The Burger Baron at Jasper Place fades with quiet dignity on 156 street and 110A avenue, kitty-corner to MacEwan University's bright orange west-end campus. It's the Burger Baron closest to our home, and the one Sylvia and I frequent most. In a neighbourhood that's starting to look a little worn, this particular Burger Baron offers genuinely friendly service and a rare menu option: the Denver sandwich.
The Jasper Place Burger Baron features a number of Burger Baron standards: the pizza burger (my usual choice), the royal burger, the Hawaiian, corn fritters and Texas Fried Chicken. Once upon a time this location wasn't open on Mondays, so today I originally stopped at the Burger Baron on 111th avenue first. To my surprise, they were closed (with a wooden board in place of the broken drive-through window), so I went to Jasper Place instead. Apparently their hours have changed, and unless my memory is playing tricks on me, the milkshake sizes have increased.
Not all the changes are positive, though, at least from my perspective; they've changed the French fry formula, and now this location's fries are the sort that have that odd crispy breaded feel. Some people like fries like this, but I'm a plain steak fries or skin-on, Swiss Chalet-style fries kind of guy.
This location appears to be family-run, and they never fail to greet Sylvia and I with a smile and pleasant chatter.
The paint may be cracked and fading, the neighbourhood aging and in need of revitalization, but the Jasper Place Burger Baron is weathering the years with pride, offering reliable comfort food to the diverse denizens of west Edmonton.
Likely the change in the french fries you sense is due to a change in the cooking oil used for the deep fry process. Only the restaurants that want to kill their customers will use oil that is laden with so-called "trans fats", which incrase cardiac disease and block "healthy" cholesterol.
ReplyDeleteTrans fats provide greater shelf-life, as well as a fresher and smoother taste. But they also are fairly deadly. Many locales have banned commercial trans-fat use, although nothing is stopping you from using them at home.
Some restaurants have had a lot of success by mixing up secret blends of trans-fat-free exotic vegetable oils. Others just make do with whatever Kirkland spews out. I believe you can taste the difference.