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A new food truck brings Dominican burgers to Raleigh.
For Roberto Diaz, chimis—aka Dominican burgers—were an everyday meal growing up. Now, he’s serving up the traditional street food to the Triangle out of his new food truck, Berto’s Chimis. “They remind me of home,” says Dominican Republic native Diaz. The former manager of now-shuttered Calavera Empanadas and Tequila in DTR, Diaz first realized his dream of starting a chimi food truck in 2018 after years of making chimis for his family, friends and colleagues… who all gave him the same feedback—his burgers were delicious.
Last July, Diaz finally set his dream in motion and bought a truck; Berto’s Chimis hit the streets in January 2021. The menu includes two different types of chimis: the original with a seasoned beef patty, and a chicken chimi with marinated grilled chicken breast, plus sides like yucca fries and tostones. Both chimis are served with pickled cabbage, tomato and special sauce (a mixture of mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard), plus some additional spices and lemon juice.
Diaz says the key differences between a chimi and a standard American burger are the various seasonings used in the beef patty and the bread. He uses pan de agua (which literally translates to “water bread”), a light and airy bread that achieves a crunchy consistency on the outside and a soft texture on the inside when put in a sandwich press. The resulting chimi is juicy, flavorful and saucy—everything you’re looking for in a burger.
Berto’s Chimis food truck can be found at the BaySix parking lot at 414 Dupont Circle Friday through Sunday. bertoschimis.com
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