Review: At La Oaxaqueña Taqueria, a worthy pilgrimage site off the hungry highway

Irked by Thruway stops? Rosario family taqueria 1 mile from Batavia exit comforts with quesadillas

La Oaxaqueña quesadillas are lined with griddled cheese.

In recent years, for diverse reasons, I’ve been spending many an hour on the Thruway.

I’m 57, so I have to stop more often. By now I’ve visited every rest stop between Buffalo and Albany. My tour d’ white tile led to two significant lightning strikes of wisdom on the road to Herkimer.

First: To my shock, I am capable of suffering nostalgia for a Roy Rogers burger topping and sauce bar. The golden-hued memories of ye olde Thruway were rejuvenating oases for weary traveling families, with plenty of room to get away from each other for a few minutes. 

Now replaced by narrow buildings with the aesthetics of cattle chutes, sink fixtures so next-level only half seem to work at any given visit, and fast-food franchises feasting on captive audiences. Waiting for burgers and fries longer than it takes to get the Crab Louis to your table at Chez Snooty.

Al pastor tacos, top, and chorizo tacos, bottom.

Leading to my second epiphany: I will never again go hungry on the Thruway.

Which has made La Oaxaqueña Taqueria key to my travel plans.