It has been a busy couple of weeks here in the United Wingdom, with lots of exciting activities and goings-on, but not as many wings as one might hope. Last weekend was the birthday of her royal highness; the Queen. To celebrate this, we returned to her family's castle on the outskirts of Austin; the residence passed down to her parents through many generations of Dutch royalty. As we arrived at Maison d'Ailes, plans were made to go out on the lake, gallivant around downtown, and celebrate the birthday of my love. Luckily, she knows I have royal duties being the King of the Wing, and selected a place on 6th street for dinner known as Beale St. Tavern.
If you haven't been to Beale St. Tavern (I hadn't before this trip), it is a bar and grill themed entirely after another member of royalty: The King himself; Elvis Presley. It was dark inside, with a pretty talented guy playing guitar and singing for the patrons. It was pretty early in the evening for 6th street activity, and wasn't that busy, but I imagine the place gets bumpin' later on at night (or whatever the Elvis equivalent of bumpin' is). You can get Memphis style pulled poker sandwiches, Heartbreak burgers, and of course fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. While that all sounds delicious, I was a man on a mission, and we decided to split an order of 1972 Elvis-Buffalo, NY Wings. They come in eleven different sauces, and after an order of fried pickles we split an order of 20 with two sauces (they limited an order to two sauces, which did not impress us). The fried pickles were pretty good, and the cilantro ranch they were served with was really good. The pickles were better than Hooters and Pluckers, but not as good as Sauced. Anyways, onto the wings.
When the wings arrived, we were impressed to say the least. Pluckers claims to serve the biggest wings around, and these were at LEAST as big as Pluckers, if not bigger. The wings were prepared naked, fried to a crispy goodness, and incredibly moist. They came with celery sticks and we got both ranch and blue cheese.
Our first flavor was Lemon Pepper. As you know, we enjoy getting Lemon Pepper because most places have them and it is easy to compare from joint to joint. These did not disappoint at all. They were very crispy, very juicy, and very lemony (if that is a word). I would put the flavor on par with Wingstop's lemon pepper wings, which I enjoy as part of my regular rotation, but the wings were much bigger, so they outrank Wingstop by default. Sauced is still the best Lemon Pepper wings I've had, but these are a close second.
Lemon Pepper:
Heat: 1
Flavor: 9.25
Overall: 9.25
Our second flavor was their "Fire" sauce. This was the hottest sauce they had available, so I was very excited. These wings were also very juicy, somewhat crispy (even with the heavy sauce), but not as hot as I would have hoped for their hottest available. Being that this isn't a wing joint, I can let it slide. Another reason I can let it slide is that the flavor was absolutely fantastic. In the past I have complained about the lack of what I perceive to be real buffalo flavor in various buffalo sauces around town. These wings finally met the challenge. They had a very rich buttery, vinegary flavor with a good bit of heat to them. Of all the wings I have reviewed so far, these were the best buffalo flavor. The heat wasn't overpowering, and seemed just about right for anyone who likes a little heat but without that good pain associated with hotter wings. These are a must have if you are on 6th street and find yourself needing some buffalo wings.
Fire:
Heat: 7
Flavor: 9.5
Overall: 9.5
Beale St. Tavern was a diamond in the rough and I am happy to say we got lucky when we chose this place. The wings were large enough that we only ate 10 or 12 of the twenty we ordered. This had absolutely nothing to do with the 2 hour happy hour with appetizers at the hotel we were staying at. But seriously, they wings were big. We have returned back to the normal action in Dallas, but hopefully some day when we return to Austin we can revisit Beale St. Tavern. I am proud to say it is the first non-wing establishment reviewed to be bestowed with the "Saucesome" label.
So yesterday the King was at work takin' care of business, doing whatever regal things kings do, and business was slow so I went home early. I decided an impromptu celebration was in order, and what better way to celebrate an early start to the weekend than a little Wingstop?
As you know, Wingstop is the closest wing join to my house, and I enjoy them very much. You can see my first Wingstop post here for more details and thoughts about the restaurant itself. This trip, I went with my usual 10 wing combo and two flavors.
Our first flavor was Louisiana Rub. This is a newer flavor they've been advertising over the last few months, and wanting to try something new, I decided to shake things up and give it a whirl. As expected, this is a rub, not a sauce (shocking, I know). These were very crispy (bonus points) and had good flavor. It is comparable flavor to the Cajun wings at Pluckers, but the flavor isn't quite as good as Pluckers. What these wings DO have going for them, is that they have a good bit more heat than the Cajun at Pluckers. It isn't too intense, but a noticeable kick from the black pepper and cayenne I believe made up part of the rub. It is a very warming flavor. I recommend these as something to try out, and they will likely be in my regular rotation in the future.
Heat: 5
Flavor: 8
Overall: 7.75
The second flavor I went with was Teryaki. I'd always seen these on the menu, but never got around to trying them out. Well, the verdict is in and unfortunately these are probably my least favorite wings at the Wingstop so far. They were a tad bit sweet. The problem is that they weren't sweet enough to have that tangy goodness like the Sweet Thai Chili wings at Sauced, and they weren't really salty enough to be a strong flavor. They were sort of bland to be honest. The other problem is that it appeared they tried to fill up the entire wing container with Teryaki sauce. I don't think I've ever seen such a high sauce per wing ratio. Maybe they were making up for the flavor with extra sauce. Too much sauce just makes the wings hard to grip and can send them flying across the room into people's faces on occasion (see the Queen for more details on this). The Teryaki wings at Wingstop will not be making their way into my regular rotation, but hey, you can't win 'em all. Wingstop will still be getting plenty of my paycheks.
Heat: 1
Flavor: 5
Overall: 4
So recently in the Wingdom there has been a lot of big talk among some members of the royal court about being able to join those of us who are members of the Pluckers Wall of Flame. What does this mean exactly? To achieve this level of greatness, one must eat 25 wings at Pluckers tossed (i.e. drowned) in their famous "Fire in the Hole" sauce; the hottest sauce they offer. Not only is it their hottest sauce, but Pluckers also boasts some of the largest wings available just to make things a little more fun. Since there was some serious trash talk being exchanged about who could or could not accomplish this feat, when it was decided that the Queen's entourage (her work buddies) needed to go out for a well-deserved cocktail after work on Friday, the decision was made to roll out to Pluckers for a test run.
For those of you who are unaware, Pluckers is a wing bar started in Austin and found around Dallas, Austin, and a few other scattered locations. I happen to be a proud member of the Wall of Flame down at the original location in Austin (accomplished back in 2004, who knows if the picture is still there). If you ask anyone from Austin about hot wings, they will be quite offended if you suggest anything could come close to Pluckers when it comes to wings; similar to if you mention Rudy's BBQ, Chuy's mexican food, or Round Rock donuts (regardless of how awesome they might be, these are not even up for debate with the Austinites I know). Pluckers is a great place with great wings, but I still think Sauced is better. Pluckers has big wings (naked), they make them crispy, they have a wide variety of flavors (19 from my count), and are decently priced. Mondays are all-you-can-eat wings for 15.99. Its a smallish location, so getting a table for a big crowd can be tough during the busy hours. We had a group of about ten, and luckily it was one of the three nights of the Texas summer where it is very pleasant outside, so we sat on the patio. As usual, we split 20 wings across four flavors, and here they are.
Our first flavor was Spicy Lemon Pepper. We weren't sure what to expect upfront, and what these actually are are lemon pepper wings tauced in one of their spicy buffalo sauces. This is a great tangy combination with a bit of heat to it, but not overpowering. The two flavors go together very well, and these were probably my second favorite of the bunch. They were somewhat crispy, but not as much as the others due to the wings being double sauced. I really enjoyed this, but as always, I wish for more heat when something is advertised as spicy. This probably had a mixture with their medium sauce, and I wish they would give you the option to kick it up to the spicier buffalo sauce.
Spicy Lemon Pepper
Heat: 5
Flavor: 8.5
Overall: 8
Our second flavor of the evening was Spicy Ranch. These were the next crispiest of the bunch, and they had some type of ranch seasoning added on that was almost like a dry rub added after being sauced. They weren't really spicy at all, which is a downer, but they had a great flavor. The Queen liked the flavor better than the Spicy Lemon Pepper, I think I preferred the lemon pepper over these, but it was close because they were both good. Same as above, I wish there was more heat to something advertised as spicy, but I'll still take it.
Spicy Ranch
Heat: 3
Flavor: 8
Overall: 7.5
Our third flavor of the evening was Cajun. These were the crispiest wings of the bunch, which makes me all happy inside. The Queen and I both thought these were the best of the bunch. We had a very tough time picking out individual flavors for the seasonings. I think it was likely a secret blend of Cajun magic with bits of real gator and bayou water. The other possibility is that it was a blend of generic cajun seasonings applied and then the wings being tossed in some type of flavored oil. Like I said, hard to say, but the flavor was fantastic. These weren't spicy at all, which is the only downfall, but still absolutely great. We will be getting these again for sure.
Cajun
Heat: 2
Flavor: 9.5
Overall: 9
Our final flavor was FIRE IN THE HOLE! This was the reason we came ladies and gents. Those members of the royal court who have been talking the trash were able to gauge their abilities before committing to such a task. One member described it as "like some kind of Mexican sauce". I think the sauce might be buffalo based, but it is easily overpowered by the peppers. You can see in the photo there are lots of pepper seeds, along with diced up bits of jalapeño and habanero pepper. One member of the court had to go for the milk, and the early reports were that some members had a rough night after partaking in these wings (maybe why they call them Fire in the Hole?). Others of us are the King of the Wing and find them delicious. These are easily the heaviest sauce, but I think they likely do that as an extra kick in the crotch for those who want to have their hottest wings. As I recall, when doing the challenge they sauce them up even heavier. These wings are definitely hot, so don't be fooled. These are probably the hottest wings of the handful I've reviewed so far, but the flavor of the peppers isn't lost in the spice at all. Stay tuned, because we will be fully documenting any and all attempts to get a picture on the Wall of Flame by members of the royal court of the United Wingdom.
Fire in the Hole
Heat: 8.5
Flavor: 7
Overall: 8
If you haven't been to Pluckers, it is a must for wing destinations in DFW. In fact, it has earned a new seal of approval from the King of the Wing: SAUCESOME!!!*
*Saucesome courtesy of new member of the royal court Daniel. Thanks Daniel.
Over the weekend the Queen and I decided to get out of the house and run some exciting errands, and in order to fuel ourselves we decided to make a swing through the Wingdom and try something new. I had heard a rumor of a newer place on the North side of town getting great reviews, and what resulted was nothing short of greatness. We ventured into Allen, Tx (because I couldn't read a map to go to Plano) to go to Sauced Wings & More, which is a wing joint that offers BOTH wings AND more. The place itself was nice and clean(there was actually a group that had reserved the party room for a highschool graduation). They offer a full service side where you could be waited on in restaurant fashion in the bar area, as well as a self-service area where you order at a counter and help yourself. We opted for the self-service half. They had TVs around the place with sports on, but could have used a few more. That's about the only negative I could find.
We started off with an appetizer of a regular order of fried pickles and jalapenos (mixed in together). The regular order was more than enough for the two of us, and it was absolutely delicious. The wings themselves were the stuff of legends. They were above average in size and fairly meaty. They are naked wings; fried to perfection so that the skin stays crispy even after sauce is applied. As you can imagine, a place called "Sauced" offers a wide selection of sauces that can please any palette. There are 19 sauces on the menu, with more combinations possible if you want to "get it with garlic", which we did not. They offer many of the standard sauces you would find at most places, along with some unique options. During the week they also have a $.66 wing night (the night escapes me at the moment). Without further adieu, here are the wings. As usual, we got 20 wings split across four flavors.
The first flavor up for review is Hot Honey Mustard. These wing were the second spiciest that we ate during this trip, but also had the sweetness one would expect from a honey mustard sauce. As best we could tell, this sauce was most likely a honey mustard mixed with something like Frank's Red Hot. It was a light opaque sauce with a slightly pink hint to it. It is one of the more unique sauces that I've had in recent memory. The mixture of sweet honey, the tangy mustard, and the hint of spicy buffalo made this one worth trying. If I had to choose, these were the least favorite of the bunch, but I imagine this decision is like choosing the least favorite of your children.
Hot Honey Mustard:
Heat: 6
Flavor: 8
Overall: 8
Our second flavor was Lemon Pepper. I like to get Lemon Pepper most everywhere we go because it is a common enough flavor to compare from one place to another. These did not disappoint. My favorite lemon pepper wings up to this point have been Wing Stop, but I would say these narrowly beat out Wing Stop for the top Lemon Pepper wing. These were extra crispy, and seemed to have a light lemon butter sauce on them, then a nice heavy dusting with lemon pepper. These were heavier on the pepper element than Wing Stop which I enjoyed. If you like Lemon Pepper wings, this is a must have.
Lemon Pepper:
Heat: 2
Flavor: 9.5
Overall: 9.5
Our third flavor of the day was Sweet Thai Chili. I expected this sauce to be hotter than it actually was, knowing that Thai chilis can have quite a kick to them. What it actually turned out to be was that reddish-orange style of chili sauce served with spring rolls found at various Asian eateries. It was very sweet, and I think this was the Queen's favorite of the bunch. She described it as almost a sweet and sour sauce. These were the most heavily sauced wings of the bunch, and I almost lost one trying to pick it apart when it slipped and when flying. Don't worry, we saved it. Overall, very tasty and satisfying, and we will likely be getting these again down the line.
Sweet Thai Chili:
Heat: 4
Flavor: 8.5
Overall: 8
The final flavor we tried was the sauce known as INSTANT DEATH!!!! This is the top of the scale at Sauced when it comes to heat. The sauce itself was VERY thick, and may have had a dusting of a pepper mixture to finish it off because the skin was almost more dry than slathered in sauce. As the Queen put it, "a thick, thick, not very saucy sauce". I guess this might have been a buffalo style sauce originally, but the overpowering flavor was that of the mysterious Ghost Chili. The Queen was able to quickly identify the Ghost Chili in it because she actually prepared some Ghost Chili enchiladas for me a couple of weeks ago with fresh dried Ghost Chili. The smoky flavor and the way the heat builds is unmistakable. You start off with one wing, and the heat seems manageable. As you keep eating them, it slowly builds from a nice warm sensation, and keeps on building. This is very different from something like the Blazin' sauce at BWW. The Blazin' sauce is pretty much the same from start to finish. You eat the first wing, the heat maxes out pretty quickly (sometimes it is more heat than other times), and when you're done you're done. If you ate just one wing in the Instant Death sauce, you'd probably say its not as hot as Blazin', but again, its that ability for the Ghost Chili to build up that gets you. I think if you ate a full order of twelve and compared the heat level of the two sauces, the Instant Death would be hotter hands down. However, another difference between this sauce and Blazin', is that this is a sauce I would like to get again for the flavor of the sauce. That slight buffalo flavor with the smoky Ghost chili is also very unique and I very much enjoyed it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Instant Death:
Heat: 8
Flavor: Flavor: 8
Overall: 9
Sauced Wings & More has become the #1 wing joint in my book. There were almost no negatives about this place, and everything was great. We will be returning there soon, and I will be doing my part to spread the word about Sauced. Anyone who loves Wings must try it out. It is officially SAUCESOME!!!
