce.
Potent rings of pickled jalapenos were sliced into round disks, breaded and then deep-fried. The resultant “bottlecaps” are fiery and crunchy and make a great accompaniment to a burger.
Now, back to the veggie conversation. My wife DJ chose the vegetarian options at both places and was presented with two very different, but both undeniably delicious, riffs on the theme.
The Mooyah Veggie Burger is based on spicy black beans. The plump and generously portioned patty had a soft texture and revealed a deep southwestern flavour, with a dominant toasted cumin note. Deep fried onion strings, a no-charge topping, gave the burger a nice boost in complexity. Vera’s vegetarian burger contained a more straightforward soy-based patty and, topped with cheddar cheese and roasted garlic (along with the usual suspects of lettuce, tomato, mustard and ketchup), much more closely resembled the meat-based burgers. For DJ’s tastes, the Vera burger was the favourite, but to my omnivore’s palate, Mooyah’s black bean creation was more interesting.
In terms of an overall conclusion, I think Mooyah reliably delivers against a well-established expectation of what an American burger should taste like, while Vera’s satisfies those craving a homemade, backyard burger experience without the hassle of doing it themselves. The Mooyah meal for four was $68, Vera’s was $69.
Mooyah Burgers, Fries and Shakes is located at 1431 Marine Dr. mooyah.com 604-971-4611.
Vera’s Burger Shack is located at 1842 Lonsdale Ave. verasburgershack.com 604-929-2499
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. A self-described wine fanatic, he earned his sommelier diploma in 2001. He can be reached via email at [email protected]. North Shore News dining reviews are conducted anonymously and all meals are paid for by the newspaper.
