Planta Burger unveiled earlier this month after a brief renovation of the old Little Fin space on Temperance Street. Swapping seafood for a plant-based, yet calorie rich menu, Planta Burger is an off-shoot of the Yorkville boutique eatery helmed by Chase Hospitality Group culinary director Tyler Shedden and Chef David Lee.
Avoiding the sometimes-complicated V word in lieu of something breezier, the plant-based vocabulary applies and with Planta’s well-documented success, it’s a smart move to set up shop and start selling burgers. Ingredients are sustainable and responsibly sourced, and that goes for the recyclable packaging too, which of course comes in the form of cute little containers.
The grab-and-go counter concept proves popular with harried office workers and nearby condo dwellers. Planta Burger’s menu is concise with favourites pulled from Planta’s own menu, like The Crab Cake ($10.50) made with heart of palm and slathered in a tarter-style vegan mayo/soy sauce. It’s crispy and crunchy, and worth a cheat day.
The Classic Burger ($10.50), also on loan from Planta, is an oversized home-style pressed burger patty, made with black beans and mushrooms, crowned with “queso”, mushroom bacon, lettuce and pickle — it’s a signature sandwich that satisfies. A side of Buffalo Cauliflower ($5) is non-negotiable. Steamed, breaded then fried for a triple conditioning, it soaks up the Franks Red Hot, and vegan mayo with herbs and spices fills in as a replica ranch. Douse the flames with a Chocolate Shake ($7.50), a convincing and creamy dessert-style shake here made with coconut milk.
Caesar Salad ($3.75 for a small) gets the tangy treatment from nutritional yeast, and a shake of almond parmesan for that cheesy effect, while smoked mushrooms offer bacon seekers a solid substitute.
Vegan or not, there’s a burger for you and judging by the lineups out the door, the switch from seafood was a welcome addition to the area. Stop by Planta any day but Sunday, from 11:30 am to 7:30 pm and on Foodora too.
All images by Libby Roach
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Have you been to Planta Burger yet? What’s your favourite item on the menu? Let us know in the comment section or tweet us at @ViewtheVibe.
