V.V. Burger Showdown: Match 2: Gentrification Burgers
[Toad Style vs. Champs Family Diner]

The Burger Showdown continues with the first Brooklyn showdown:

Toad Style vs. Champs Family Diner

Just when my burger brackets were set, along comes Toad Style‘s all-vegan menu, batting its housemade cheese and sage butter and lime aioli. Those kinds of words indicate an eatery who not only make but love food. Throw in the whole “all-vegan” thing, its grand opening being, like, last week, and the dear theme of toad-style kung fu, and there we were, double-parking during street cleaning in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

As Toad Style is a newbie, I have been blogging the good word on Champs Family Diner since they were Bone Shakers. They were my go-to for mornings of recovery after the debauchery of my former life. Since 2008, Bone Shakers expanded their vegan offerings to a full menu and moved a few times. Now they’re in Bushwick? East Williamsburg?  Who knows what the realtors call it these days.

Whichever the locale, these two eateries are the first of the Brooklyn battles: The battle of the burgers of gentrification.

Toad Style’s Cheeseburger:
Toad Style’s Cheeseburger is head-to-toe delicious. It is the scrumptious sum of its thoughtful parts: the glistening bun that is grill toasted, a creamy, thick housemade almond cheese, fresh red onion, heirloom tomato, spicy pickles, aioli and ketchup, and its mushroom and green lentil patty. It’s an oozy burger, packed with textures and flavors. It’s the kind of burger you want to eat when you want a damn good burger, not a lifeless veggie burger. I loved each bite. The texture of the patty is soft, with blended cremini mushroom and green lentil. It is one of those veggie patties that, by its make-up, feels a bit uncooked. That isn’t my favorite veggie burger texture, but every other component elevates Cheeseburger beyond expectations. Counter service with a smile also helps this adorable new eatery score high. I’ll be back for more soon!

Champs Family Diner’s Classic:

Now, the competitor: Champs’ Classic Burger. The menu description nails it: Classic Burger–lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. That is exactly how I would describe it. No foodie extras here. Patty. Lettuce. Tomato. Onion. Pickle. These 5 components are opportunities, but Champs delivers them just standardly, without much excitement.  The patty which is smoky, seemingly bean-based, and a bit crumbly, needs a bit more. Sure, it is their basic, classic burger, but it seems Champs’ attention is elsewhere on the menu, which ranges from a very thorough breakfast menu served all day, diner favorites like nachos and tempeh wings, a slew of sandwiches, bowls, desserts and pastries, as well as ice cream floats, banana splits, etc.

 

Burger showdown complete!

And the clear win goes to Toad Style.

It was the attention to detail that brought in the win for Toad Style. Their care for each part of their Cheeseburger creates and end product with an impenetrable Toad shell. Knocking out Champs out of this Burger Showdown is just the first step. Can they face off with their next contender–either the high end Candle Cafe or V-Note? Dun dun dun.

For research design, click here.

While in the area, Dun-Well Doughnuts. {No need for a match here. Dun-Well makes the best vegan doughnuts in New York.}