Strada West Burger Review – Niagara Falls, ON
Strada West Burger Review – Niagara Falls, ON
People have been telling me to try Strada West since day one of the Gold Medal Burger quest, so Robyn and I finally pulled up to the Heat and Sip House on Lundy's Lane in Niagara Falls, right across from a motel. The verdict: a 7.2, good for #81 out of 140 burgers on my rankings, and one of the more unusual Gold Medal Burgers I've ever been served.
My order
Same order as every stop: a hamburger with lettuce, onion and pickle only. It came to $16.95, and I was happy not to spot an obvious tourist tax tacked on. The burger was wrapped tight in tinfoil, and I liked that right away. No fuss, just wrap it and send it out, and it kept the burger hot.
A twist I never saw coming
Inside the foil I found a big bun (back to the big bun life!), a homemade-looking patty, vertically sliced pickles, lettuce and something new: onion rings. I'd been wondering when this would happen. People ask me all the time what I do with cooked onions or onion rings on a Gold Medal Burger, and my answer is simple. Onions are onions, so it still counts.
One bite, everybody knows the rules. The onion rings came through loud and clear, and I liked them. They were a good onion ring, they brought a whole new element to the quest, and they didn't overpower the rest of the burger. This was an onion ring burger, and a good one.
Where it slipped
The problem was the juice, or the lack of it. The burger came out hot and the meat had a nice char and good flavour, but it was slightly overcooked and dry. My theory is a familiar one on the quest: this close to the American border, a lot of kitchens play it safe and cook the patty well past where I'd like it. So I had a good burger with no juice running anywhere.
The breakdown
- Bun: Big and lightly toasted. A return to the big bun life.
- Patty: Homemade with good flavour and a nice char, but slightly overcooked and dry.
- Toppings: Onion rings in place of raw onion, vertically sliced pickles and lettuce.
- Packaging: Tinfoil wrap that kept everything hot.
- Value: $16.95, on the higher side for a dry patty.
My verdict
I've been to Strada West plenty of times and I love the place, and I think it's time Robyn and I come back for some cocktails and maybe another burger. This one scores a 7.2 with a ton of potential: cook that patty with a little more juice and the onion ring twist could push it way higher. If you're in Niagara Falls and want a Gold Medal Burger that's a little different from the rest, Strada West is worth a look.
Find Strada West
Niagara Falls, ON
