The concept is simple: a slab of ground meat between a bun accompanied by a pile of greasy fries, but to Saeed Mohamed (and an increasing group of Toronto restaurateurs), the hamburger is much more than that. Two years ago, Saeed quit his job as a software engineer and opened up his own upscale hole-in-the-wall burger shop (aptly titled Burger Shoppe). Since then, his vision of "the perfect burger" has found him constantly gathering feedback, tweaking his recipes, and ultimately opening a second location.

Located on the hippest stretch in town, the new Burger Shoppe Quality Meats has taken the restless improvement to its logical extreme. Where the original Burger Shoppe on Queen East has made its reputation based on a simple formula (essentially burgers, fries, and onion rings), the new location at Ossington and Dundas has vastly expanded the concept's scope. No longer just about burgers, from its menu to its décor, BSQM is a modern take on Americana in general.

The original Burger Shoppe is essentially a lunch counter; you can sit and eat there if you want, but there's only room for about 20 to 25 people. While the original lent itself best to takeout, Burger Shoppe Quality Meats is intended as a place to sit and hang out, not just to order and leave. The seating area is at least twice as large, the interior is much more, deliberate, and the food is much more expansive. You can still get the classic signature burgers (Blue Cheese, Chevre, Hawaiian), but you can also get everything from gourmet salads, pork and beef ribs, and AAA organic steaks.

But one of the most striking feature of the place is its bar. It's pretty unusual for a burger joint to offer alcohol at all, and those that do usually stick to beer. BSQM is much too ambitious for that. Instead, they've gone ahead and secured a seasoned bartender with as much experience as he has charm. Jimmy Hogg has held down the bar at Mill Street Brew Pub, Barrio, and Czehoski’s, but he's probably best known as the drinks columnist for Toro Magazine ("columnist" is a misleading word; he actually makes videos). Using his encyclopedic knowledge, Jimmy is able to craft everything from a classic Tom Collins to a French 75 to an old-school Sazerac (one of the oldest known cocktails). Vodkas are infused in-house with Raspberry, Vanilla, and other flavours that feature prominently in signature cocktails and martinis. You name it and he can make it.

It should come as no surprise, though, that the focus is the food itself. "The idea is to recreate old classics in healthy, modern way," explains Saeed. "What is old is new again. Why try to force innovation when you can find things that were great in the past?" By this, he means both great old recipes, and standards of practice. Everything, for instance, is locally sourced and organic, as it would have been in the pre-industrial age. Dishes like The Uber Poutine (made with two-day simmered Bone Stock gravy, Quebec-imported cheese curds, Chorizo Sausage, and Caramelized Onions), and free-range Chicken Wings (served naked with BBQ Sauce, Honey Garlic, and Blue Cheese Dip on the side) suggest comfort food punched up with modern flavours and techniques.