Hunger and hype drew several hundreds from all over the GTA to get a taste of the burgers by In-N-Out Burger. The US chain enjoys a cult-like status down south and today from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. they held a pop-up event that was sold out by Noon.
“It’s amazing,” exclaimed Natalie Martinez, one of the hundreds in line at Ganzi Osteria, the downtown restaurant which agreed to host the American chain.
Organizers say this was simply a one-time event; but many believe that In-N-Out is testing the waters here in Toronto, where burgers are big business.
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“It’s definitely a trend,” says Justin Lebofsky, who just opened his second Hole-E Burger Bar location along Coxwell Avenue. He says he’s not worried about this latest incursion into Canada’s culinary landscape.
“We offer stuff that no one does, like home-made sauces, meats and home-baked bread. We also have three holes in our patties that allow them to cook more evenly and allow the sauces to soak in,” says Lebofsky.
Toma Burger Addiction on Queen West also welcomes the potential for more competition. They’re confident their unique burgers are enticing enough to maintain a loyal following. Their John Wayne burger is basically a tower of protein held together by bread.
“We have three patties: one lamb, one beef, one chicken,” says Toma Seville, the chef/owner who bakes and makes everything from scratch in his gourmet burgers.
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