Cibo Waterfront Cafe: 4.4/5

Rob Ford
Score: 4.5
Platter: $14



The Burger
Score: 4.1
Platter: $14

The Cibo Waterfront Café did it all right. They dished out top notch burgers and service in a wonderful setting to 21 hungry Burger Clubbers for Burger Week.

Cibo is located in the old James Street pumping station at 339 Waterfront Dr hidden behind the colourful Mere hotel in the revitalized Exchange District waterfront. The interior is a large, bricked space brightly lit from the tall windows. From the pedestrian walk hanging off the outside of the building you have a great view of the Red River, Alexander Docks and The Forks skyline. “Lovely use of an existing building” wrote Bess.

The Burger Week organizers look for restaurateurs with a sense of humour who can rise to the challenge of creating a special burger. Cibo’s entry, the “Rob Ford” with “Smoked Crack(ed) Black Pepper Beer Bun, Hand Cut Bacon, 2 x 4 oz. Smash Patties, Smoked Cabbage Coleslaw, House Pickles and Charred Onion Aioli” fit the bill perfectly. Burger Club was lucky enough to be on "The Main Ingredient with Chef Rob" on CJOB and you can hear Russell Loewen’s interview with Rob Thomas and Burger Week cofounder Na'eem Adam here.

I had originally booked us for 12 people and there was a barely discernible pause over the phone from Dean, the manager, when I upped it to 20. When we arrived a fellow was hustling near the entrance and I asked if he was Dean and he replied "I wish! I'm just a lowly server." That was Liam, our server, and he was great – he was a pistol and a quick and attentive server. They were staffed up in the back and front of the house and it felt like everyone working at Cibo was there to make us happy. Geoff wrote “I felt like a VIP sitting at the giant table with 20 people in the middle of the open air room.” It’s a popular restaurant and the patio, bar and dining room were all busy.

Cibo has a great bar selection and we sampled the drinks while they cooked up our burgers. Granville Island Hefeweizen was the popular on-tap choice. Stan raved “They have a great Caesar drink! A very unique smoky rimmer.” The barista created a message of love in Dani’s latte.

Instagram: TheColdKitchen

When Cibo set down the first wave of burgers, out came the cameras as we all did our social networking due diligence. I saw four burger pictures in a row appear on Instagram and then a fifth from the kitchen with a picture of the dining room. Our group of 21 are hiding behind the bartender’s shaker.

The Rob Ford burger was impressive. Geoff wrote “The tower that arrived was an imposing sight, but once the two patties were compressed down into the buns it was manageable without resorting to cutting it in half.” It was a very well designed and balanced burger from the fissured smashed patties to the lightly tanned bun. April whooped “The bun was fabulous, the meat well seasoned, the bacon was thick and the perfect texture; this is my new favourite burger.”

Karen described it well: “Fresh bun! Was the first thing that hit my nose. The burger's ragged edges gave away the handmade origin of this burger. Good bite factor as the burger is firm, juicy and nicely seasoned. I love the bacon, only wish it had been across the whole burger not huddled on one side. The pickles and sauces married well for an excellent overall flavour.” Bess added “The flavours of the burger and condiments were complex; a surprise with every bite.” Jeff wrote the “Bun:burger ratio was excellent to the last bite, and the bun held together admirably. This burger should be added to the regular menu - I'd definitely come back for it!”

Sandy had the regular menu single burger and said “There was so much I enjoyed about this burger - from the little onions within the patty to the slightly charred edges. The onion topping had a real vinegar like zing that I loved. The bun was fresh but struggled to contain the massive 8 oz patty. The bun was also very "greasy" and I found myself wiping my fingers after every bite. I'll be back!” Jacques also had the standard “Very tasty, moist and flavorful throughout, a hint of sweetness from the bun made for a divine experience.”

Most people loved their burger, but as always with a group of people with varying tastes, it didn't tickle the fancy of everyone. Burger Club brings you not just one opinion, but in this case, 21! The Rob Ford burger made special for burger week, averaged with the regular menu offering that 5/21 people had, placed Cibo at an impressive fifth place on Burger Club's ranking list. Several people wrote they thought the Rob Ford should stay on as a regular menu item. I think they want to know they can come back for another one. I can always tell when Burger Clubbers had a good time by how much they wrote in their review, and this week everyone had a lot to say about their meal and scrawled over a 1,000 words on their tiny slips of paper.

The shoestring fries received conflicted reviews. They tasted great and there were lots of them, but they were short and too crispy to fork. You couldn't pinch enough in your fingers to stuff in your mouth at once to make it worthwhile. Stan commented “The fries were kind of a waste of time.” Cary said they were "Like trying to eat a deep fried spider." The brothy smoked vegetable soup didn't excite. The side salads made people happy.