Name: The Burgernator
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market
Contact info: 269 Augusta Ave., 647-748-0990, theburgernator.com, @TBurgernator
Owners and chefs: Amer and Laila Mokdad
The food: Griddle-smashed burgers made from Black Angus beef that’s ground in-house.
The Bazooka ($11) is two patties topped with a fried egg, sautéed hot peppers, chipotle aïoli and jack cheese. The namesake burger ($15) is similar to over-the-top offerings at The Burger’s Priest and Holy Chuck: three beef patties tucked between a pair of grilled cheese sandwiches with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms and a knife running through the middle.
The drinks: Milkshakes ($4.50) and Laziza ($2.25), a non-alcoholic malt beverage popular in Lebanon.
The place: The Mokdad family renovated the old Big Chubby Burger space, giving it a more modern industrial feel. There’s a full manifesto declaring their intent to rid the city of burger mediocrity hung from the wall.
By the numbers: • 9, the age of Amer and Laila’s son Adam, whose love of the Terminator films led to the restaurant’s name • $5–$15, the price range on the burgers • 3, the number of Rona stores Amer cleared out of plumbing parts, which he used to decorate the restaurant • 2, the current number of veggie options (this will expand and contract seasonally)
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