Oh well.
There have been about 10 different occasions when we thought, "we should try wangs" and it just didn't work. Finally, the stars aligned and off we went.
Seating is limited to one really out of sorts picnic table. The middle plank of the table seems warped and leaves a bump in the center, making it challenging to eat with someone across from you. A bike rack would also make things far easier if it is an eat and go kinda place, but that doesn't figure into my star rating - just a suggestion as we were not the only folks looking for one nearby.
While we were waiting for our food, the folks seated at the table happened upon a big hair in their final wing, which was a less than appetizing start to our meal. To the credit of the staff, they appeared to comp the entire meal of the couple, but it definitely put us on our guard at the start.
The wings aren't cheap but we placed an order for 9 wings and 3 sides plus some popcorn chicken for the kids. We ordered our wings hot, and I assumed that when you only offer two kinds of wings (hot and not hot), you'd get that right. They didn't. The wings came doused in a honey sauce with no spice in site. The counter dude made it seem as if it were a matter of just adding some red pepper flakes, but the owner gave us some containers of what the wings should have been cooked in and there was definitely more to it. We were disappointed that we didn't really get the full experience of the wings as they were intended.
The wings also weren't well cooked, I'm sorry to say. They were beautiful on the plate but unevenly cooked. I think their effort to leave the wings intact (drumette and winglet together) actually made the smaller portion of the wing overcooked by the time the thicker part was done. The meat itself was not the succulent, crave-worthy awesomeness that I really want from wings. This just missed the mark.
The sides were worthy of a 2 star deduction on their own. The collard greens were just about the oddest preparation I've had of a side I usually really enjoy. They had an odd aftertaste of toothpaste and virtually no flavor. There's a good reason they are usually doused in vinegar - these were icky.
The okra was also a really big miss. I'm used to okra being dry fried to the point of the slimy interior disappearing or boiled and then tossed - these seem to be cooked in a pan but not long enough to do it right. Slimy, squeaky and with painfully little of the coconut flavor promised...it just didn't work. The potato salad was fine, but the other two sides and the miss on the chicken really made this a miss for us.
I should probably give this 2 stars based on our overall experience, but I really do value this sort of option in the Slope. They are trying to do something different, something tasty, and it is close. They need to work on their recipes a bit and seriously, when you offer two kinds of wings, get the order right! Oh - and have the wing master wear a hair net. I may have to scrub my eyes with your toothpaste-flavored collard greens to get that image out. read more