A new food truck experience aims to punch up the smash burger scene in the West Valley. La Hamburguesa, parked on the corner of McDowell Road and North 36th Avenue, is the passion project of chef and professional boxer Hernan-Zeal Rivera. It's gaining a cult-like following on social media for its lovingly crafted smash burgers and hand-cut, beef tallow fries, with some even calling it the best burger they've ever had.
Rivera, 27, grew up in the Phoenix food scene. His father, Hernan Rivera Sr., started in the restaurant business 28 years ago in the same plaza where La Hamburguesa currently resides. His dad founded Valley favorite Nogales Hot Dogs.
“My dad would work at the bakery next door, and he had a recipe for hotdog buns. He asked if he could set up shop in front with these Sonoran hot dogs," Rivera says. "(He) moved to food trucks, and eventually he started Sushi Sonora, and still runs that today.”
The junior Rivera started apprenticing under his father’s watchful eye as a child, taking orders before he was a teen.
“My dad is a bit of a workaholic, but he taught me so much about the business, how to work hard. He’s definitely my idol. I remember just being a little kid and taking orders for customers and looking up to him for what he was doing. I was so small, my legs would just dangle off the seat of the food truck as we would prep,” Rivera says.
Along with a sense of hard work, his father instilled a passion for simple, fresh dishes. But the path to burger champion did not seem so clear as Rivera got older.
From boxing to burgers
In his early 20s, he threw himself into the world of amateur boxing, and after two years of full-time training, he turned professional as a middleweight. Now, he balances his life as a chef with his fighting schedule, getting up early to train before heading to the truck to prepare for evening service.
“Boxing actually led me to La Hamburguesa. After my last fight, I gave myself a little reward and my brother and I went to Japan for two weeks. I fell in love with the way they approach food," Rivera says.
In Japan, he was awe-struck by the drive for perfection and respect for the food, along with the use of the freshest possible ingredients. He brought that ethos home and now applies it in his truck.
“The burger I am making is actually inspired by a burger place in Tokyo: Shogun Burger Shibuya. They do a wagyu burger, not smashed, but everything is locally sourced and made with intention. I wanted to do that here, with our resources and our community,” Rivera says.
It all starts with locally sourced meat and bread. Rivera opted for a homemade Japanese-style milk bun and partnered with Mark Bookhamer at Nice Buns Bakery who crafts the bread with Hayden Flour Mills local white wheat. The beef comes from AZ Grass Fed and is sourced at Underbelly Meat Co. and ground by hand. Veggies are sourced at the Uptown Farmers Market. Even the beef tallow, which is used to triple-fry the hand-cut French fries, is locally sourced.
“I know that customers love the care that we put into it. I want them to have the best burger of their life. That’s what we are going for,” Rivera says.
'The buzz is strong, but the burgers are stronger'
With all the preparation and work that goes into a burger that meets Rivera's exacting standards, La Hamburguesa began with limited hours. As the truck's popularity has grown, Rivera has perfected his approach and expanded his service. He's now open Wednesday to Sunday from 5 p.m. until he sells out. That seems to be happening earlier each week, Rivera says.
“I’ve got people coming two hours to get here and get this burger. Another guy comes in from Ahwatukee every week, he messages me when he is on his way. These guys are committed," Rivera says. "The buzz is strong, but the burgers are stronger.”
Rivera offers two mainstays on the menu. The Signature is his take on the traditional smash burger with grilled onions, secret sauce, homemade pickles and American cheese. The whole thing comes together in a made-from-scratch beef fever dream - the textures of the crispy patty, crunchy homemade pickles (which might be Rivera’s secret weapon) and pillowy milk bun, with just enough zing from the sauce to put it over the top. It is an incredible burger, full stop.
Another featured burger is The Mexican, which includes ancho Chile, jalapeno, pepper jack cheese and grilled onion. The Chile and pepper jack give a bit of an elevated Mexican Philly Cheese Steak feel with a perfect balance of heat, cheese, crisp beef and onion. Both burgers are best enjoyed with the crisp, rich beef tallow fries.
On occasion, Rivera features specials such as a Japanese-style fried chicken sandwich and a birria burger with Oaxaca cheese, homemade birria, cilantro mayo, chopped onions and a side of consomme.
A full-circle journey
“To me, as a Mexican American, that term is endearing, because they will say it as a compliment. Better than the burger you get at a restaurant. This is food from a family member or friend. To me, there is so much appreciation for Mexican culture and food in this area, so I want to make sure I represent that in what I do,” Rivera says.
Between boxing and working hard in the truck, Rivera seems to be drawn to physical and intense professions. Success at either endeavor all comes down to dedication, he says.
“What I learned in boxing, I try to correlate it to cooking. Attention to detail and hard work. Boxing is harder than cooking all day. It’s way more fun making food for people than getting punched in the face,” Rivera laughs.
Rivera has a lot to celebrate. He’s recently married, and he and his wife have welcomed a baby girl. He sees his own legacy in the timing. When Rivera was little, his dad was just starting out. Now he is a father with a child and a food truck of his own, mere blocks from where his dad began his journey.
“It may just be a burger, but it’s food that’s striving for perfection. I know I’m not going to get there, no one ever does, right? But if I can get close, then I’m going to try my hardest to get to perfect," Rivera says. "In that way, it’s a burger, but it's not just a burger. It’s way more than that."
Given the following he is gaining from this from-scratch approach, he isn’t wrong.
