Let’s face it, you can get pretty comfortable in a COVID lockdown; ordering in, not even getting out of your pyjamas. But you’ve got to get out, sometime.
That was the theme last week as I drove to this new burger spot on the very east end of Whyte Avenue, where the hipsters give way to the industries, liquor stores, automotive suppliers and service shops. We’d heard whispers about Big Daddy’s Five Star Burgers & Fries, so this was the day to go out and find the place and order some takeout.
You’ll find Big Daddy’s next to the Hughes Car Wash on Whyte, just east of the 75th Street intersection. It’s a food truck, but you really can’t tell it’s a food truck when you pull up to it. A makeshift foyer has been crafted out of plywood and plastic, so what you see looks like part truck, part shack — and, of course, that only makes you more excited to see what’s inside.
When times are better, you can choose to stay in a seating area that’s been created in the adjoining car-service centre.
You can build your own burger or choose from one of the special creations on the menu. I went with the barbecue, which features good old fashioned cheddar cheese, and some barbecue sauce. What makes this work is that, unlike many other theme burgers I’ve tried, this one isn’t so drowned in condiments that the meat itself is an afterthought. There’s an understanding that the sauce and the cheese complement the burger, not overpower it.
My thinking is this: If you’re not going to get out of the house for a tasty burger, what WILL get you out of your house?
Big Daddy’s serves Monday through Saturday.
