#taqueira

[fromthegutfood]

Taco Diner - 12.12.13 - Dallas (West Village)

The Taco Diner Cheeseburger: A toasted bun, 2 thin patties (cooked medium), cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles.  The real story here is the unique flavor of the burger.  The meat itself isn’t seasoned, and there isn’t any secret bun recipe or unique Taco Diner “salsa flavored ketchup.”  Nope, everything on this burger is about as straightforward and as plain as it gets.  What makes this burger unique is the way the cheese is melted on the patties.  Some cheeseburgers don’t melt the cheese at all.  Some cheeseburgers will put a slice of cheese onto the patty after it is halfway cooked.  Taco Diner’s Cheeseburger goes one step further.  The cheese is melted in such a way that it practically blends into the meat itself.  A very unique flavor that works in good combination with the toasted bun, shredded lettuce, and fresh fixings.  This is a dry burger that holds up well all the way through.

The Fries: Pretty disappointing, frankly.  Salted, golden, and crispy, the only thing I could really think about while eating them was how incredibly bad for me they probably were.  

Ambiance: Taco Diner (and West Village in general) is not a bad place to be when the weather is warm, or on a busy weekend. It’s very energetic, and the interior is very modern and very cool.  What I liked the most was the old fashioned Mexican film posters they have above the counter.  

The Service: Again, pretty disappointing.  We had the restaurant to ourselves for most of the meal, however the service was inattentive.  I watched our burgers sit under a heat lamp for about a minute before they came our way.  Normally, this isn’t a big deal, but the three members of the wait staff who were also watching our burgers under the heat lamp is what made is frustrating.

Price: It’s an $8 meal, pre-tax, and pre-tip.

My unofficial nickname for the Taco Diner Cheeseburger is the “Catch-22” burger.  If you’re in the mood for a cheeseburger, chances are good you won’t be knocking down Taco Diner’s door to get one.  On the other hand, if you’re ever at Taco Diner, you’re probably there for tex-mex, and are unlikely to order a burger in the first place.  I think this may explain the mixed reviews Brain and I received.  It was tasty, but isn’t going to be winning any best burger competitions anytime soon.  7.5/10.