Cheese Curds

Ben: A couple weeks ago we decided to try out Cheese Curds, a brand new gourmet burger/poutine restaurant in Dartmouth (right across from Value Village on Pleasant St.) that has exploded in popularity. We really had no idea what to expect; having no car, we don't exactly venture over to Dartmouth very often. However, this place was so highly recommended that we decided to make the trek over. The first thing we saw when we walked in was people – everywhere. There was barely room to breathe. A large sign proclaimed that if you're not prepared to wait a bit for a top-quality meal, you'd better get out. The second thing we noticed was that the kitchen was right behind the counter, in full view of the customers – a brave move for any restaurant to make.

After standing in line for 25 minutes, we placed our order at the counter. At this point I was starving, but after watching the food being prepared I knew it would be a worthwhile wait; everything is done from scratch, and the cooks put in the time and effort to make sure it's done right. I ordered the CC Porker Combo ($11.25) swapping my fries for onion rings. Looking around the restaurant, it was clear this was a popular burger. It's two patties, topped with bacon, onion rings, lettuce, tomatoes and house sauce. Once I placed my order, I waited at another counter for my meal, where a cook presented me with a list of other gourmet ingredients I could add to my burger. Some were far from conventional (chopped pineapple, for example), but I decided on adding chopped onions – my breath later suffered from the ridiculous number of onions I had consumed.

The astoundingly huge burger

So the first thing you'll notice about the burger (other than the poor quality of the photo, for which I apologize) is its sheer size. This thing was massive; Rebecca commended me at the end of the night for being able to keep the thing together while I ate it. These aren't thin, McDonald's-style patties – these things are thick and juicy. The house sauce added a wonderful touch; I have no idea what's in it, but I would like a bottle ASAP. As well, whoever first thought of putting onion rings on a burger was on to something, even though I'm sure my heart will not thank me in about 40 years for this discovery. Finally, there was the bun; the bun was freshly made, and lightly toasted on the grill. This extra detail really makes the burger special.

I should say something about the side of onion rings as well. These were by far the best onion rings I've ever eaten. They were only very lightly breaded, which allowed me to actually taste onion instead of just deep-fried whatever. The breading itself was not too salty, which is a welcome change as well. There were also so many of these things that (after already having consumed the Porker) I could barely finish. I did, though, and felt very good about myself.

The best onion rings ever

Rebecca: I got the Black Angus burger with Swiss cheese, and upgraded my fries to poutine. It cost about $16 total. I chose mayonnaise, pickles, tomatoes and green olives for my burger toppings. The burger was absolutely delicious. The high quality ingredients really made the difference, causing this burger to stand out from all the other burgers I’ve consumed in my life (except perhaps the Peanut Butter Burger). The patty was juicy and thick; the sourdough bun was so fresh; the pickles were crunchy and tangy (better than the Darrell’s pickles? Maybe...), and the tomato and olives were delicious. The Swiss cheese was melty and wonderful. Even the mayonnaise tasted better - I am curious to know if it was house-made. There were a number of interesting-sounding sauces on the menu - like a creamy lemon dill sauce if I remember correctly - so I presume that they are in fact house-made. Anyway, this burger was huge, and I was pretty full afterward. It was your typical, sauces-running-down-your-arm burger, so make sure you stock up on napkins.

A birds-eye view

The poutine, however, was disappointingly average. There was a hefty portion of it, that’s for sure, but there were several things about it that left me wanting more, especially considering the restaurant’s name. First of all, it seemed as though the gravy was put into the paper box first, then the fries, then the cheese curds. For me, a perfect poutine has gravy on every fry, and this was just not happening here. Secondly, there were very few cheese curds on my poutine, and I would have appreciated more. The fries were fresh, hand-cut, and pretty good, but I was in the mood for poutine so I was disappointed. I forgot to mention that the $16 price tag also included a large drink with free refills, so that was a plus.

So much poutine

Cheese Curds was an upscale burger and poutine experience, but I think I would rather stick to my favourite poutine places in Halifax when I’m in the mood for poutine. The gourmet burgers and the burger bar were great though, and made the trip to Dartmouth more than worthwhile.