Wess Burger Shack - Temple
B O I work around the state and one of the joy’s of the job is picking where to eat lunch in whatever town we are in. After finishing a project and on the way out of town today we were stopped at the light and noticed the sign at Wes’s and a busy parking lot, after the normal rush time. “That’s a good sign” we said and pulled in.
We were greeted by the waitress as we opened the door and told to pick a seat. Though very busy the few open tables were perfectly cleaned and ready. The atmosphere of a well run local gem was evident, by the time we were seated we were asked for drinks and given menus, and my native Wisconsinite heart immediately warmed by the sight of a fried cheese curd appetizer.
Now twenty years in Texas , I’ve been offered “cheese curds” here just enough times before to not get too excited. But when they brought out a bottle of ranch and then garlic butter(!) with the generously portioned basket I knew Wes’s had risen above. Best fried cheese curds I’ve had outside of Wisconsin and better than many of what you can find back in the cheese state.
Then out came the cheeseburgers, I’d ordered a double with bacon and all the fixins, and my partner a single, and each was massive and delicious. My work partner is an old hat who loves to be a burger snob and after a few bites proclaimed he may make the hour drive north from Austin just to eat there again, and I agreed. He compared it to our favorites back in Austin and declared that for the price, Wes just may have beaten them.
We’re hungry men and neither of us could complete our meal without taking portions home, which the waitress was happy to oblige and also transfer our drinks to take away cups and refilled.
Before we stood from our table we were visited and thanked by Mr. Wes who went on to work the room and all his regulars like the Don of burgers he clearly is.
My only regrets are not eating there every day we were working in Temple, and spending too much time ranting and raving at the table about how great everything was that we didn’t notice all the Special staff he had bussing tables and backing up the great waitress u til we had signed the check and were heading to the door. If ever there is a place to tip 100% this is it and I will the many “next times” after experiencing what I did today.
