Dining Out: Big Chief at Bannock Burger
Restaurant: Bannock Burger Address: 10704 124th St. Information: bannockburger.com Hours: Everyday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Lunch for two: $25-30
When it comes to burgers, so much is riding on the bun.
Is it fluffy without falling apart after the third bite? Can it stand up to the symphony of toppings and sauces sandwiched between it?
Most importantly, is it fresh?
The answer is easy at Bannock Burger — a resounding yes — if you can manage to spit the word out in between giant mouthfuls of their mouth-watering fare.
Bannock is a humble bread considered a staple in indigenous communities throughout North America. Typically consisting of flour, water, sugar, salt and baking powder it can be fried, baked or cooked on a stick over fire.
At Bannock Burger — the brain child of local aboriginal entrepreneur Jules Thomas — the buns are simple and pristine, delicately deep fried to a crisp golden hue and are never more than two hours old. Bannock Burger has come a long way from its humble beginnings last year when it opened in the Karl Weidle soccer centre on Edmonton’s north side. Since then it has relocated to hipper digs in the city’s trendy 124th Street district, tucked away in a long, narrow space just north of 107th Avenue.
This burger joint is fastcasual, where diners order up their meal from a window to the kitchen.
The burger options are exciting without trying too hard, offering variety without creating a towering mess. There are bison, beef, chicken and vegetarian options, plus a handful of tacos and a few salads.
But the star of every item? That warm, flaky, fresh bannock bun.
My friend and I popped in on a recent Saturday after we survived an afternoon at the mall and decided the achievement deserved a prize.
We headed for the window, placed our order — one Big Chief burger ($8.95), one beef bannock taco ($7.95), and an order of fries with cheese and gravy ($4.95) to share — and then grabbed a couple of pops and a seat at one of the black and white tables lining the space’s perimeter to wait for our food.
Despite the massive BANNOCK BURGE Rem blazoned along one wall and art adorning the other, something about the space seemed unfinished. It could definitely benefit from — and easily fit — a few more tables, which I’m sure would come in handy over the weekday lunch hour. But back to the burgers. The Big Chief arrived piled high with meaty sautéed mushrooms, two crispy slices of bacon, a thick slice of tomato, crisp lettuce, onions and their signature BB sauce. The Angus beef patty was piping hot and dripping with gooey cheese.
My friend’s bannock taco arrived with all the staples, but the lacklustre beef could have benefited from more flavour and heat. Still, the bannock was the perfect vessel to withstand the weight of the ingredients and my friend had nearly gobbled it up before I had the chance to get a taste.
And the fries, the glorious, glistening hand-cut fries. We regretted the toppings immediately after our first bites — these shine best all on their own.
If not for the buns, the fries — crispy on the outside, just the right thickness, perfectly salted and not the least bit greasy — would be this burger spot’s crowning achievement.
But then, there are those buns. And don’t worry—they even sell them by the bag so your cravings don’t have to go unanswered when you’re at home later.