Out & About #264 | HAMBRGR + coCo Fresh Tea & Juice Hamilton

The original plan involved a simple stroll around the Hamilton Farmer's Market, and potentially Jackson Square and the surrounding area if time permitted. My true intention was to try pokeh, a stall inside of the market declared as "the first poké bar in Canada".

Approximately twenty minutes of wandering around Jackson Square and the connecting City Centre building, we managed to stumble upon the entrance. But it was locked, causing much confusion on our side. Attempts were made to enter from the adjacent Public Library, only to be re-directed back into Jackson Square and discover their lack of opening hours for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays. Well then.​

It was long after 3:00 pm, and neither of us had munched on anything else besides a breakfast sandwich and measly granola bar. We immediately tried to locate the next best dining spot nearby, which brought us to the patio of HAMBRGR.

One could easily miss the entrance while strolling by, since the door was gently tucked in underneath the coopery red brick storefront.

The interior was modest, limiting the total capacity to about forty diners. Muted grey/black walls were illuminated with minimal lighting in the form of hanging lamps that cast a saffron gleam on every single wooden, glass, and ceramic surface.
Towards the entrance was a pulley system-equipped garage door that doubled as the restaurant's main access to natural lighting; similar to JOEY Markville and The Works in Brampton, the connection would provide easy access to the patio on balmy summer days.

It was a cozy setting that featured a small bar area, two large group tables, and three 2-person tables (inclusive of cushions). ​

Our presence was immediately acknowledged upon our entry: one of the waitresses greeted us warmly and happily told us to choose whichever table we preferred. The floor was empty at this point, and understandably so considering that the lunch rush had long passed.

After taking in the rustic, wordy decor, we placed our orders of Montezuma's Revenge, Maui Wowi, Cause & Effect Blond Ale, and Stiegl Grapefruit Raddler.

I originally had my doubts about the "grapefruit-flavoured beer", but the waitress had stated that she recommended it purely because of its lessened wheaty aftertaste. "We recommend it for people who don't like beer." she had added.
Admittedly, I enjoyed the bottle more than expected. Majority of the drink tasted of a carbonated grapefruit juice with artificial flavourings, with only a hint of beer-iness towards the end of each sip. The aftertaste became less noticeable over time, leaving behind a refreshing citrus fizziness.

​Whilst evaluating HAMBRGR's menu, a certain (pricey) dish by the name of Maui Wowi caught my eye. Coffee rubbed pulled pork, caramelized pinapple, white cheddar, and an unique coffee barbecue sauce would be laid on top of a 4 oz. beef patty to create this Aloha-infused burger. Instead of a regular beef patty though, I requested to substitute a mushroom barley burger instead. The waitress explained that this could not be done since the mushroom barley varitation was an 8 oz. patty, where as the beef included was only 4 oz.
She suggested I make use of the Build-Your-Own Burger - coined "BYOB" - to customize my base and toppings of choice. The final order comprised of a chewy, vegetarian patty, smoked gouda (instead of white cheddar), coffee smoked pulled pork, caramelize pineapple, coffee BBQ sauce, along with a slew of basic burger elements.

Mushroom and barley weren't actually part of the patty itself, but rather sandwiched in two layers between the remainder of the other ingredients. The barley patty was hearty and satisfying, but incredibly difficult to bite into due to its crumbling properties. Utilizing proper cutlery was the only way to maintain decency during the process of consumption. The rest, with the exception of the grilled pineapple, was slightly over average in terms of taste and texture; pineapple was just sweet enough to cut through the greasiness of the crispy onions and sauce overload.

​Garlic Parmesan Fries were additional charge, so I opted out of the side. This ended up being a great decision, since the fries were soggy, not very cheesy, and practically devoid of garlic.

Atmosphere and proper hygiene were maintained well throughout the establishment. Music was intrusive, Wi-Fi was stable, and service was prompt and friendly. Even though the back hallway was a tad narrow, the individual bathroom stall was, shockingly, clean and strain-free.
Price-wise, I do believe that $14 is quite a hefty price tag for Hamilton. With the inclusion of beverages, each meal totalled approximately thirty dollars following tip. I'm unsure whether a second visit is in the books, though I must say I was pleased with the overall HAMBRGR experience.

Following a bit of chitchat, we embarked on the trip to CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice near the Hamilton GO Station to relieve ourselves of the dreadful humidity. It would be our final stop of the day before heading back.

Hamilton is renowned for being a horrid spot for after-school bubble tea and dessert sessions. 8090 and Tea Hut construct their beverages with disgusting flavour powders that leave behind ghastly streaks of chunky residue - not to mention, they're more expensive than the leading brands too! Most of these shops also happen to be cash-only. Atrocious, indeed.

​Hearing that CoCo finally opened up on the west end of the GTA was a huge relief. The lineup was minimal, service was quick, and A/C was in abundance. Outlets were also plentiful, though Wi-Fi was severely unstable.
I took to ordering a large Lemon King to banish sweat droplets and stickiness, while my partner-in-crime picked a Passionfruit-Mango Slush with tapioca (which the girls at CoCo were extremely generous with). Forgive me for forgetting to snap a shot of my drink, for the heat had worn me out completely.

​CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice in Hamilton definitely lives up to the drink quality and service standards of its other locations. One can only hope Chatime - or even Gong Cha - will be next franchise to make its way over!

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