Durango-Style Burgers: El Duranguito, Maywood

Durango-Style Burgers: El Duranguito, Maywood

I’ve driven by El Duranguito many times, admiring their funky sign advertising “Hamburguesas estilo Durango,” mentally noting that I really should stop by to see how they eat hamburgers in Durango.

Today, satisfying my short-term lust for burgers and my long-term love for regional Mexican food, I stopped.

The hamburger “estilo Durango” turns out to be a large meat patty (seemingly not previously frozen, given texture and irregularity of shape), on a sesame-seed cemita bun (inside heel smeared with guacamole). Between crown and patty are bell peppers, raw onions, lettuce, mustard and mayo in a big slippery mess: there was so much mayo, after the third or fourth bite, the burger lost all traction on the bun and started sliding out. The menu said there was also supposed to be ham and bacon on top, too, but neither meat came on mine.

I have no idea if this is how they eat their burgers in Durango – in fact, I’m still a little vague about what makes up Durango style. As one of Mexico’s larger and land-locked states, I would expect perhaps more meat offerings (and no fish is served at El Duranguito), though on such limited evidence, I am drawing no conclusions about anything related to Duranguense cuisine. As Chicago draws many from Durango, I’m a little surprised the elements of this regional style are less obvious than, say, the food of Guerrero or Yucatan.

Any how, just thought I’d log this experience, though unless you’re lost in Maywood and in life-or-death need of hamburger, I wouldn’t waste the gas to get to El Duranguito.

David “I’d rather eat burgers in hell than seitan in heaven” Hammond

El Duranguito Taqueria
402 W. Lake Street
Maywood, IL
708.343.4584

David Hammond wrote:Between crown and patty are bell peppers, raw onions, lettuce, mustard and mayo in a big slippery mess: there was so much mayo, after the third or fourth bite, the burger lost all traction on the bun and started sliding out. The menu said there was also supposed to be ham and bacon on top, too, but neither meat came on mine.

Hammond,

Met the ever interesting, and 15-lbs lighter, Dickson for a Durango style burger and, armed with your fair warning on the mayo front, quite enjoyed my half of the easy on the mayo Durango burger. Ours, in addition to the ingredients you list, contained both bacon and ham plus pickled jalapeno which provided welcome heat and vinegar counterpoint.

Hamburgesas Estilo Durango




Dickson, who had been before, recommended pork in green sauce, tender with a light chili heat and, simply for color coordination, we had a burrito with pork in red sauce, also tender with a slightly more aggressive chili hit. Green sauce gordita was piping hot and nicely griddled and the flour tortilla burrito had a lightly toasty flavor from the grill.

Burrito, small, pork in red sauce/Gordita, pork in green sauce


Burrito, small, pork in red sauce.


Comfortable seating, pleasant efficient service, low prices and absolutely spotless, a suggested stop if one is in the area.

Enjoy,
Gary

We went for the burgers a few months ago (working thru the burger list!) and the burger was good. An interesting variation. I would enjoy refried beans on my burgers more often.

Way too much mustard on all of the burgers though... Maybe a slip of the squeeze bottle?

On two visits to El Duranguito, at the kind suggestion of VI, I have been quite happy with my food. The Durango style of Burrito meets my simplicity standard - a thick tortilla nicely griddled is filled with a wonderful meat (in addition to the Guisado Verde and Rojo, there also are the standbys such as steak, chicken, etc. and for the more adventuresome there were some variety meats including fresh chicharron), and a touch of cheese and mayonnaise. That apparently is what makes it estilo Duranguito.

The salsa that comes with the chips is of the warm and red style, not my favorite compared to say the Salsa Fresca of El Pollo Giro which offers more heat, a lovely freshness and more complexity, but it is pleasant enough.

And a small burrito and small horchata gives one a nice lunch within that $4 range - what more could I want? Oh, Gary's company is always a treat, too.

G Wiv wrote:... plus pickled jalapeno which provided welcome heat and vinegar counterpoint.

This is probably what makes it Durango-style. In one of Diana Kennedy's cookbooks, she mentions that some form of Jalapeno relish is always found in homes and restaurants in Durango.