It’s remarkable how Gravenhurst calms down after October. There’s less cars along the main strip, the queue in front of the bakery disappears, and lunch at the Muskoka Bay Resort can be a private dining experience. Yes, on a Saturday lunch, we had the place to ourselves. Now that’s luxury.

Being the only table that a restaurant is focused on has major perks. The centre table by their expansive windows was set to provide us with maximum sunlight. But, of course, if we didn’t like all the sun we had our pick of other tables. The water was set, we could take as much time as needed, and we could order drinks in batches to quench the thirst of those who already knew what they wanted. Indecisive guests be damned.

The food was also very fresh. From the scalding hot fries that came with the Carrick smash burger ($24), which were perfectly seasoned and had that balance of crispiness and fluffy centre. The double patty burger was also executed well, the meat pressed thinly but still moist and delicate with little crunchy bits. Soft sesame bun, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, shredded lettuce, tomato, and pickles finished it off. It was one of the best smashed burgers I’ve encountered.

While the ciabatta bun of the prime rib steak sandwich ($25) could have been fresher, the thin steak filet was still pink in the centre and the handheld full of flavour from the horseradish aioli, caramelized onion, and arugula. Arriving with a generous cup of au jus, the salty and thick dip wasn’t needed, but paired perfectly with the fries as it was essentially gravy. Even the side garden salad was zhuzhhed up with candied walnuts, cranberries, and goat cheese.

Maybe visiting the Muskoka Bay Resort is best after the summer rush. It was the perfect opportunity to enjoy an attentive and relaxing lunch. And to take up the entire Cliffside resort for a private lunch. 

Sometimes life gets in the way of cooking. Sometimes life even gets in the way of dining out… or in our restricted dining age, Mother Nature puts a stop to the affair. It’s times like these that I still turn to delivery. After doing it for over a year, quickly ordering something from an app has become second nature. Don’t feel like cooking? Break out the app.

In all fairness, these lazy days are also when I get to experience different “fast food” places. In the past, McDonald’s was an occasional treat and Maker’s Pizza would generally fill in the rest. But, with all the lazy days I’ve experienced, we broke tradition and started ordering from other places instead. That’s when my husband read out great smash burgers in Toronto and realized there’s a Rudy in North York.

The Rudy burger ($6.99), with it’s smashed beef patty, is what drew him in. Quite frankly, I’m not sure why people like these burgers; to me, it tastes like having a burger patty in jerky format as all the juices are squeezed out and you’re left with crispy edges. It’s topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese, and their special sauce, but I still found it lacking in moisture. My husband tells me it’s supposed to be like this and it’s that caramelized crust that breaks through the soft bun that people like. I’d much rather get that crunch from raw onions or dill pickles any day.  

I’ll just stick with their chicken burger, the Valentino ($8.49), where the chicken patty is thick and juicy, but still arrives with a crispy lightly battered crust. The protein is amazing. Where there’s room for improvement is the bun – it’s way too soft becoming sticky and mushy and barely holds together.

At least they provide the sauces on the side or else that bun would have no hope. The Valentino sauce is sort of like a watery ranch and while the consistency is great for drizzling, it could be saltier. Once you really soak the patty with their light hot sauce and everything mixes with the coleslaw it does get tastier. Overall, a decent chicken sandwich.

Their fries ($4.19) are a little pricy but a fair size and can be shared amongst two. It just needs to be double fried, so it doesn’t arrive so soggy. And unlike the golden arche’s fries, these barely have a lick of salt. You’ll want to save some of the chicken burger sauce to dip these into.

I’ve certainly had my fill of chicken sandwiches and fries during the pandemic. Rudy hardly leads the pack, yet it wasn’t a disappointing experience either. Maybe I need to go beyond the chicken and broaden my palette by trying more smashed burgers – is it me, or do they seem to be all the rage lately? It’s certainly a possibility, because with life right now, I’m just so tired of cooking. Anyone feeling the same?