The service is excellent and the staff is very well trained in customer service. We were very…read morepleased with the experience. That said, the essence of a perfect burger is obfuscated by menu options that are too clever by half and left me wanting a true "cheeseburger" with some complementary, rather than distracting, condiments. Not an easy feat at all.
I'm from the US and I've noticed a trend. In the US a taco of pastor will often have pico, avocado, red cabbage, a boutique tortilla (milled quinoa with bacon bits).... you get the picture. Overkill. A myriad of distractions from what is already perfect.
A perfect taco of pastor is a slightly-oily, piping-hot, tortilla with just the pastor unless you ask for onion, cilantro or a little slice of pineapple. Simple elegance. Simply delicious. Perfect.
When I eat a burger in Mexico, the essence of a burger gets lost in the plethora of flavors that well-intentioned but overzealous chefs force on the deceptively simple burger.
An exceptional burger, like an exception taco de pastor, pays homage to the holy trinity of carbohydrate, fat and protein (and fire). Like the meat of pastor which should be well seared by the spit (just slightly crunch on the edges), the hamburger patty should have a deeply browned crust, a product of the Mailard reaction. The higher the heat, the more intense the reaction and the deeper the flavor. This is best achieved on a flat top, and difficult to achieve over an open flame.
The bun should be exceptionally fresh and should not crumble. It also should be a simple carbohydrate and should exhibit a taste profile as anonymous and yet as perfect as a tortilla from your favorite spot here in CDMX.
Lastly, the condiments should enhance the mouth feel and taste of the burger patty.... if any condiment should cause distraction from the bell of the ball, that condiment should forever be banned from good society.
In essence, Proper Burger has proper heart. But at core, the essence, l'essence de la vie, of every burger joint must be the classic burger.
As goes the beautiful taco de pastor, the perfect burger should follow. Simple, elegant, perfect.
