HOLY CHUCK

La Poutine Week is a new food event to hit Toronto this year with participating restaurants offering their take on poutine for $10 a plate. Browsing through the menu of poutines, I was happy to see Holy Chuck taking part. They’ve been on my list to try for too long and an acceptable TTC lunch trip from work. This was the perfect excuse to round up friends for a field trip lunch.

Atmosphere: Located at Yonge and St. Clair, Holy Chuck is the spot that’s accessible from midtown or downtown to grab a good burger. Seating is available inside for groups of up to 4, a bar of single seats are set up along the window front and there’s plentiful standing space left to wait for takeout orders. Customer turnover was quick and we were able to move from two two seater tables to a four seater before finishing our meal. The space is brightly lit and functional.

Service: The restaurant is a self serve format. You place your order, give a name, wait for it to called and look for an open table. Napkins, plastic utensils and condiments are provided for customers to grab as needed. Even with the minimal service, I was impressed at how quickly trays were taken away, tables wiped down and condiments returned. The menu prices are on the higher end for a burger and it can add up if you’re ordering sides and a drink. Generally though, the bill should be under $20/person assuming a burger, fries and pop.

Food: Holy Chuck’s menu can be an overwhelming amount of choice. There are just so many variations of meats, toppings, buns and in all different combinations. That’s just the burgers, there’s also milkshakes and poutine. Since this was my first visit, I decided to go classic and ordered the standard “Holy Chuck” burger, a double cheeseburger with bacon and caramelized onions. First bite in and I needed more napkins, it was a juicy, fatty burger. The patty was lightly packed, cooked to a perfect medium and well seasoned. Really a great patty. I liked the crunch from the generous pieces of bacon and the sweetness from the caramelized onions. The cheese was still solid on the edges but nicely melted in the centre and the white bun just soaked up the grease. The burger is greasy but I could’ve happily eaten a second one on the spot. If not for the platter of poutine.

For La Poutine Week, Holy Chuck’s fries were topped with pulled veal cheek, veal cheek gravy, brie cheese and a roasted bone marrow. My favourite part of the dish was the bone marrow, buttery, salty and a rich roasted flavour. Next, I liked the veal cheek that was tender and not too sweet. I would’ve loved to see a little more cheese and gravy with a thicker cut french fry. As a side, thin fries are crispy and great, but in a poutine, I like my fries to have enough substance to soak up the gravy and carry the cheese. The portion size is large and could easily be shared and filling for 3-4 people.

Next time, The Farmer’s Threesome and Foie Gras Poutine are really calling to me.