Burgers from Heaven (and Hell)

Believe me, I can cook. I don’t think I love anything more than the satisfaction of preparing an elaborate dinner and sharing a little wine with some friends. But one of the other things I love most in life is a great freakin’ burger!! Whether it’s right off our own barbeque or a treat at a local hangout, there’s nothing better than a super-juicy, hand-packed, made-with-love….

In the last few weeks, we’ve made a point of trying a bunch of new and not-so-new spots and comparing patties from heaven. Here are our Canmore results, to date:

Rose & Crown (Railway Avenue)
Last week, I mentioned that this burger was held over from the previous menu – which is true – in all three of its glorious formats: their regular Burger, the Mushroom & Swiss and the totally awesome Banquet Burger (cheddar, fried onions, sautéed mushrooms and bacon). What I neglected to mention was that the Rose has increased the SIZE of their hand-packed patty and it’s now an 8-oz-er!! Served with choice of fries, soup or salad, this one ROCKS: “A+”!

Miner’s Lamp (Georgetown Inn, Bow Valley Trail)
A girlfriend tried their burger recently and invited us to come out and experience it for ourselves. This “best-kept secret” of a pub has a really intriguing menu – a combination of pub food and Rocky Mountain cuisine, but we were on a burger mission! I do have to say that it was completely divine! Served with caramelized onions and a brie “upgrade” (from cheddar), the burger was completely stellar!! A little skimpy with the fries, I can only give it an “A”, but the burger itself was heavenly.

Sage Bistro (Bow Valley Trail)
My husband had been to Sage for breakfast with a couple of friends a few months ago when I was out of town. Suddenly, he had an urge to go back, so we invited the same friends and made a bit of an event out of it…. Now, I’m all for breakfast being the most important meal of the day, but when I found out I could actually order lunch instead, that just made my day (it was a late breakfast, anyway). I opted for the lamb burger, which was beautiful and juicy, and not as lamb-y as I might have thought, which suited me fine. Served with Oka cheese, it was just incredible, as were the absolutely divine sweet potato fries!! The one knock, unfortunately, was the onion bun; I know some people must like them, but yuck. So I can only rate the experience an “A”. And heck, if you like onion buns, this burger is going to knock your socks off!!

Crazyweed (Main Street)
Another girlfriend once told me that she thought this was the best burger in town, but honestly, “what’s all the hubbub, Bub?” This burger was dry and unimpressive, with little flavour and a crappy bun. Served with nary a side dish in sight (nope: no fries; no salad; just plain nothin’) and no cheese option, I can’t help but give this burger an “F”. I’ve heard that they sometimes have a lamb burger “special”, but I’m not feeling hopeful so it would take a lot to make me go back to try it.

Don’t hesitate to try any of the first three spots for a super-delicious meal. Try to get a window seat, too, to make the most of your visit! And, if it’s your thing, be sure to try a local micro brew (each of the three will offer something different, whether on tap or in a bottle)…. Tell them "One of Seven" sent you! Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven