Shell Kitchen

During my sublet, I didn't become a regular at the trendy places on Gerrard. Many of them are bars and coffee shops so not in my wheelhouse. Instead, I frequented long-time or POC-owned businesses. I was saving some of the hipper ones (Gardel, Anglr) for my relative but we ended up mostly eating take-out at home because they preferred the novelty of a Turkish pide or a tasty Indian curry.

With Saturday being my last day, I dropped by Great Burger Kitchen for lunch. It wasn't here when Jones and Gerrard was mostly Chinese businesses. I saw it decade ago when I first visited the area and with its contemporaries no longer there, GBK deserved an honorary OG status. Given the age of the staff, it likely provided employment for the teens in the neighbourhood.

The burger of the day was a veggie burger ($9.50). That wasn't so special since all burgers of the day were only $0.50 cheaper than the regular price. I got some regular toppings like lettuce, mustard, ketchup and a sautée mushroom premium topping ($0.75/each). With leftover fries from a fish and chips shop, it was a filling lunch but not a great one. These veggie burgers often attempt to emulate the texture and taste of a beef patty and always fall short. A veggie burger must be its own thing to be successful.