Angelo's Chip Shop: 3.9/5

Fatboy
$4.20  ($4.75 with taxes)
Score: 3.8


Bacon Cheeseburger
$5.10  ($5.75 with taxes)
Score: 4.2

This week Burger Club visited a hidden-in-plain-view burger gem in the North End. It’s red and white striped, right on Main Street and has a festive sign over the window proclaiming itself as Angelo’s Chip Shop. How could I have missed it?
Two weeks ago I walked in and was greeted by Angelo like a long lost friend even though we'd never met. I took one look at the burger patty covered grill, and the stools lined up along the counter across from the stainless steel milkshake machine, and I knew Burger Club had to dine here!

On Tuesday I called to let them know we were coming, and when we arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see three booths set aside for our group. That's more than half the restaurant! Geoff remarked “The restaurant is one of those places you can drive by dozens of times without noticing, but once inside, it's memorable. An old school style diner.”
We got there early and beat the rush, but by the time we left people were waiting for our tables. Angelo greeted each of us as we came in, his wife Susan took our orders, and his mom Helen made sure the tables were all set up and clean and we had everything we needed. It’s truly a family restaurant! Angelo’s father, John, opened the diner as the North End Chip Shop in 1974 but later renamed it to Angelo’s. Angelo has been running it since 1990. John is still a regular visitor at supper time.

When taking my order, Susan made sure she got my burger specifications right and there were no misunderstandings. She looked me in the eye and said “Do you want relish?”A burger is a personal experience and everyone likes theirs differently.
As I was ordering and trying to decide if it was a single or double patty day, my gaze took in the grill that was already loaded up with patties. I could see they were thin, so a double it was! It was only $6.20 (the $7 menu price includes taxes), so why *wouldn't* you order a double, bacon cheeseburger? The best part of the patty is the grill seared crust and with a double, your patty has four sides!

April commented “My burger was served within a few minutes of ordering. Accommodating my needs of removing stuff from the burger (pickles, chili, relish, onion) didn't faze them.“ A thin patty cooks fast, and the food came out quickly. Angelo and his family are on top of their game when it comes to service! Angelo's mom made me feel like I was in my own mother’s kitchen and brought me a wet wipe when she noticed I was covered from head to toe in chili. I loved the chili, and with fried onions too - that's my kind of burger! Russ wrote “Nicely flavoured beef.“

Dani liked it too: “Bacon tasted nice, light and smoky. Patty was nicely spiced, very flavourful.” My double had a big slice of processed cheese between the patties and two full slices of bacon making an “X marks the spot” so I knew where to dig in! I thought the Kaiser bun was perfect - soft, right-sized, and held together to the last bite. The crust was slightly elastic – it absorbed all the handling without crumbling. The buns are from City Bread and Angelo told me when he picks them up in the morning, still warm from the oven, sometimes he can't help but eat one right out of the bag.

The Fat Boy was loaded with fresh produce, and if you'd like to get a good taste of the beef too, make it a double for only $5.30. Brian noted on his review slip “Burger thin but tasty, crispy lettuce and tomatos.”
Dave wrote“I am used to not being able to finish, but quantity of burger and fries was perfect.” Like V.J.’s, Dari-Wip, Mrs. Mike's and Burgerbend, Angelo’s has a chili sauce that makes the whole burger package come alive. Make sure you ask for chili!

When he brought out my double bacon cheeseburger, Angelo asked if I wanted fries. I said "No thanks, I'm going to eat his" gesturing at my booth-mate Brian. When Brian's plate came Angelo pointed out that he'd heaped it up even more so I could have some too. The fries were fantastic - crispy on the outside, soft and hot on the inside. Nobody left wanting for fries. Cary said “Chili fries good.” Esther wrote “Nice buns! I was unable to finish my Poutine. The fries were really good too. Nice fresh ingredients. Did I mention the buns are great?”

Russ had the Poutine too: “The fries are as good as they say. Great tracts of .. Poutine.” Dani had Poutine envy: “Just got  a gander at Russ' Poutine. It's a work of gravy slathered art!” Everybody seemed to really enjoy their fries and Geoff summed it up best “The real prize here though, are the fries (with gravy). There's something about the oil they use, the temperature, or how long they cook for, but they nailed it at Angelo's. Worth coming back for indeed!”