16 April 4 - 10, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Ranchero Chile Relleno Dawg This dog has some bite. For $16, get an An- gus beef frank stuffed with queso, wrapped in roasted banana peppers and bacon, grilled and served on a Martin’s potato topped with grilled onions. This is 4.5 out of five stars in terms of ballpark hot dogs. Texas Tacos If you’ve had some margaritas, this might seem like Taco Bell. A red shell holds a torti- lla filled with taco meat, topped with a bit of lettuce and tomato. These are $14.99, but it’s just a basic taco with a tortilla. Our shell was a bit stale, but surely they’ll have all that sorted out by game time. Korean Pork Steamed Buns The pork inside the chewy buns is topped with a bit of fresh cilantro slaw, Unagi sauce and a drizzle of spicy mayo. It’s ser- viceable, but also a wee bit hard to get be- hind with the Asian food within a mile of the ballpark. It’s $15.99 (we hope that’s for two), so if you want something unique, this is a good option. Meatball Garlic Knot Sliders If you really need some protein and want something decent and substantial to eat, track these down. An extra-large meatball is sandwiched between a tasty garlic knot with three to an order. The size of these makes for an awkward bite but this is a good problem to have. Three garlic knot sliders are $18. Chicken Empanadas Handmade empanadas are fried to a perfect golden crispiness with a nice amount of meat but we were surprised by an unex- pected flavor mingling with the chicken: black olives. These come with Tostitos chips and salsa and are $14.99. Golden Chick Golden Chick has added a chicken and waf- fle taco to the menu. If your food mood board is mostly beige and lacks flavor, then you’ll like this. For us, it was a tasteless dry chicken strip on a limp-ish waffle leading to a less-than-desirable mouth feel. A bit of ba- con on the top was a feigned attempt to jazz it up. Just make sure you grab some drinks to wash it down. You can get two waffle and chicken strip tacos for $15. ▼ BURGERS STILL FLIPPIN’ DELICOUS GREASY BURGERS, FRIES AND SHAKES ALL FOR UNDER $10? DREAMS DO COME TRUE AT KELLER’S DRIVE-IN. BY AAREN PRODY K eller’s Drive-In has been a nostalgic burger and beer joint in Dallas since 1950. The owner, Jack Keller, worked at Dallas’ original drive-in, The Pig Stand, which opened in 1921. He wanted to perfect the art of the drive-in by opening his own and along came Keller’s. The last Pig Stand closed in Dallas in 1985, but Keller’s has steadfastly upheld tradition. Today, three locations serve Dallas: Keller’s Drive-In on Harry Hines and two Keller’s Hamburgers locations, one on East Northwest Highway and the other on Gar- land Road. All are known for their friendly carhops, inexpensive burgers and nostalgic atmosphere. None of them have a social media pres- ence, so if you want to get the lay of the land beforehand, search the location on Google Maps. Reviewers have posted photos of up- to-date menus. Old school meets the 21st century. God bless. After some sleuthing, Keller’s Hamburg- ers on Garland Road swayed us with its $3.25 shakes. The menu at each location is different, but they all branch from the same core menu bolted on the kitchen’s exterior. Six burgers (hamburger, cheeseburger, double meat, meat and hickory sauce, the No. 5 special and a junior burger) and a corndog for mains. French fries, tots or on- ion rings for sides. Add caramelized onions for free. Yes, free. Everything is under $5 except the No. 5 special, which is still a bargain at only $5.45. Wash everything down with a soft drink, tea or lemonade for $1.95. The two Keller’s Hamburgers have the same core menu as the drive-in but with more add-ons, specialty sandwiches, drinks and desserts. Ours offered a grilled cheese, grilled chicken sandwich, steak sandwich, ham and cheese and a bacon & tomato sand- wich. Add cheese, bacon, chili, hamburger patties or jalapeños to any of them for $0.50 to $2. Beer isn’t listed on the menu, but it was born into the drive-in’s ethos: “Just a place to sell beers and some burgers, that’s all,” as relayed by Jack Keller. So while you won’t see drafts listed, know that you can abso- lutely crack open a cold one with the boys. Complete with a lime wedge. They make it obvious that the No. 5 Spe- cial is the burger of choice; it’s in large font at the top of the menu. It’s double meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato and their special dressing. Consider us sold, but not before adding bacon and jalapenos. No explanation is needed there. With it, we ordered a side of tots and a va- nilla shake. The holy trinity of gluttony. While cheap food can come with a bad rep, or lack of standards, Keller’s is pride- ful, as displayed on the menu: “Every order cooked to order. Never pre-cooked, frozen or microwaved.” The subtle drag we’re here for. Apart from the freshness, what sepa- rates Keller’s from the McDonald’s and Burger Kings of the world is the art of the ratio and the perfection of texture. When the bottom of the bag is delivered with fresh grease stains, you know they mean business. Two smash burger patties are married with a single slice of cheese that is some- what the nucleus of the burger, holding the entire thing together. Lettuce and tomato of- fer reprieve from the grease. We’re not sure what the secret formula for the special sauce is, but it’s likened to the classic house blend of mustard and ketchup. The bacon, thick cut and chewy, and clas- sic pickled jalapeños only add to the experi- ence, but you don’t need them to complete the burger. The best part about the burger is that no bite goes to waste since all the top- pings meet the outer edges of the bun. Every bite is the perfect bite. And the poppy seed bun? Resilience at its finest, absorbing the juices while at the same time not turning into a soggy disaster that falls apart in your hands. The tots and shake were of the quintessen- tial drive-in quality we all crave. Our server de- livered our shake first and encouraged dessert before dinner. A place for the people. When you pull in, one of the servers should come out in a timely manner for your order, but in case they don’t see you, they have a sign to turn on your flashers for ser- vice. Cash or card is accepted. Best of all, your food comes out with extra napkins, ketchup packets, and salt and pepper al- ready in the bag. Keller’s Drive-In, 10554 Harry Hines Blvd. Daily, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Keller’s Hamburgers, 6537 E. Northwest Highway. Daily, 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Keller’s Hamburgers, 10226 Garland Road. Daily, 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Aaren Prody The No. 5 with tater tots and a side of jalapenos all washed down with a vanilla shake is calling your name. City of Ate from p15
