I know what you’re all thinking: big surprise, another upscale burger joint popping up to jump on the recession- friendly ground beef bandwagon. But guess what poor readers; you are all wrong. Bamburger might not be the first of its kind in the city, but the man behind the Bam is a fancy burger pioneer. So put your false judgements away; Bamburger is here to stay.

With a whimper, not a bang, Bamburger opened its doors last week (May 13) in the former Mirabelle space. Seemingly appearing out of nowhere, the new little burger spot actually has already experienced a complicated history. Owner Jody Ortved claims he was “naïve enough to think [he] was going to find a location quickly.” But he ended up searching for a space for his spot for two and a half years. Real estate bureaucracies, as complicated as any in a Kafka novel, prevented him from finding a location, despite his rich history in the restaurant biz (he was a partner in the famous Toby’s chain). Ortved knew he wanted to put his family- friendly, upscale burger eatery in the Yonge and Eglinton area (where he was born and raised) and would not settle for any other location. Taking a grass-roots approach, he even went so far as to put notes on the doors of businesses until finally in February he heard poor Mirabelle was shuttered and the spot was his for the taking.

Three months later and bam, Bamburger, whose menu and design had been in place since Ortved decided he wanted to open, was ready to serve. Though in the two year period of lag between the Toronto restaurant’s conception and its opening, froufrou burger joints have become as rampant as mosquitoes in Manitoba, Ortved is not concerned about the future of his business. He says: “I’ve been to Craftburger, Burger Shoppe, and Gourmet Burger and none of them compare.”

Bamburger is upscale without being elitist; equipped with high chairs, its demographic aims to please anyone from a 6 month old baby to a 91 year old grandparent to a group of college students out for burgers and beer. The 58 seat restaurant, designed by Peter Cotton, boasts exposed brick, deep crimson and ebon booths, pine paneling and soft lamplight, pretty good for a burger joint.

As for the menu, burgers, of course, are the focus. Pork, turkey and soy based veggie burgers are all up for grabs. For an additional cost, Bamburger offers a bevy of condiments, including, avocado, caramelized onions, white cheddar, Swiss emmenthal, creamy horseradish, chipotle mayonnaise and many more. If you’re not in the burger kind of mood, bite into the king of sandwiches, the clubhouse. Or if you’re too pansy, you could always dive into one of the salad choices that are all big enough even for Seinfeld’s Elaine Bennis. But no matter what kind of mood you’re in, the sweet potato fries and banana pudding (that took five different recipes to perfect) are absolute must-haves.