A Stroke of Genius: the Dallas Burger That Doubles as a Taco

Just under two years ago, Dallas’ most underrated eatery swung open its window. The red banner above the ordering window still read “Comederia” in chunky white letters from the former taco stand. A chalkboard, hanging casually in front, announced the menu: a Cubano, coffees, sides, a roasted turkey sandwich and a Cuban burger made with a beef and chorizo patty, homemade spiced ketchup, pepper Jack and crispy potato strings on a soft roll. The burger was exciting and delicious, the patty seared with crunchy edges, texture added from buttery onions and crispy potato matchsticks. 

Now, at its young age of almost two, ¡C. Señor! has one of Dallas’ most interesting and delicious burgers under 10 bucks. Also, and this is a big "also," you can order it as a taco. It’s brilliant: The chorizo-beef patty, hard seared and crunchy-edged, gets chopped and dropped into a double corn tortilla with diced white onion, cilantro and toothpick-thin fried potatoes. One bite in, you’ll forever regret the time you made fun of a burger taco. Why don’t more restaurants offer a taco version of your order? 
I’m there on a storm-washed afternoon, planted at one of their unembellished concrete tables. Birds are popping around, and I’m slamming a Topo Chico. My order — the burger and the burger taco — comes in a paper bag stamped with the ¡C. Señor! logo.

The burger has evolved somewhat. Griddled “medianoche” bread (instead of a roll), a Cuban staple that’s similar to Cuban sandwich bread, surrounds the sandwich. Three beautiful, melted slices of pepper jack top my heavy-seared, chorizo-spiked beef patty. The potato sticks are thinner, tooth-pick sized, than the soft opening’s version. Adobo ketchup sneaks up on you, an elbow’s nudge worth of tangy, cuminy sweetness, caramelized right onto the patty. It's rich with chorizo’s magical oil and big on beef flavor. 

The Cuban burger is non-stop happiness. There’s no nonsense. The food comes quickly in a paper bag, and you devour it outside, wind in your face, as you sit at a concrete table. With the check and the Topo Chico, my burger and its burger taco cousin cost me about 13 bucks.

You’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Miami, even if you’ve never been. It just feels like the coast. Go, enjoy a real food stand and taco-it. Taco everything.

¡C. Señor!, 330 W. Davis St.