IN GOOD TASTE: Eatery offers homemade classics with SB twist

There’s plenty of good food at SB Wings in San Benito, where dishes such as the ones pictured here are served, including the Boss Burger, hot wings, Lemon Love Pie and Dream Cream Fruit Pie. (Staff photos by Heather Cathleen Cox)

By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com 

If you’re in the mood for something that goes well with Greyhound football, you might want to consider having your next meal at SB Wings. From the dining room décor, themed with purples and golds, to the wall banners, table cloths, curtains and menu items, this place is all about Greyhound pride. Well, Greyhound pride and down-home cooking.

From the juiciest burgers around to a wing sauce you can’t find anywhere else, SB Wings offers something for just about everyone. “Anytime anyone wants a homemade burger, they come here,” said owner Adolfo Toriz, showing utmost confidence in both his patrons and menu.

Toriz explained that while many burger lovers opt for SB Wings’ bacon cheeseburger, almost the same number of patrons order the mushroom burger. That’s perhaps why he served this reviewer a mammoth of a burger known as the Big Boss. That sucker comes with a big, fat, juicy hamburger patty – always freshly made, never frozen – inside a beautifully fluffy bun with a side of garnishments ranging from lettuce to tomato and onion. If you can handle any additional fixings, that is.

As it comes, the burger is stacked with thick crisp bacon, bright green slices of avocado, mushrooms and cheese. “It comes with everything but the kitchen sink,” said Toriz. For me, it also had to come with a doggy bag because that is one gargantuan burger. The mound of fries which accompany the Big Boss make the plate brag-worthy. You might even want to instagram it.

Now if you’re coming to SB Wings for the wings, hold onto your seat while you read about the sauces they offer. They’ve got mild, hot, lemon pepper, garlic parmesan, teriyaki, California style, honey BBQ, 911 and Brenda’s flavor – a combination sauce named for a patron who liked her sauces mixed. Good call, Brenda. It’s a slightly spicy, very lemony sauce that keeps the palate guessing.

SB Wings prepares wing sauces from scratch, and platters of wings come with sticks of fresh carrots and celery stalks, in addition to your choice of dipping sauces (I went for ranch, in case you were curious). You can even mix and match sauces. I tried garlic parmesan, lemon pepper, and the legendary Brenda’s sauce, which certainly lived up to its reputation. Toriz says, “People come here just to order wings with Brenda’s sauce.”

With so much deliciousness from which to choose, just how such a statistic can be contrived is beyond me, yet Toriz said, “Our most popular dish has to be the Touchdown Tacos.” He explained that the tacos are also his favorite dish.

The Touchdown Taco plate comes with not three but four softly crisp, fried corn tortilla shells stuffed with ground beef, lettuce and tomato. It is served with whole pinto beans and flavorful Spanish rice. A thoughtful glance crossed Toriz’s face as he said, “I want to say it’s everyone’s favorite.”

Don’t forget to request the hot sauce when you order your tacos. Personally, the first thought that crossed my mind when I tasted the sauce was, “This stuff would compliment anything!” And it’s not a delicate or unforgiving salsa, meaning patrons can be liberal when dousing every inch of their plate with it. I was even kind of sorry I didn’t have it to put on my Boss Burger.

For dessert, SB Wings offers New York style cheesecake and a triple chocolate bundt cake that are said to be spectacular. However, to save you some time, the Lemon Love Pie and Dream Cream Fruit Pie are where it’s at for creamy, fluffy, fruity goodness in a pie shell. Toriz’s wife makes the dream cream flavor while his mother bakes the lemon, and Toriz cannot say enough about either one (obvious reasons aside, they’re just delicious). He calls both pies the establishment’s “secret weapon.” They can’t keep either in stock!

In addition to everything else, SB Wings offers enchilada plates, salads, diet plates for the calorie conscious, seafood and stuff for the kiddos. For the larger group, try one of their fun Party Packs or call ahead to make special accommodations. An order of 10 wings might cost you $5.99, while a taco plate goes for $4.99, and $7-9 will get you a stacked-tall burger and side of fries.

Family owned and operated SB Wings offers quality food that won’t break your bank. Located at 498 E. Highway 77 in San Benito, the establishment will celebrate its eighth birthday on November 6. Stop by during regular business hours, from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday, or call ahead at (956) 276-WING.

Read this story in the Oct. 24 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.