During last year’s Chinese Chorizo Festival, I walked into Slow Body Beer Co. and saw a cute pastel coral/salmon pink truck parked out front. I realized it was Bisou Burger, which offered a beef Chinese Chorizo burger on special.
With the toppings including sweet chili slaw, cabbage, cilantro, daikon, onion, and gochugaru sweet chili dressing, I figured the burger would be on the lighter side and not fill me up too much. I had to save room for their mac and cheese, which I noticed included roasted poblanos (a personal favorite addition) and crunchy panko topping.
Upon arrival, I noticed how shiny and pillowy the bun looked; definitely handmade. I bit into the delicate bun and crunched through the layers of the burger, one at a time, and my eyes widened in shock.
“Yo, this is bomb,” I said out loud and nodded with a half-grin like I was walking past a stranger in a hallway.
A couple visits later, they conveniently parked next to Presta Coffee Roasters, where I had my usual espresso. After trying their waffle burger and torta specials, I handed them my Tucson Foodie card and told them to contact me once they were ready for an article.
A few weeks later, we met at that same Presta for an interview, then they met Clay at the Royal Room for a photoshoot.
From co-workers to co-owners
Bisou Burger co-owners William Jacobs and Jeff Garland met while working in the kitchen at Tito & Pep. Garland started when the restaurant opened and worked there for about three and a half years before working at Monsoon Chocolate and then moved on, focusing on Bisou Burger. Jacobs still works at Anello and has spent three years there.
Meanwhile, the two became roommates and started cooking for friends.
“We started doing big parties at our house,” Jacobs said. “And then we started charging for those big parties.”
After continued successful burger parties, official pop-ups followed. And after several collaborations around town at food trucks like Senae Thai Street Food, Parkie Sandwich, and Royal Room owner Ian Stupar’s pink burrito truck. Stupar eventually offered the duo a chance to buy the truck, which they accepted.
Today, Bisou Burger operates as a roaming Tucson food truck focused on smash burgers, scratch cooking, and tight execution.
A name inspired by a cat, and a kiss
The “Bisou” in Bisou Burger came from the name of their large orange cat. The word also means kiss in French. The duo wanted something friendly and memorable, Garland said.
Local tattoo artist Karolina Olivia designed the logo, including the cat illustration and typeface.
Local beef, ground in house
At its core, Bisou Burger starts with Arizona beef. “We’re using K4 Ranches chuck out of Prescott, trying to stay local,” Jacobs said, “as local as possible,”
They grind 100 percent chuck in house three times for texture and consistency, then smash each patty for caramelized edges.
Garland noted that speed matters in a truck, which the smash style helps with.
House-baked milk buns
Perhaps unique among all food trucks in Tucson, Garland bakes every bun used in the truck. The recipe uses milk dough with high hydration and yeast for softness and structure. That bread anchors every burger and most specials, such as their tortas.
They also “pretzelized” the buns for certain collaborations by dipping them in lye for a chewy exterior.
American cheese, reimagined
Instead of industrially processed slices for cheese, they are “americanizing” high quality cheese. Their process starts with Tillamook white cheddar and sodium citrate as an emulsifier. The result delivers the classic American gooey melt with sharper flavor from the cheddar.
[Editor’s note: I selfishly asked them to use this process with Pecorino-Romano and freshly cracked black pepper to make a cheese for a “cacio e pepe” burger. C’mon, guys. Please?]
Tucson flavors in a smash burger
Beyond beef and bread, Bisou layers in regional flavor. The standard burger includes sautéed onions in yellow mustard and a fire-roasted poblano puree.
Garland described the philosophy.
“It’s trying to keep the essence of what we kind of see as Tucson into a smash burger, as kind of the vehicle,” he said.
They source ingredients from Pivot Produce and Mission Garden, when available. That approach mirrors their restaurant backgrounds.
The menu also includes a falafel burger for vegetarians.
Weekly specials and playful ideas
While the core menu stays tight, specials rotate weekly. Some lean classic, others get bold.
For Valentine’s Day, they created a dramatic beet burger that featured pickled beets, strawberry habanero jam, smoked cream cheese, and watermelon rind kimchi.
Other past specials include spicy bulgogi burgers and Oklahoma onion burgers. Still, they avoid overcomplication.
“I think we want to do simple things, really, really well,” Garland said.
Do not skip the ice cream sandwich
Notably, the truck also sells a house-made ice cream sandwich. Garland said, “Our ice cream sandwich, I feel like, doesn’t get the recognition.”
They continue to expand flavors, including Oreo-inspired versions. The dessert reflects the same from-scratch ethos as the burgers.
A cook’s mindset
Although both have fine-dining experience, neither leans on titles.
“I feel like I’ve done chef things, but honestly never felt like the title really stuff,” Garland said.
Instead, they focus on execution.
“We just want to make good food,” he said.
That restraint defines Bisou Burger. The menu stays small. The sourcing stays intentional. The truck moves where the community gathers.
Keep up with Bisou Burger on Instagram to find out where they are parked that day.
Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
