19 June 27 - July 3, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Meridian 5650 Village Glen Drive Meridian in The Village has undergone several changes since the departure of James Beard-nominated chef Junior Borges. Thankfully, one thing that’s still the same is the magnificent burger. Now called the Me- ridian Burger, it retains the key ingredients from the X-tudo: wagyu beef from Rosewood Ranch, melty Gruyere, a maitake aioli and slightly sweet shallot marmalade, all tucked into a potato bun. Meridian used to limit the number of burgers made each day, and you could only nab one at the bar during happy hour. Since the revamp, burger availability has expanded — you can order the burger alone for $15 during happy hour, or at dinner with a side of fries for $26. The Peak Inn 132 N. Peak St. The Peak Inn is like that cool older cousin who let you smoke their ciggies back in the day. It offers quite the elixir: a no-frills hang- out we can afford. The burgers here are taken seriously (all the food is, for that matter) but not like $27-serious. The Lil’ Kahuna Burger is a house favorite and is $10.50 with fries. Two one-third-pound patties (ground in- house) come with from-scratch Thousand Island dressing along with a slice of Ameri- can cheese. Local bakery Signature Baking provides the bun, which is buttered and toasted. The kitchen stays open until 1:30 a.m. every night. Rodeo Goat Multiple locations Rodeo Goat offers some fantastic burgers as part of its regular menu, but be sure to try the Evan Grant Burger, named after the local sports scribe. This seasonal burger is stuffed with bacon and topped with gouda, brisket from Zavala’s and housemade aioli. Or track down The Cortez, which is topped with al pastor, chopped onions, cilantro and spicy lime mayo, all squeezed in a bun coated in Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Surf Camp 2130 Commerce St. Burger aficionados likely have powerful memories of Off-Site Kitchen, the burger- only joint from Nick Badovinus that served up a whole lot of burger goodness for not a lot of coin. When we popped into Badovinus’ latest joint, Surf Camp in the East Quarter, the burger at this outdoor-only rooftop bar gave off a lot of OSK vibes. For starters, the base burger checks in at just $9 and comes dressed out with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and mayo. We bumped our burger up to the “Goin Back To Cali” ($13), which added queso Oaxaca, guacamole, bacon and tajin, making for a slightly messy yet flavor- packed upgrade. A sub-ten-buck burger, plenty of drinks and fun atmosphere will keep Surf Camp in our rotation for as long as the weather permits. Sky Rocket Burger Multiple locations Sky Rocket Burger is the type of joint that brings you right back to your childhood: as soon as you walk in scents from the well-sea- soned grill hit you. They use quarter-pound Angus beef patties, all ground on-site. It’s not fancy like the burgers you see on Instagram, but it doesn’t need to be. Nothing is bungled by being overdesigned. A single with cheese is $7.49. But if you’re looking to play a little, pay attention to the add-ons like spicy mayo, a secret sauce, grilled jalapeños or onions. Or get all of them — yes, do that. Get all of them. Wingfield’s Breakfast & Burger 2615 S. Beckley Ave. Burgers here start at $10, and a double with bacon combo will run you a full $20 — not for bougie reasons, but because it’s so much food. Wingfield’s has challenge-level servings. We ordered a double with bacon just to show the kids, “See there? That’s how they do it at Wingfield’s,” and they’ll always remember that day and place. Wingfield’s has been smashing huge meat patties on the grill since the mid-’80s and has acquired a large following who patiently hover for park- ing spaces and then hop into the tiny spot to pick up orders. You can (and should) order ahead online. Despite the name, Wingfield’s doesn’t serve breakfast and is closed on Sun- days. ▼ TACOS TAKE YOURSELF DOWN TO TACO CITY CHEF TASTEBUDZ AT TACO CITY IS A BIRRIA LOVER’S HEAVEN IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS. BY THERESSA VELAZQUEZ B e warned: Sabian Sanchez’s Insta- gram posts will give you a hard case of the munchies. Sanchez, known through social media as Chef Tastebudz, specializes in “birria every- thing.” Whether you’re craving tacos, burri- tos, ramen, quesadillas or even pizza, expect to find the slow-cooked beef and accompa- nying consommé in everything. With lots of cheese. Sanchez began selling tacos at pop-up events in 2020 before moving permanently to Taco City this year. It’s a small but bright taco stand in downtown Dallas with a walk- up window and a small space out front with about eight seats. There are plenty of other Taco City spots around Dallas but don’t get confused: This is the only one with Tastebudz running the kitchen. It’s next to Rokwood Nightclub, just a four-minute walk from Dealey Plaza and the JFK Memorial Plaza. We grabbed some seats at the sidewalk bar, watching the busy city go by, and treated ourselves to a Hot Cheeto Burrito for $16. For $2 more, we added a crispy cheese crust dusted with Cheeto crumbs. This monster burrito is loaded with Monterrey Jack cheese that oozes over Hot Cheetos, birria, chicken, cilantro and onions. Taco City had two lunch specials going on when we visited (others are listed on a chalk- board out front). Loaded birria tacos and the loaded quesabirria, each with a side of beans and rice, plus a canned drink or water bottle, were $14 each. “Loaded” gets you both chicken and beef, but there is the option for just one protein as well (unloaded). The birria tacos come with the same ingredients as the burrito, just in smaller form, and the corn tortilla is dipped in the beef stew before being crisped on the grill. In contrast, the quesabirria’s warm four tortilla is soft and packed with extra cheese and meat. The restaurant has rightfully garnered a loyal birria following with a steady stream of customers during lunch (likely for the $12 specials) and hungry clubgoers lining up on the weekends (perhaps for the loaded burri- tos). It’s definitely worth the wait. Taco City, 600 Jackson St. Tuesday – Sat- urday, lunch 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., dinner 7 p.m. – midnight; closed Sunday and Monday. Lauren Drewes-Daniels Lauren Drewes-Daniels Angie Quebedeaux Lauren Drewes-Daniels Theressa Velazquez Pledge your support of local journalism and get cool perks by becoming a member.
