Burger Quest

I’ve  been waiting 11 years for a burger.  A Bobcat Bite Green Chile Cheeseburger to be exact.  This unassuming, six table place outside Santa Fe delivered a burger that was simply incomparable. 

Dan outside the original Bobcat Bite in 2010

And inside, with its unique decor.

I could count on one hand the number of burgers I’ve eaten since then - each one a sad disappointment.  So, expectations were high.  Maybe too high, as the first thing we learned was that the original place had been sold and a new place opened in town, ostensibly with the same owners and famed grill, but now called Santa Fe Bite.  Second disappointment was that it was closed on the day we rolled into town so we tried another winner of the Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown (it’s a thing). Nope.  Not even close to being great.  

Happily we were in town for almost a week so we got to the new place.  Despite the bland suburban decor - gone were the beefy guys perched on wrought iron chairs - the new Bobcat Bite delivered the absolute best four napkin burger I’ve eaten in 11 years.  I’m embarrassed to say I went with the 10oz version (6oz?  After all this time? Ha!) And finished every bit of it.  Of course I had to lie down and digest for two days afterwards, but SO worth it.



Then, on a lovely drive along the Turquoise Trail we stumbled upon the Mineshaft Tavern in the old coal mining town of Madrid, now slowly coming back to life as a haven for artists.  


The Mineshaft is funky and fun, with a biker/cowboy/leftover hippie kind of vibe.  And also famous for THEIR green chile cheeseburger which comes with a whole deep fried Hatch green chile in addition to roasted and sautéed.  Well, there was nothing for it but to dig in.  



A very close second. 

Dan thinks we’re done with burgers and chile now but it turns out we’ll be passing through Hatch, New Mexico.  Right around lunch time it seems.


















Comments

  1. YivvyDecember 8, 2021 at 12:00 PM

    Love the expression on Dan's face as he takes his first bite! Never heard of a Bobcat Green Chile Cheeseburger before, but it looks delicious and certainly requires a daring soul to eat it! Must be squarely American - something like the truly Canadian dish called Poutine. What matters is that you are continuing to travel and enjoy all the thrills of experiencing old adventures and welcoming new discoveries. Love your posts. I feel as though I am travelling with you! Love from Yvonne.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trailer Trash MamaDecember 9, 2021 at 6:20 AM

      Thanks Yvonne! We are enjoying mostly every minute. The challenges continue but it’s good to have them. Wouldn’t want to get too comfortable! Looking forward to seeing you next summer. Love to you and Roy.

      Delete
  2. JimsDecember 9, 2021 at 11:24 AM

    Wow! After reading this, I guess it's safe to say I've never known there was such a burger, and I now would like to try one. I cannot tell you how much fun it's been reading these adventures you two are having. Challenges are a good thing, and you are meeting them with enthusiasm! Yesterday, Doug and I talked about you both; even he gets a kick out of hearing about you two and what you've been doing on your adult gap year. ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jim BDecember 9, 2021 at 11:49 AM

    New Mexico! Makes me think of huge skies, high altitude geology and flora, and maybe a flying saucer or two. I bet the skies at night are spectacularly lit with stars.

    By the way, that food looks delicious; I can see how it would so add to the local experience.

    Strangely, I actually have never considered seeking fun eateries for vacation--typically is has been about sightseeing and conversations with interesting people. Vacation eateries is a great idea. Where has my mind been? Massively hungry now.

    I'll bet by now you are getting into the swing of things and the horizon beckons ever more fun.

    ReplyDelete
  4. JillDecember 28, 2021 at 8:03 AM

    Ok, I finally found you traveling through one of my favorite states. I lived outside of Albuquerque, in a small town, Belen, for a few years, many years ago. I fell in love with the locals and Hatch Green Chilies! OMG!!! New Mexico, has such vibrant sky's, the locals were so welcoming, shared their wonderfully unique traditions. I hope you enjoy this beautiful state😘

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Virgins Locked And Loaded

Image
Nevada & Utah There are only two reasons to go to Las Vegas: to get to Zion National Park and to eat the best (according to Antony Bourdain and me) Northern Thai food in America at Lotus of Siam. Having three days to kill before heading to Zion and not wanting to stay in Las Vegas longer than one incredible dinner - I recommend  the Crispy Duck Panang  - we checked into a fancy RV resort in a town between the edge of Death Valley and Las Vegas.   The town of Pahrump (a-pum-pum?) whose reason for existing escapes me, turns out to have attracted a surprising number of infamous people, including brothel owner Dennis Hof, self styled the Trump of Pahrump.  Heidi Fleiss, the Hollywood Madam whose little black book caused quite the stir a while ago, moved here, and Michael Jackson at one time had a pad in Pahrump.  Why?  No idea.  There is nothing here - it’s hot, it’s flat, it’s not pretty at all, it’s quite literally between rocks and a hard place.  Perhaps the town motto should be: Pa
Read more

Maintaining The Marital Mystery:Trailer Edition

Image
We women need a bit of space and privacy to tend to things that men have no need (or wish) to know about.  You know what I’m talking about - it involves body hair, wax, tweezers, depilatories, razors, dyes, rinses, masks, exfoliation and usually a cruel and ruthless magnifying mirror. We also need time in which to deploy these things.  And space.  Did I mention space already? And privacy? Somehow I neglected to pack the magnifying mirror and kept forgetting to buy a new one.  But there is a mirror in our tiny bathroom and even if the light is harsh it’s good enough to put on some eyebrows and cover up the spots which is all I seem to have time for these days anyway. When I stabbed not only Dan but  myself  with my toenails one night I realized I’d probably let things go a bit.  My legs and feet looked like a hobbit’s, (my armpits were apparently quite fashionable now), my skin was positively scaley.  Enough was enough. I decided it was time to  Make A Bit Of An Effort . I bought a 10x
Read more

Into The Valley Of Whatever

Image
Just when you think you’ve finally cracked it - mastered, say, a new skill - something happens to keep you humble, to remind you that perhaps you should have read Boondocking For Absolute Morons after all, and that relying on Internet Acquired Techniques for gauging the level of propane in your tanks - involving hot water and the laying on of hands (full disclosure, there were two sets of hands participating here) -  was perhaps not the wisest move, and that unnecessary oversights can, in fact, spoil an otherwise wonderful, breathtaking and uplifting experience. Yes, we ran out of propane during a bitterly cold night on the flanks of California’s  highest mountain.  And the fully stocked fridge, which definitely does not use propane, went out on strike in solidarity the heating system, which does. So there we were, huddled in bed with the dogs for extra warmth, like Scott of the Antarctic (or was it Shackleton?) waiting for dawn so we could saddle up and get the hell out of there.  No
Read more