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Toro Burger Bar
1050 Sunland Park Dr.El Paso, TX
(915) 581-2720
Note: This review was written for the location at 2609 N. Mesa St., which is now closed. There are now two locations: 1050 Sunland Park Dr. and 6590 Montana Ave. |
Toro Burger Bar is part of what seems to be a growing trend in El Paso of providing higher quality,
healthier, and better tasting food than has been served up to this point. I probably would not argue
that hamburgers are the healthiest diet that can be found, but Toro's selection of Angus beef, Wagyu
beef, veggie burger, and alternative meats such as turkey, chicken, and salmon offer some of the
healthiest choices available. Soups and salads are also served, as well as fries that are light on
the grease and the calories.
The food I sampled was mixed as far as how I judged the flavor, but the quality was uniformly
good. The price was just a little higher than I would expect from one of the "greasy" hamburger
restaurants, and I thought Toro was quite a good bargain.
My take home menu did not have drinks listed, and I remember the drinks being a little higher
than in other restaurants. Toro also offers many choices of toppings and extra features that can
raise the price. I judged everything I ordered, though, to be worth the price.
Most of the hamburgers are made with Angus beef, supposedly of higher than average quality
(although I did not try it). The burger I did try was slightly more expensive (currently selling for $10)
called "American Kobe," and made with "Snake River Farm American Wagyu beef" (American
beef is labeled as Wagyu rather than the Japanese Kobe beef). In terms of flavor this was probably
the best I have ever had. I have had other Wagyu beef that tasted little different from other good
quality beef, but the one at Toro had a deep, rich flavor that left no doubt that this was a special
hamburger. In fact, it tasted more like a steakburger with just enough fat to give some flavor. It
is my understanding that Wagyu beef has strict standards that would classify it as organic, and
the one at Toro certainly tasted like it was the highest quality beef available.
I actually eat more veggie burgers than regular burgers, so I have had a good sample of the
meatless patties in various restaurants. The one at Toro was fresh, but did not have as good of a
flavor as at Jaxon's (my favorite in El Paso). Still, I thought the one at Toro was better than average.
I probably would have preferred more black beans and other ingredients to give it a sharper
flavor.
Toro is supposed to be famous for its Sweet Potato Fries, and they were also very good. I
will not try to claim that the fries at Toro taste as good as the traditional greasy ones served at most
restaurants, but I do like the fact that Toro's seem to be more healthy. I thought the sweet potatoes
had a good texture and were a good change from the traditional potatoes.
One feature that is evident from the pictures is how red and ripe the tomatoes are, with high
quality ingredients used even in the sandwich toppings. The avocado and greens used with the
veggie were also quite a nice feature.
American Kobe burger with regular fries
Veggie burger with sweet potato fries
RESTAURANT DETAILS
RATING: 23
Cuisine: Hamburgers
Cost: $$
Hours: Open Daily
Additional Locations: 1700 N. Zaragoza Rd., 6590 Montana Ave.
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No Smoking
Alcohol: Beer, Wine
Most Recent Visit
Apr. 29, 2010
Number of Visits: 1
Best Item
Kobe Burger
Special Ratings
Kobe Burger:
Veggie Burger:
Sweet Potato Fries:
Restaurant Web Site
Toro Burger Bar