History of the Theta Burger?
I live in Texas, but went to school in Oklahoma. Up there, I discovered a burger at a few places called a Theta Burger. It's bbq sauce (usually called Hickory Sauce though), shredded cheddar cheese, mayo and dill pickle slices. There's one place here in Austin that I know of that serves this burger, but outside of Oklahoma, I've never seen it.
I've tried looking it up on the web, but can't find any info about it. Does anyone know where this burger came from?
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6 Comments:
I dont know anything about it other then it sounds yummmmmmyyy.
hammondcheese at 8:25PM on 10/21/08
Hello Austin..... San Antonio here, I've never heard of Theta Burgers, however, I do see burgers with some b-b-q sauce. They would probably taste a bite like chili cheese burgers. Not particular my favorites.
I'm an old fashion hamburger type of guy.
lochaven at 11:32PM on 10/21/08
There used to be a restaurant in Oklahoma City, kind of a classic place, called the Split-T. They closed, changed hands, re-opened and ultimately closed again with the building being torn down. Something else is there now but I think I remember someone older telling me that the Theta burger was a Split-T original. Said elder person took me to the Split-T for the first time in the very early 90's after one of their re-openings and I did enjoy their Theta burger.
I can't say for sure whether the Theta is a Split-T original, but I can tell you that the gentleman who managed the Split-T for years left to open the Johnnie's group of burger places. As was mentioned on another post here on SE, Johnnie's serves the Theta burger, as does a lot of Oklahoma restaurants. For now, I'm sticking with the Split-T as the originator of the Theta until I find out otherwise.
Another variation of the Theta utilizes pickle relish rather than dill pickle slices. The taste isn't drastically different but it makes for a messier burger experience.
Being from Texas and going to school in Oklahoma could leave a person with a rather schizophrenic football personality. ;)
holdthemayo at 6:16PM on 10/22/08
Yes, well, actually, my family moved to Edmond when I was in HS, and I went to HS and college there. Split-T was actually referred to as T-bar when I was in college and we went there...a lot. Johnnie's was the first place I had the Theta. Now living in Austin, I can only get them at Hut's which isn't my favorite place in the world.
As for my football personality, it's easy when you don't care :) But even though I don't care, I'll always root for OU if forced.
FoodPorncess at 8:01PM on 10/22/08
You are correct, the original "Theta" burger was developed by the Split T & has since closed, but one of the managers opened "johnnie's Charcoal Burger" in OKC. They too offer the Theta burger as does "Charcoal Oven" on Northwest Expressway. I have never found this sauce anywhere nor found the burger offered anywhere else in the country. I now live in Houston, TX & can't find it anywhere. I did return to OKC this weekend & had a Theta burger at Johnnie's, it was fantastic!
suusue at 12:33PM on 03/16/09
The Theta is indeed an Oklahoma original and probably attributable to the late great Split T (or the T Bar to afficianados), but it has certainly entered the Okie culinary vernacular and decent examples abound. I grew up in Tulsa and we used to get pretty good Thetas at Charlie Mitchell's (eponymous pub of the great Scottish footballer/hooligan) but my favorite was probably the one served at JP Sousa's. The buns were nice and toasty (essential from an engineering standpoint to keep your theta a hand sandwich) and they gave you extra hickory sauce for your curly fries. The fact that you ordered by phone from your table was a bonus.
It should be noted that an according to hoyle Theta is an all or nothing proposition. The pickles, mayo (not miracle whip), and shredded chedar (not sliced american) are what make it what it is and are as essential to the outcome as the hickory sauce. Just as a Martini with an onion is a Gibson so too is a Theta minus one of it's contituants an altogether different thing. It may sound like an odd combination, but people eat special mushrooms hunted by trained pigs so...try to be open minded.
As far as the name is concerned, I had always heard that it was after the sorority. Seems likely. Burgers are pub grub. Not hard to find a sorority girl in a bar (especially not in OKC area). If you run the phrase "I ate a theta" together, it sounds greek. Back when I was at OU, there was a bar called Denko's that used to advertise "Eat a Theta @ Denko's". They also had a chili 5way that they called the Darlin'. You used to see people sporting tshirts that said "I ate my Darlin' at Denko's". Good stuff.
McGrew at 4:17PM on 09/15/09