A Local Cheeseburger Love Affair

By JOE BOCANEGRA
Resaca City Streets

Joe BocanegraBeing that I love to travel by foot in this great city of San Benito, I have often come upon the most interesting of sights and sounds. And let me just say that I have quite a few stories I could tell you. But Tuesday being National Cheeseburger Day, I was compelled to present to you my first inclusion in a series of conversations I hope to have with you about my experiences walking the streets of San Benito: local cuisines!

During the times I have been walking about San Benito, as many people know me to do, I have come across many a cheeseburger. These are not specifically here in the Resaca City, but also in Harlingen, Rio Hondo and Los Fresnos. I’m not talking about the burger chains either, but those little places in the corners of the city, neatly tucked in the by-ways of the town.

How many of you remember the burger booth that was next to Fred Booth Elementary ages ago? The white one with the red trim, I mean. I remember being taken there to sample their wares when I was much younger, which usually consisted of a top-heavy burger loaded with pickles and grilled onions and with tater tots on the side. That combination hooked me in for the rest of my life.

During high school, I had another hamburger craze, this time at the little bistro that was across the school. They had this double-decker burger: two thick slabs of beef, two fat slices of American cheese between them, toasted bun, add your own fixings. And I did add them: onions and pickles and mustard. No fries added, much to my sadness, but the burger itself didn’t need it.

Of course, the ones that I had in college were, I think, one of the best I have had. I would regularly walk to a café that would have everything cooked in butter: the buns, the meat, the bacon. Oh yes, it was then I had my first taste of a bacon cheeseburger. They also had a double-decker burger, but instead of cheese, they had bacon freshly cooked and warm. I fell in love with the place and that burger for years, often visiting them until they closed a few years ago.

Today, there are not many mom-and-pop burger places in our fair city of San Benito (and elsewhere), but I am always on the lookout for them. And when I find one, I often order the usual: a cheeseburger with onions, tomatoes, pickles, mayo on both sides, and a batch of fries on the side. Fix that up with an iced cola, and you have yourself one of the happiest guys on the planet.

So I salute you, cheeseburger, for making my journeys throughout the city indescribably delicious. May we meet always again, hopefully with a bottle of mayo and of ketchup on the side.

To read this story in print, pick up a copy of the September 19 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2012/09/18/a-local-cheeseburger-love-affair/

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  1. Just what exactly genuinely influenced u to create “A
    Local Cheeseburger Love Affair

    • Joe Bocanegra on September 21, 2012 at 8:29 pm
    • Reply

    Mary: THAT’S the name of the place! I was racking the name of it when I wrote the article. Thanks!

      • Mary L.Saldana on September 21, 2012 at 10:30 pm
      • Reply

      You are welcome.

    • Mary L.Saldana on September 21, 2012 at 7:50 pm
    • Reply

    We used to go to the Whiz Burger by Fred Booth school. Those were really good burgers. Of course you needed fries as well. Good old days. Now some of the fast food places make the burgers but you ask yourself “Where’s the Beef ?” I miss the good old days. You could get a cheeseburger, fries and a coke for less then $1.00. NOT ANYMORE.

    • Luis D. Gonzales, Jr on September 20, 2012 at 5:10 pm
    • Reply

    I remember vivdly the burgers and fries from Clayton”s Drive Inn in old San Benito.
    When we were growing up Friday payday was family dining out day. We didn’t have Whataburger, McDonalds, Burger King, etc in San Benito then.
    We either had Clayton’s, Chicken Hut chicken, or Pizza Hut to choose from in SB.

    When we did dine in Harlingen on Fridays, we loved Sammy’s Red Barn (the original one that burned down).

    I’m so glad that I had parents that treated us to so many wonderful home-owned restaurants in the San Benito/Harlingen area.

    I’m hungry now!

    • Its plain and simple on September 20, 2012 at 4:05 pm
    • Reply

    Now youve made me lose appetite for tacos…..how bout making own burgers homemade!!!!!!…..lol…..story entertaining!

    • jesus on September 20, 2012 at 12:27 pm
    • Reply

    try irmas tacos they have the best burgers and cheese burgers toat the buns and avrything you want #is 956-5779474 is over by the encantada school

    • Jay on September 19, 2012 at 10:26 pm
    • Reply

    If you can make the trip to Brownsville, hit up downtown and try some Rutledge. Mmm…

  2. The best burger the greatest burger the riches burger the juciest burger and the best burger be it at a bistro, cafe , burger joint, burger shack, Juanitas’s ,mom & pops , or resturants, a double or single burger with or with out cheese with all the timmings or with or with some oft he trimmings , with mustrard or mano in town r out of town with or with out coca cola and never even remeber if Ii ordred it with fries it was so good was the olmighty burger I ate when I was very very very very and I mean veryyyyyyyyy HUNGRY!!! Now you can’nt tell me that was not the best burger ever?

    • Cristie on September 18, 2012 at 10:26 pm
    • Reply

    Mmmmm….nothing like a great home made burger…we need more of those mom & pop burger places in San Benito

  1. […] A Local Cheeseburger Love Affair – These are not specifically here in the Resaca City, but also in Harlingen, Rio Hondo and Los Fresnos. I’m not talking about the burger chains either, but those little places in the corners of the city, neatly tucked in the by-ways of the town. […]

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