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South St. Burger Co.

Burger: 1/3 lb. Spring Creek Ranch beef burger, built to order ($6.25). I went classic, opting for a plain white bun, lettuce, tomatoes, diced red onions, dill pickles, mustard and ketchup.

Sides: New York Fries owns South St. Burger Co. so, naturally, they offer New York Fries and poutine. Onion rings, salad and milkshakes are also available.

Atmosphere: Separated from the food court at CrossIron Mills, it’s not quite fast food, but it’s also not a restaurant. The decor is bright, with lots of yellows and oranges, and has plenty of seating.

Menu: Chicken and veggie burgers are available and you can choose between regular or whole wheat buns. At the toppings counter, you can select as little or as much as you’d like from four categories: cheeses, mustards and ketchups, “from the garden,” relishes and sauces.

Decision: Subway and Harvey’s have been doing the concept of pick your own toppings and watch someone add them for you all from behind a sneeze guard for years, so in that regard there’s nothing groundbreaking here. To be blunt, I can’t think of anything memorable or offensive about my burger. By going traditional I created a palatable product but, ultimately, I think that’s where I went wrong. There are enough interesting options on South St.’s menu to create a memorable burger. Lesson learned.

The availability of toppings such as goat cheese, wasabi mayo and mango chutney —undoubtedly too much for some — is a great departure from what other big-box operations are producing. The use of locally raised beef was also appreciated, as this is the first South St. located outside of Ontario. In the end, while I wouldn’t drive to Balzac just for one of these burgers, I would make a point of stopping in if I happened to be shopping in the mall.

Next up: Darell samples the prime rib beef burger at the Elbow River Casino, 218 18 Ave. S.E.

Please e-mail burger suggestions or recommendations to darelleats@gmail.com.