A&W Restaurant has always been my favorite burger fast food joint. In my youth the restaurants could only really be found in select shopping mall cafeterias. There was a period several years ago when stand alone stores started popping up. The sad facts really come down to the fact that the chain doesn’t have the same sort of representation on our streets that McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s or even Harvey’s does.
Several months ago I saw a sign on the corner of Yonge and Grosvenor indicating that an A&W would be popping up soon. I recently read an article about A&W’s re-entrance into the fast food market in Canada and was excited to check it out. The restaurant is the first to feature touch screen Express Self Order Stations (if you don’t like mustard, or want extra pickles this is now a breeze). I was so thrilled to see a giant fridge full of glass root beer stein glasses. I ordered a Cheddar Bacon Uncle Burger which was a massive handful of delicious Sirloin beef. A&W uses real cheddar cheese, non of that processed excuse for a dairy product. The burger came with a cute little metal basket of fries and a large ice cold stein of Root Beer. A&W prides itself on not adding ice to their Root Beer as they feel it dilutes the quality of the product. Their Beer is served ice cold and shot into a freezing stein glass (which actually formed a bit of a Root Beer slush at the top of my glass which I sloshed in my mouth with great delight).
The staff were quick to serve and smiled at me as I moaned over my massive burger. I spent the majority of my meal slowly munching, with each bite trying to think of all the people I had to bring to A&W as-soon-as-possible. Do yourself a favor, visit A&W and remind yourself what an old fashioned burger joint tastes like!
I have just moved to Yonge and Maitland and this glorious burger joint is five seconds down the street (diet danger!) I popped by with my friend to gorge after moving day. I ordered a Papa Burger, Poutine, Onion Rings and Root Beer. The onion rings were stellar with a crunchy batter. The poutine had a generi0us amount of curd and a intense chicken based gravy. I shall return!
