What items make your fast-food fantasy team?
Our food writers build winning trays with favorites from popular restaurants.
The winningest trio in NBA history — Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili — were all selected by the San Antonio Spurs through the draft process. That magical night can make or break the future of a franchise, and the 2018 class will be decided Thursday night.
The Taste team has few ties directly to the NBA outside of our yearning for arena nachos and cold beer, but we loved the idea of getting in on our own draft process.
So we each drafted our fantasy fast-food team. From fried gizzards to burgers and those famous two-for-99 cents tacos (or a few cents more in some places), we canvassed the city to select our “starting team” of five favorites.
It got cheesy. It got greasy. It got real under the hot lamp of the drafting process inside the studio.
Our selections were then judged by acclaimed San Antonio chefs Stefan Bowers (Battalion, Rebelle, Feast) and Jeff White (Tucker’s Kozy Korner, Eastside Kitchenette), who sampled and sorted out the winners and the losers.
Paul Stephen’s Team
1. Whopper Jr. (Burger King): This is a sentimental pick for me. I worked for the King, and as a poor kid on a tight budget, this little valuepacked burger taught me a lot about work, food and economics.
2. Deep-fried chicken gizzards (Church’s Chicken): There’s more than breasts and thighs to the bird, folks. I appreciate that in 2018’s ultrasanitized food landscape, one national chain has the guts to serve us, well, guts.
3. Chocolate Glazed Munchkins (Dunkin’ Donuts): Brilliant marketing. Props to Dunkin’ for transforming its production line scraps into these craveable cuties.
4. Fried cheese curds (Culver’s): It’s fried cheese, y’all. Nuff said.
5. Green beans (Bill Miller Bar-B-Q): I wouldn’t be the first to point out that barbecue joints by and large skate on the sides. And that’s why I respect Bill’s beans — they bring big tomato and onion flavor to a place where nobody would have faulted them for scrimping.
Recap: My opponents are fielding squads packed with shock-and-awe showboaters. But I’m confident this ragtag band of scrawny, awkward specialists has the right stuff to bring home some hardware.
Mike Sutter’s Team
1. Tacos (Jack in the Box): This one’s personal. In nine years of working graveyard at Jack, I made and ate thousands of these. And those are only the ones I remember. My deepfried point guard at two for about a buck.
2. KFC Famous Bowl (KFC): Every team needs a big man, and this is mine. Fried chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, cheese, 710 calories. Try to dunk on that.
3. Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit (Whataburger): Everybody’s got a Whataburger go-to. Mine’s the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit. It’s a utility player: breakfast and dessert at the same time.
4. Chili Cheese Tator Tots (Sonic): Crispy tots, spicy chili and a drizzle of cheese. The unstoppable side dish. Kicks the french fry’s skinny
property in the portfolio of San Antonio franchisee Sam Abd. The Shreveport, Louisianabased chain launched in 2008 and has more than 50 stores across nine states, including nine other Texas outposts.
Sam’s Southern Eatery serves a menu of burgers, po’boys, salads, fried seafood and fried chicken.
Abd said extensive renovations at the nearly 4,000square-foot property, previously home to Taqueria Lupitas and La Parrilla Azteca, are nearly complete. The new dining room will seat 120, with a second 60-seat dining area to be completed in two months.
Market watch
San Antonio’s newest outdoor weekly market debuted Saturday on the North Side.
Four Seasons Market launched at the Huebner Oaks Shopping Center, 11602 Huebner Road. It will feature about 25 vendors with food, specialty items and seasonal produce.
Here is a partial list of the vendors schedule to participate, according to Four Seasons officials: O’ Fudge!, Tessa’s Pies and Things, Pantanga Wilds
Tea Co., Little Cuties Cake Shop, Lil’ Red’s Boiled Peanuts, Pingo de Mel Brazilian Bakery, SmellMeNot Organic & Natural Deodorant, The Pastry Corner, Pet Wants San Antonio, Munch On and Beyond (vegan, gluten-free foods), Heart and Hands (plantbased foods)
The San Antonio market is the first Four Seasons to operate outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Vincent Hirth and Florine Bowman founded the business model nine years ago and now manage 10 outdoor markets. Four Seasons Market, 11602 Huebner Road, 972-884-0680. Hours: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Facebook: FourSeasonsMarkets.
Not half-baked
The Bakery Lorraine location at The Rim is out to prove that happy hour isn’t exclusive to just booze. The popular bakery has introduced a Pastry Happy Hour that will run from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
During that time, customers who purchase any pastry can get a complimentary cup of coffee. And mimosa carafes are now on the menu for $18, served with fresh orange or grapefruit juice pre-mixed with Champagne.
Carafes will be available throughout the week, with the exception of Sundays when they are available at 10 a.m. The happy hour and carafe promotion is an exclusive to The Rim location. Bakery Lorraine at The Rim, 17503 La Cantera Parkway, 210415-4066. Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays. Facebook: BakeryLorraine.
R.I.P. times 3
A trio of San Antonio restaurants suddenly closed recently. Pugel’s, a compact breakfast taco, hot dog and sandwich stop that had been in business at
3502 N. St. Mary’s St. since 2015 announced on social media that June 13 was its final day of business. In comments on Facebook , Pugel’s said that parking issues led to its eventual downfall, and if it returns in a new location, it could take some time.
The final order of cinnamon roll pancakes has been served at Café Dijon at 555 E. Basse Road in Lincoln Heights near the Alamo Quarry Market. The restaurant, heavy on a rotating seasonal breakfast and brunch menu, croissants, sandwiches, freshly squeezed fruit juices and charcuterie boards, operated in the space for about 2 ½ years for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
It was reviewed by the Express-News in 2016, and was awarded 1 ½ stars. The business phone has been disconnected, and Café Dijon has shut down its website.
Santa Fe Trail New Mexican Cuisine, 16080 San Pedro Ave., had its final day June 12. The spacious restaurant debuted last summer and was given a onestar review by the Express-News. Navajo tacos and red and green chile stew were lauded as favorites.