Danny Dines: Big Boss Hot Links

Hello Rio Rancho! March, aka the season of winds, has just passed, and boy is it annoying. Just the other day, I was running off my emotions and, just when I felt empowered, a plastic bag flew in my face. Katy Perry once asked the question, “Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?” I would ask, “Do you ever feel like you’re suffocating because a plastic bag just slapped you in the face?”

I needed a “pick me up.” So, I headed to Sandia Bar in Corrales to catch the Big Boss Hot Links food truck, which is easy to spot because their slogan “From Seattle with Love” is printed on the side of their truck, which is the hometown of owner James Wilkinson.

But make no mistake, Big Boss Hot Links is as Rio Rancho as it gets and a hometown favorite.

I’ll never forget the first time I had Big Boss Hot Links. It was 2022, and the Denver Broncos lost in horrible fashion to the Seattle Seahawks; this was Russell Wilson’s first game with Denver. I was sitting at Brew Lab 101 and ordered the most delicious cheesesteak I have ever eaten, but this was no ordinary cheesesteak; it was The “Duke.”

The Duke cheesesteak comes with tender sirloin steak, grilled onions and a chopped hot link. This behemoth is then topped with Hatch green chile (mild and spicy available) and three slices of American Swiss cheese. I ordered mine with crinkle-cut fries.

This time, I waited inside Sandia Bar for my order, and in less than 10 minutes my Duke had arrived. It was absolutely glorious, but time was of the essence (I had swimming lessons at 3 p.m.) and it was time to get to work.

First bite into the soft but sturdy hoagie roll, and you get an amazing combination of tender and seasoned beef. Now, add the meltiness of the cheese, savory onions, a little kick from the Hatch green chile, and you got yourself a winner. The chopped hot link was very tasty and brought its own “jalapeno-esque” spiciness to the sandwich.

The crinkle fries were thick — crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They had a fantastic amount of seasoning, and the ridges, of course, made it easier to catch the sauce. OK, so in a couple of years, once you see your broccoli haircut nephew sport a Nike shirt that says “Catch the Sauce,” just know that they took that from me.

Simply, the Duke was delicious and is one of the first foods that come to mind when I want to “treat myself.” Seriously, when I want “feel good food,” I crave four things (no order or preference): 1. Egg Roll Burrito at Kamikaze Kitchen 2. A calzone from Davido’s 3. The Churro Donuts from Slice & Dice 4. The Duke from Big Boss Hot Links.

Besides The Duke, other menu items include “The Big Boss Burger,” “The SEA-Town Cheesesteak,” “The 12th Man Nachos,” and “Pike Street Tacos.” They also offer some daily specials, and on this day, they were serving “Roy’s Famous Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesesteak.” Are you hungry yet? Well, put those pizza rolls down and go find Big Boss Hot Links!