Karma Kameleon Gastropub Burger Review – Thorold, ON
Karma Kameleon Gastropub Burger Review – Thorold, ON
When my Gold Medal Burger quest first started, it felt like 40 people messaged me telling me I had to try the burger at Karma Kameleon Gastropub in Thorold. I finally answered the mob, and the burger lived up to most of the hype. Karma Kameleon scores an 8.7, good for #16 out of 140 burgers on my rankings.
I opened the video with my best Boy George impression. Robyn was less impressed with my singing than I was with the burger.
A sous vide burger
This one came with a twist. The owner told me over Facebook that their burger is cooked sous vide: sealed in a bag and cooked in water to an exact temperature, in this case medium. It was the first sous vide burger of the quest. Part of the reason I waited was that I wasn't sure a sous vide burger could ever be the best burger in the world. It could be the best, the worst or somewhere in between.
My order
A hamburger with lettuce, onion and pickle only, for $14.69. It looked like a brioche bun, toasted, though not with butter as far as I could tell. There was plenty of leafy lettuce, diced red onion, vertically sliced pickles and what looked like a homemade patty, hot and fresh out of the water bath.
First bite
One bite, everybody knows the rules, and there was a touch of pink in the middle. Don't take this the wrong way, it's a compliment: the first flavour that hit me reminded me of a fast food burger, only way better. It went down easily and didn't sit heavy.
Breaking it down
- Bun: Toasted, brioche-style and fresh.
- Patty: Good quality beef, cooked very well to a medium with a touch of pink.
- Seasoning: My one knock. It needed just a smidge more salt and seasoning.
- Toppings: Lots of lettuce, diced red onion and vertically sliced pickles. I don't think the pickles were homemade, though I've been wrong before.
- Value: $14.69 for a quality burger is fair.
Does it beat oddbird?
Plenty of you said Karma Kameleon could take down oddbird, the reigning champion. Not today, but it's still a very good burger.
My verdict
Karma Kameleon's sous vide burger earns an 8.7. It's cooked well and made with good beef. With a touch more salt and a little more seasoning, it could climb even higher. I can't wait to come back and try more of the menu.
Find Karma Kameleon Gastropub
Thorold, ON
