Western NY Wing Tour: Country Sweet vs. Sal's Birdland

It seems you can find Buffalo wings anywhere in the country, so it's worth noting other regional variations. As I've blogged before, I'm a fan of Country Sweet Chicken and Ribs. This Rochester stalwart does not stand uncontested for the sweet-hot wing; among the better-known competition is Sal's Birdland.

So, who has the better wing, Country Sweet or Sal's?

Fresher and crisper than before!

The first stop is Country Sweet Chicken and Ribs, which is almost always busy. Since they've closed their other two locations, the Mount Hope location has been satisfying cravings for the entire city. The wait was about five to ten minutes, which isn't too bad; I've waited easily up to twenty minutes on some visits. As usual, I picked up a ten-piece dinner with a double-order of macaroni salad. On this visit, a ten-wing dinner cost $10.30. Not too bad, considering the size of their pterodactyl-sized wings and the inclusion of two sides. After cooling down, I dug right in and noticed that these wings were better than usual. They were very fresh, with juicy, tender meat, and an even crispier batter than I remember them having. Most impressive. The macaroni salad, generally bland, as usual, had a bit of a different taste, which was negated with ample application of the Country Sweet sauce. If I had made the trip for these alone, I would not have complained one bit. Please check out my earlier review of Country Sweet for more about their wings.

Taking hints from Country Sweet?

Next up, after a few hours to digest, was Sal's Birdland on Scottsville Road. The old hamburger stand building they used to be in had apparently been razed, and I had to look a little bit to find them in the industrial strip mall that stood in its place. Their new digs were sparse, with industrial white walls, floors, ceilings, and even the seating and tables. The decor, as little as it was, felt very incomplete, and made the place feel too sterile.

When I was in college in the 80's I recalled their wings to be somewhat smaller, yet less expensive than Country Sweet's, without batter, and lovingly slathered with their signature Sassy Sauce. Whereas Country Sweet's sauce is red, very sweet, and with a bit of sourness, the Sassy Sauce is yellow, thinner, mustardy sand sour, with a nice hint of sweetness. I noticed their prices had actually exceeded Country Sweet's, so I hoped there would be at least a size increase from way back. Again, a ten-piece was ordered, with their signature potato wedges  and macaroni salad. I was certainly surprised that their wings seem to come from the same breed of pterodactyl as Country Sweet's (that's to say they were large), but they also were similarly batter-fried, which I am pretty sure wasn't they case long ago.

When I received my order, they were served absolutely nuclear-hot from the fryer, partly melting the foam container (a bit of a concern). After ten minutes of waiting for them to cool to safe levels, I found the meat itself seemed to seasoned before cooking, and quite juicy and tender. The macaroni salad was flavorful, even more than Country Sweet's, not vinegary, and took very well to the sauce. The wedges were well-seasoned, not overly so, and were just crispy enough without being too greasy. The star of the meal is, of course, the Sassy Sauce, but I felt that the batter of the wings competed too much. I feel the wings would fared much better without the coatings, letting the sauce mesh better with the meat. The batter, also was maybe too crisp, and I found it too much of a distraction to fully enjoy the meal.

The Verdict: While I really like Sal's Sassy Sauce, and appreciate their bigger wings, I can't help to get the impression they are trying too hard to be like Country Sweet in a lot of ways. I liked them more when they were much more different than their competitors, but now they feel a little bit too "clone-ish". Their wings, while seasoned nicely, were set back by the batter, not to mention the higher prices. Country Sweet's overall experience is much more enjoyable, from the better, although cheesy, decor, to the flavor-neutral batter that helps their sauce absolutely shine. If I had to choose between the two, I will absolutely choose Country Sweet these days, although I must recommend keeping a few bottles of the Sal's Sassy Sauce in the pantry for use with unbattered chicken, such as barbecue, or as an alternate to Buffalo wings.

Country Sweet Chicken and Ribs
1691 Mount Hope Ave
Rochester, NY 14620
(585) 244-3200

Sal's Birdland Restaurants
400 Airpark Dr
Rochester, NY 14624
(585) 328-1620
www.salsbirdland.com

Terrapin, Rhinebeck, NY

Hot cuisine, haute cuisine.

Rhinebeck, NY is a great little town in the Mid Hudson Valley. They have a great assortment of restaurants, and they are a stone's thrown from the Culinary Institute of America in nearby Hyde Park. On this particular visit, we were inspired to try out Terrapin, a celebrated bar and bistro situated in the former First Baptist Church, a very impressive building. They have received very high marks from Zagat.

After being seated on the patio, we ordered a few items, including an appetizer of wings.

To quote their menu, they list them as, "one pound of free-range chicken wings". We opted for the Asian barbecue sauce, although they also offer mild and spicy sauces. Additionally, we ordered the "endive, candied walnut, and french d'auvergne blue cheese salad" and the "peking duck wraps".

The wings were served piping hot, dripping with an aromatic, red glaze. I found the wings a little small, if not a bit underdone. They could have stood another thirty seconds in the fryer, in my opinion for the sake of the interior. the outside was a little crispy, yet I would have liked it a little more so. The sauce itself was a little spicy, a bit sweet, and not too vinegary. Overall, a good balance of flavors. A pound of wings sounds like a lot but they go pretty quickly. There were about ten or twelve of them. Why not just list them as a dozen? Let's keep in mind this is far from a wing shack, and these were just appetizers.

The wings were fine for flavor, but I would not travel here just for them. However, if you are in the area, I'd suggest adding them to your order.

So, what about the rest of our meal? The endive salad, with candied walnuts, French blue cheese, apples, and balsamic vinaigrette, was an absolute winner. The sweet apples and walnuts contrasted perfectly with the blue cheese and vinaigrette. It was not overly filling, yet I didn't feel it was too small. It's large enough to share as an appetizer.

The Peking duck wraps were excellent. Inside the wraps were lots of crisp duck meat. I didn't find them particularly fatty at all. The meat was bathed in a sweet hoisin sauce-based dressing, and eating these wraps was an exercise in messy, gooey, deliciousness. The dish came with an asian slaw, which they could easily sell on its own, it was that good.

Terrapin Restaurant
6426 Montgomery St
Rhinebeck, NY 12572
(845) 876-3330
www.terrapinrestaurant.com

Tebaya (New York, NY)

おいしいです！ (Yummy!)

What do you get when you cross Japanese fast food, a small, unassuming shop in the Flatiron District, and a chicken wing? Tebaya has the answer, and yes, it's in English.

I've come here a couple of times in time for the lunch special, which includes eight wings, rice, and a small salad. They make each order fresh, and you can easily see them preparing your order. The shop is quite small, with a couple of tables and a counter for seating, so don't expect a table if it's prime lunch hour.

The wings are covered in a teriyaki-type sauce, but not too heavily, with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. It's about as much sauce as the Korean-style wings have, which one might end up comparing them to. The wing pieces are the forearms only, and they are fairly small. The salad, too is a bit small, but is still very tasty. When you bite into the wings, they are distinctly crunchy. The meat is just a little overcooked, but this does not take anything away from the flavor. Speaking of flavor, I would describe the sauce as peppery, salty, and with a hint of teriyaki sweetness. I would definitely classify these more as savory, and not as sweet. The rice serves to mop up the excess sauce that might have otherwise been left on the plate, and to add a little extra bulk to an otherwise light meal.

The verdict? These wings are delicious, though I wish they were bigger, and that they included the drum portions. These make a great snack, but those with heartier appetites might want to order extra if this is for a main meal. Definitely recommended.

Tebaya
144 W 19th St
New York, NY 10011
(212) 924-3335

Red Hills Tavern (Gilbertsville, PA)

Ahhh Hot n' Honey happiness!

Not far from Pennsburg, PA (where Pizza Como is located) is the town of Gilbertsville. This is where you will find the answer to the question, "Where can you buy both livestock and lingerie?" The answer is Zern's Farmers Market. Right next to Zern's is a small, easily overlooked restaurant, Red Hills Tavern. I was told that Red Hills Tavern has the best wings in the area. They have only six sauces: Mild, Hot, Suicide, Hot & Honey, BBQ, Hot Garlic & Parmesan.



The picture is from my second visit to Red Hills Tavern. On my first visit, I accompanied a good friend and local expert. On that visit we split 40 wings between us. My friend had been there before and recommended that we get 20 Hot and 20 Garlic & Parmesan. I was skeptical about the garlic & parmesan. I have had garlic & parmesan wings on a couple of occasions and they were always disappointing. What I overlooked was that these are not actually garlic & parmesan wings, but are "hot garlic & parmesan" wings. That is, they add garlic and freshly grated parmesan cheese to their hot sauce. On my second visit I got 20 hot & honey wings.


The wings are larger and meatier than what most restaurants serve. They came out hot on both occasions with plenty of sauce. The Hot sauce is a good standard Buffalo style sauce with good heat. The Hot Garlic & Parmesan sauce is an outstanding flavor combination. The parmesan adds a good contrasting flavor to the Buffalo sauce, while the garlic is, well, garlic (I like garlic). Finally, the Hot & Honey sauce is one of the best sweet wing sauces I have tasted.

Highly recommended.

Red Hills Tavern
1080 East Philadelphia Ave
Gilbertsville, PA 19525
(610) 367-6660

Pluck U (New York, NY)

Alright so it's about 100°F today, and I'm craving something spicy. Wings will do the job nicely. Quickly checking what's in the area, I pick Pluck U, a Greenwich Village staple that I've not been to in at least fifteen years. Since it's so damn hot out, I'm not thinking clearly, so I order ten wings tossed in their Death sauce. Actually, i did inquire as to just how hot the Death sauce was, and i was given a spoonful of the sauce to try. It had a kick, but wasn't ridiculously hot, so I went ahead with it. In my stupor, I also forget to take pictures of musings, so forgive the lack of pictures with this post.

I take a seat near the door, and the guy behind the cashier offers to redirect the fan toward me, in anticipation of my potential immolation. The wings come out steaming hot, slathered in a thick, dark red sauce. Now, I usually complain when there's not enough sauce on my wings, but today, the opposite was the case. It was pretty messy, and a good cleanup was in order afterwards.

So how were the wings? Better than I remembered them from long ago. The Buffalo-style sauce was strongly flavored, with a lot of hot pepper flavoring, not excessively vinegary, nor bitter like many other super-hot sauces. The outside was crispy, every piece delightfully crunchy. The meat, while juicy, was just a touch overdone, but still very edible. There weren't any noticeable spices used other than the sauce. As I proceeded to plow through the wings, the heat built up, leaving my lips tingling and my brow sweating. I think I wiped away a few tears as well. Not a fan of blue cheese, I was relieved there were a few sticks of celery, taking the edge off as needed.

The decor of this place is, um, yellow, and there's only a few tables. Most of their business, I assume, is take-out or delivery, so don't go expecting much by the way of ambiance. Still, these are pretty serviceable wings, and pretty much following the standard recipe. So, if you are craving no-nonsense Buffalo-style wings, and you're in the area, these might be a good choice for you.

Pluck U
230 Thompson Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 505-2468

Boka, featuring Bon Chon Chicken (New York, NY)

Your average Korean-style fried wing.

St. Marks Place has restaurants galore, many of them Asian, over it's one block stretch. Boka's attraction, apparently, is that they serve Bon Chon chicken. There are a quite a number of establishments serving Korean-style fried chicken, including a few under Bon Chon's own banner. How does Boka stand out from the rest?

Boka's menu is varied. In addition to their chicken section (we ordered a combination of wings and drumsticks), they also feature bi bim bop. kim bop, and numerous items to share. In addition to our chicken (ordered spicy), we ordered octopus and udon in a spicy sauce.

The first thing we noticed was the food came out FAST. It seemed as if they brought it before we finished ordering, but the reality was that it could not have taken more than three or four minutes at worst. I am not sure if these times are typical at all hours (we came at a very busy dinnertime), but I'm pretty sure that these items were already prepared en masse in anticipation of the crowds. In all the haste to serve us, our server never brought the customary pickled radishes, which would have been very useful later in the meal.

The octopus, was indeed, very spicy. The dish included scallions, some peppers, and a disappointing few udon noodles. Aside from the few udon that graced the plate, the dish was delicious and opened up our sinuses nicely. The octopus might have been a little overcooked, but we let that go.

While we ordered a combination of wings and drums, I kept firmly to the wings. Already tingling from the previous dish's spiciness, the wings took it further. I ended up not feeling my lips for a short while, and I think I might have broken a sweat for a bit. I'm pretty sure this was the result of the sustained barrage of heat maintained through both dishes, as the wings alone wouldn't have taken me quite that far. The sauce was also fairly sticky. There was a bit of bitterness, and they weren't as sweet as I expected. The wings were a respectable medium-size. If you've had other Korean fried wings, you may find these to be "average", compared to some of the competition. Mind you, these aren't bad wings. They're satisfying, just not particularly special.


Boka
9 St. Marks Pl
New York, NY 10003
(212) 228-2887
bokanyc.com

The Meat Hook @ Brooklyn Flea Smorgasbord

For those unfamiliar, the Williamsburg waterfront plays host to the Brooklyn Flea's Smorgasbord. Each Saturday in the warmer months, many local food vendors and eateries gather, rain or shine, to offer an eclectic assortment of culinary delights. Upon this particular visit, I came across The Meat Hook, a Brooklyn-based butcher, who, at the Smorgasbord, had hot wings on their menu.

An unexpected, but great find!

My order was freshly tossed in their hot sauce, which was delicious and pleasantly spicy. I detected no bitterness, which is often the result of added oils. The chicken itself was grilled, cooked properly throughout, yet maintained a bit of crunch on the outside along with a very flavorful, juicy meat inside. My only complaint was that they only served the forearm sections; I would have liked it evenly split with the upper arm/drums. The sauce has more vinegar notes than usual, but fans of Buffalo sauces won't mind at all. While those who are heat-averse might find this a bit much, the heat level is fine for those used to hot; just spicy enough to wake up your mouth, but not enough to cause discomfort.

Overall, this was a surprisingly refreshing find in my travels, and it's great to find a local business that, in turn, supports local suppliers. Their main shop is located nearby in North Williamsburg and demands a follow-up visit. Hopefully, I can get more of their wings there!


The Meat Hook
100 Frost St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 349-5033
www.the-meathook.com/

Smorgasbord - The Brooklyn Flea
East River Waterfront (btw. North 6 + 7 St.)
www.brooklynflea.com/

Tropix Bar & Lounge (Rego Park, NY)

Looking for good, cheap wings in Queens? Let me introduce you to Tropix. If you're willing to venture out on a Monday night, fight for parking (it's not far from the subway, though), and put up with a noisy, crowded bar environment, you'll be treated to some very tasty wings at an excellent price.

Ginger Scallion: Sweet and savory
at the same time.

Tropix Bar & Lounge runs Monday Buffalo Wing Night, where you can get all the wings you need to fill your belly and soul at 25¢ each. The rules are that there's a two-drink minimum and each order must be at least ten wings. The menu currently boasts twenty-four different flavors, including the spectrum of Buffalo sauces. A friend recommended I try the other flavors (she found the Buffalo sauce too sweet), so we placed an order for Ginger Scallion and for Chipotle Rub.

The wings come out piping hot and very, very fresh. Unlike some bars that prepare inordinate numbers of wings in advance to meet the demands of their wing nights, Tropix's wings are cooked to-order. We were pleased with the size of the wings, a respectable medium-size, cooked properly, with a crunchy outside and a juicy inside.

The Ginger Scallion wings were coated in a sweet, sticky glaze that you'll be licking your fingers from. In addition to being sweet, they also had strong savory notes of soy sauce, however the ginger undertone was subtle, and the scallion was very subtle. This wasn't really a detraction from the flavor, as they were still quite delicious, and I would easily choose them again. The flavor is a little reminiscent to some of the Korean fried wings I've had.

Chipotle Rub: This is where
a dry wing is a good thing.

In stark contrast to sweet and sticky, the Chipotle Rub wings were covered with, as the name implies, a dry rub. Normally I would complain when Buffalo wings are served too dry, but a dry rub is an exception. Not too spicy, chipotle imparts a strong smokey flavor that lingers. The juicy meat inside mixes with the dry rub nicely. It's a bit of a salty rub, so make sure your drink is relatively full. I found that going back and forth between the two sauces was an excellent balance of the sweet to the salty.

I look forward to coming back and trying more of their sauces. For your Monday night wing crave, I highly recommend this place, especially if you like to try a variety of sauces.


Tropix Bar & Lounge
9532 Queens Blvd
Rego Park, NY 11374
(718) 275-0024
tropixny.com

Pizza Como (Pennsburg, PA)

Make sure to add the sauce!

You're sure to find decent wings in almost any area of the country, if you know where to look. Tucked away in a Pennsburg, PA shopping center is unassuming sports bar and Italian restaurant Pizza Como. A dozen wings fit the bill for an appetizer to share. Talk about variety, their menu listed TWENTY different sauces (look at their menu online), but, being it was my first visit, I would gauge their wings according to the standard Buffalo. A brief consultation with our server revealed that the Hot is pretty hot for most people, and that, in fact, they were out of the Suicide sauce.

The wings were brought out piping hot, but rather dry, with little sauce to be seen. Upon closer inspection there was indeed a coating of sauce, but I was in the mood for them a littler drippier. We were provided extra sauce, which made all the difference (the photo shows the wings with the extra sauce added). The wings were a proper medium-size, crunchy (but not overly so) on the outside, and properly cooked on the inside. Their Hot was actually a proper hot. If you like your sauce hot, you'd find these are accurate in their description. I regret not being able to test how hot the Suicide sauce was, but that will have to wait until a future visit.

Definitely recommended.


Pizza Como and PC Pub
500 Pottstown Ave
Pennsburg, PA 18073
(215) 679-4900
www.pizzacomopcpub.com

KyoChon (Flushing, NY)

Presentation is everything.

Hailing from South Korea, KyoChon's specialty is twice-fried chicken. They are fairly recent arrivals here in the US, yet they have an extensive presence back home. In a market where there is a lot of competition, KyoChon needs to bring something unique to the wing party to stand out.

At their Flushing, NY location, I found their restaurant to be spacious and very clean, brightly lit, with a minimalistic, yet tasteful white decor. Then music, however, tended to be a little loud. Not being able to choose between the classic Soy Garlic and the Hot & Sweet wings, I ended up ordering both. I was advised that the Hot & Sweet were, in fact, very hot, but I was not dissuaded from my intent.

After a plate of pickled radish came out, it was just a few minutes before two plates of wings arrived. The wings are just shy of medium-sized, but they make up for this in flavor.

Soy Garlic: A tasty classic.

The Soy Garlic wings were indeed nice and garlicky, but not overpoweringly so. The clear notes of soy in the sauce add a contrasting saltness. Perhaps there's a bit of a smokey or mustard undertone that I detected, rounding out a complex mixture of flavors. As they are twice-fried, these wings were very crispy on the outside. The light batter is perfect for holding onto the sauce (they don't drip messily; the sauce seems to have soaked into the batter), yet it doesn't overpower the wing or interfere with the taste, as said batter itself is not seasoned. Overall, these wings had a satisfying crunch, the chicken itself was moist, tasty, and fresh, and the overall flavor was very enjoyable.

Hot & Sweet: Not too sweet,
but satisfyingly hot.

Next up, the Hot & Sweet wings were a little more on the messy side; you'll be licking your fingers and enjoying every second of it. That said, I found them to also be crispy, much like the Soy Garlic. The flavor comes through as sweet at first with a bit of heat. As it settles in, you detect a slight bitter undertone as the pepper oils kick in, then the heat really shows up. First it hits the back of your throat, then works its way to your tongue before finally settling on the lips with a distinct tingle. These wings aren't for the faint of heart or the heat-averse, but they're not really too hot for the initiated, the chile-heads, and the heat freaks. I was pretty sure I could pick up a little bit of garlic in the flavor, as well. I would probably recommend these as the perfect wings to go with beer, which KyoChon sells by the pint or the pitcher.

I definitely recommend a visit to KyoChon. In addition to their wings, they have many other chicken specialty items to try.

KyoChon Chicken
156-52 Northern Blvd
Flushing, NY 11354
(718) 939-9292
kyochon.com

1 Republik (Hoboken, NJ)

If there's anything that Hoboken has plenty of, it's pubs and bars. On a weekend night you will be hard pressed to find one that isn't crowded, and most weeknights aren't much better, especially during the warmer months. I was looking to satisfy a wing craving that night, and this Washington Avenue sports bar caught my attention.

Their menu is rather eclectic, including Irish Pub fare, Italian, ribs, a lengthy burger menu, and of course, wings (which are featured prominently at the top of the menu). They list their sauces as: BBQ, Buffalo, Root Beer BBQ, Jerk, Sweet Chili, Outrageous, Sticky Balsamic, Teriyaki, Garlic Lemon Butter, Bourbon Peppercorn, and Cajun. After consulting with the server, I decide to go with Buffalo style (she felt that was pretty hot on its own), with a side of their "Outrageous" sauce, which I was warned would be too hot for most people. I also tried their pulled pork sandwich, mostly for the intriguing Root Beer BBQ sauce.

Decent wings, just add the heat.

The wings were more or less medium-sized, perhaps a little on the smaller side, but not so small as to be a poor value. They were definitely meaty, properly cooked through, although not crispy on the outside. As for the Buffalo sauce, it was a little spicy, but not so hot that my normally spice-adverse friend couldn't tolerate them herself. I would classify the heat level somewhere between mild and medium. The sauce wasn't overly salty, and had a good flavor. Other than the sauce was a typical Buffalo style.

The Outrageous sauce kicked things up a bit, but they weren't the tongue-burners I was expecting. Although it took up the heat significantly past the Buffalo, I did not find myself in need of relief at all; either my tongue was numb that night or the sauce was should have been a lot hotter. The flavor was distinctly marked by a bit of bitterness, tasting a bit of habanero, and definitely of capsaicin oil. Without the expected matching heat, the sauce's bitterness didn't add anything to the flavor.

The pork sandwich was loaded with the Root Beer BBQ sauce, which I found more sweet than savory. It was palatable in the context of the pulled pork, but definitely on the "too sweet" side for me. With it's overt root beer flavor, I would only recommend this as a wing sauce to those who enjoy very sweet, mild sauces, and even then, order it on the side.'

The wing sauce list is long enough to warrant repeat visits, if only to sample a few more sauces, and their menu is impressively diverse. This place is primarily a sports bar, and if you are looking for a few wings to go with the beers, a couple of orders of Buffalo-sauced wings will do fine. If you are looking for an endorphin-laced thrill, however, these won't impress.

1 Republik
221 Washington St
Hoboken, NJ 07030
(201) 850-1282
1republik.com

NYC Hot Wing Crawl

The group “NYC Food Crawl” recently held an event that naturally caught my attention: a Hot Wing Crawl. How could I not attend? It's the perfect way to cover several venues in one night, not to mention meet a few foodies along the way. The event was scheduled for April 28th at 7pm. Let's see how our night went.

I arrived at the starting point of 77th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan by about 6:45pm. Where is everyone? So far, I'm the only one here. A few people slowly arrive every few minutes. I join up with prolific tweeters @Jerlyn and @TheBeanCast for the duration of the evening. By 7, the organizers have arrived, and the crowd has grown to about fifteen people. Introductions and guidelines. We've got an official list of four spots, with a “bonus”, unlisted fifth location. We're advised to stay together as one group throughout the crawl, probably for reasons of sanity and sociality.

Surprisingly Good

Doc Watson's 
At about 7:20, we make our way to our first stop, half a block from our meeting point. This attractive tavern is surprisingly well laid out upstairs, but the group is led to the downstairs lounge, with half the seating outside on the patio, half inside with leatherette couches surround low tables. They serve only one style of hot wing, with an alternative BBQ style available for those who don't like hot sauce.

These wings were delicately fried, perhaps with butter and a rub (spices in on the wing), slightly charred outside, and juicy inside. The flavor, with what we suspect are cajun spices, permeates throughout the meat. Very, very nice. There is a light crunch as you bite into them. Very fresh. These are nicely sauced, not too much, not drippy at all, just enough to cover about half the wing, which allows the rest of the flavor to come through. Clearly the sauce was intended to complement, not overpower, the flavor. The wings were medium-sized pieces. Slightly spicy, just about a medium, a bit smokey.

Doc Watson's
1490 2nd Avenue
New York, 10075
(212) 988-5300

Atomic Wings at Bar Coastal 
At around 8:30, we went to the second stop on the list, only to find that Bar Coastal was unable to accommodate our group at any size. We decided to skip this stop and substitute with the “bonus” location. Perhaps we will return in the future to do a proper review.

Atomic Wings @ Bar Coastal
1495 First Ave
New York, NY 10021
(212) 772-8400

Somewhere, a sparrow is rendered flightless.

Mustang Grill 
It's now 8:40 and the groups have splintered off, some still trying to get into Atomic, some off to Rathbone's. Since we're here, we'll try their specialty Mango-glazed wings. This is the only wing style they apparently offer. We decide that an order of “8-10” wings is adequate for sharing per two people, but something told me to order a second appetizer, just in case.

When the wings arrived, we were quite surprised. I am used to the occasional small wing, but these were absolutely sparrow-sized. These wings had all their flavor on the outside. The sauce itself could be described as a little sweet, with bitter undertone, but hardly any mango flavor. Inside, the meat was absolutely bland, and a little underdone. These meager wings were remarkably unremarkable, and at ten dollars per order, we all felt this was a poor value.

Mustang Grill
1633 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10028-4401
(212) 744-9194

Keeping it classic.

Rathbone's
We lost a few in our group after the last location, but reunited with the group organizers (and the bulk of the crawl) once we found our way to this very popular Upper East Side watering hole. It's now 9:45, and we need from wing redemption, and a little variety, so we place an order each for hot buffalo and BBQ.

We found these wings crispy, however, just a shade overdone. These are on the larger size, rather meaty, certainly a welcome change from the previous venue. The BBQ sauce, liberally applied to the wings, was particularly sweet, yet definitely likable, assuming one enjoys that flavor. We didn't detect any spiciness in the sauce, so it's a safe bet for those with sensitive palates. It's also nice contrast to the standard buffalo hot sauce, but I expect the purists to stay with the old standards.

Rathbone's hot wings were covered well but not at all drippy, which actually suited me fine. The were done in typical buffalo style, yielding neither surprises nor disappointments. They had a nice bit of bite, but weren't overly spicy. We found them a slightly crunchy but not really crispy, overall. These are quite passable wings, but I wouldn't say they are the big draw to this venue. They're certainly not bad wings, and they're very reasonably priced, basically a great pairing with your drink of choice.

Rathbone's
1702 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10128-3260
(212) 369-7361

BBQ done well.

Manny's on Second

The last spot on the crawl, we arrived at Manny's sometime after 10:30. This tavern was larger, airier, and not quite as cramped as the other spots. It also helped that this was late on a Thursday night, and the crowds were winding down. With a claim to having the “Best Wings in NYC”. this place had the widest selection of sauces in the crawl: buffalo style in multiple heat levels, a few styles of BBQ and a Teriyaki sauce. We ordered a buffalo style in medium and a Honey BBQ for variety. They have an impressive selection of beers, so if you like to be more discerning with your beer and wing pairings, this is the place for you.

The wings themselves were easily as large as the ones from Rathbone's, again, much appreciated after our experience at the Mustang Grill. They were cooked properly, with a lightly crispy outside. First we tried the Honey BBQ and found it surprisingly good, sweet, with a very welcome little bite. Usually I don't think much of BBQ wing sauces, but these were worth it. Excellent sauce.

A neighborhood favorite. In contrast to the most excellent Honey BBQ, we found our buffalo medium sauce a little too salty. The wings were amply coated and a little drippy. Aside from the saltiness, these were a good representation of the tried-and-true buffalo wing, most likely meeting the expectations and ravenous appetite of the clientele, who need something to go well with their beers. I'm not sure which “best of” list these wings topped, but I can definitely see the appeal this place has with the neighborhood. Although we enjoyed the buffalo sauce itself, we preferred the Honey BBQ wings a bit more.

Manny's on Second
1770 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10128-3604
(212) 410-3300

Conclusion
Over all, we liked Doc Watson's wings the best. They were the only ones that deviated from the “safe” formula successfully. The flavor goes all the way into the meat. We were very impressed with these wings, and many of us expect to return there in the near future. That said, Manny's buffalo sauce may have been the best overall sauce, but there wasn't anything outstanding about the wing itself, especially compared to the more complex flavor of Doc Watson's offering.

I would love to hear other people's impressions on these different taverns. Feel free to leave comments!

P.J. Whelihan’s Pub & Restaurant (Allentown, PA)

P.J. Whelihan's is a chain of pubs with several locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The pub serves the standard Irish pub fare: beer, burgers, sandwiches, munchies, and, quite noticeably, wings (they dominate the center portion of the placemat menus). Promoted proudly as as the "Official Wing of (Sports Radio) WIP Wing Bowl", we went in hoping they lived up to the hype.

P.J.'s Wings: Hot & Honey (left) and Inferno (right)

P.J.'s offer their wings served with any of seven different sauces: Hot n Honey, Chipotle Lime BBQ, Drunken BBQ, Mild, Shanghai Sesame, Hot, and Inferno. Before ordering, I asked to sample the two hottest sauces, Hot and Inferno. I found the Hot to be a standard buffalo-style sauce, based on a hot sauce (Tabasco or similar), and found it pretty much "normal". Consistency was a little thin, the color was a Tabasco-ish reddish orange, and it wasn't all too hot, making it safe for sharing with those with lighter lingual constitutions. The Inferno sauce was a dark red, and much thicker. It had a bit of a smokey flavor, and considerably more bite to it, though not so much for the chile-heads out there. I chose to order one basket with the Inferno sauce, and just for something different, ordered another with the Hot n Honey sauce, which the server explained was "three parts honey to one part Hot sauce".

Hot n Honey: Not too hot, not too Sweet.

First up were the Hot n Honeys. These wings were crispy and meaty. These were fried up, with out a batter, so there was a distinct crunch as you bite into the skin, but the meat itself wasn't dried out. I'm not a fan of really "juicy" wings, so this suited me just fine. The size of the wings were a little bigger than the average size I've found in my travels. As per the server's description, I tasted the honey pretty clearly, nicely balanced with the flavor of their Hot Sauce. As a result, the sauce was neither overly sweet nor too hot. Heat-challenged wing aficionados will find these tasty, with just a little kick to pique their taste buds, but not so hot they find themselves in pain.

Inferno wings: Better than "911".

The Inferno wings were similarly crispy and meaty, but carried with them a nice bit of heat. As I said before, the sauce is darker, smokier, thicker, and hotter version of their Hot. It's by no means the hottest sauce out there, but after polishing off a basket, there was clearly some noticeable heat. Overall this sauce works well. I'd hate to draw comparisons to some other venues, but I would compare this sauce vaguely to Hooter's "911", but have to conclude this is a much more polished version. In fact, if you even remotely like the Hooter's version (naked, not with the breading), you will find these a vast improvement, both in terms of the quality of the wing itself and the sauce.

My conclusion? The quality of the wings is well above that of your typical "striped awning" chain restaurant, and they have enough of a selection of sauces to cater to most palates. Although the Hot n Honey was tasty, it would probably pass on it in favor of trying the other sauces. On the other hand, the Inferno sauce was quite enjoyable, and I would definitely make sure to order it again on a return trip. If you have a P.J. Whelihan's within driving distance, they make a worthy wing.

P.J. Whelihans (Allentown)
4595 Broadway
Allentown, PA 18104
http://www.pjspub.com/

Country Sweet Chicken & Ribs

Sticky, sweet goodness, served in style.

Having gone to college in Rochester, it was inevitable that I at least try this place once during my time there. Well, that first visit, way back in 1986, left me intrigued, as the flavor was quite different from the ubiquitous Buffalo wing. The flavor grew on me quickly, so I returned. Again, and again.

Even after all these years, I find almost any excuse to travel up from New York to Rochester, finally admitting that I'll drive 6 or so hours just for these wings. I doubt most people would go so far out of their way for wings, and doubt my presence of mind to do so, but it's one of those flavors you can't quite replicate, though with the bottles of sauce I bring back, I certainly try.

What's so special about these wings that compels someone to make the pilgrimage?

First off, these wings aren't the dainty sparrow-sized ones you find in a bar or the striped-awning by the mall. These are big and meaty, and worthy of a meal. They are deep-fried in an unassuming batter (crispy, no herbs or spices to mess with the flavor) that enhances the sauce that follows by providing more surface area for said sauce to stick to. The sauce itself is a sweet sauce, balanced by a tartness and spiciness (should you opt for the hot) that must be experienced. This said, the flavor is not for everyone. It's definitely a love it or hate it proposition, depending on how you like your sauces in general. They are nothing close to Buffalo wings in taste, so it's not fair to compare them. Complete the meal with couple of sides (I'm partial to mac salad drenched with the remaining sauce) and a soda (yeah, I know, a lot of you call it "pop") to cut through the greasiness.

I've read other reviews that criticize the service, and I'll say that the service depends largely on who's at the counter, so it's different all the time. Seriously, you go here for the food, and be thankful that places like this are still around after all this time.


Country Sweet Chicken and Ribs
1691 Mount Hope Ave
Rochester, NY 14620
(585) 244-3200

Welcome!

Welcome to the Chicken Wing Diaries!

This is a project I've been intending to undertake for a few years now. Since college, I've been a huge fan of the humble, yet mighty chicken wing. Going to school in Rochester during the eighties, I had only just learned about "wings" in my first year. Already ubiquitous in the area, due to the obvious proximity, were Buffalo wings. No Friday night was complete without someone in the dorm ordering a couple of pizzas and a bucket of wings. I was instantly hooked.

By my second year, I learned about a few other restaurants in the city that prepared their wings in other ways. Near to school, and nearer still to my heart (or is that stomach?) was Country Sweet Chicken and Ribs (which I honor with the first review posted). It took me a couple of tries before I got used to their flavor before I was hooked. These are the wings that began my love for this bit of cuisine, not to mention expanded my appreciate for fiery foods in general. Although I may think these are amazing wings, not many people outside of the Rochester area (save for those of us who went to school here) have even heard of this place.

So, what's this blog about? It's about finding those little-known places that deserve to be known. It's about giving honest reviews of all sorts of wings. It's about people sharing tips on where to look. This blog, I hope, will inspire road trips, adventure, a few scorched tongues, and perhaps a few new recipes!

I won't be able to accomplish all this blog is meant to without your input. I invite you to give your points of view in the comments for the reviews, suggest places to review, and perhaps even join us as a reviewer.