Sad to see Wings 'n' Things getting so little love on Yelp. I have to admit that I'm addicted to the secret seasoning that's on these wings, and even though I've moved to the region of the country probably known as a Mecca for wings, nothing is quite the same as W&T's spice mix.
Joe and Teresa Connelly founded the first Wings 'n' Things restaurant in downtown Anchorage in 1983. Both hailing from Buffalo, home of the eponymous (and already widespread) wing, they set out to differentiate their product and developed what they termed the "Anchorage wing."
What they created was magical, and many of us long-time Anchorage residents fell in love with the completely different and unique taste they gave us. Joe was famously secretive about his recipe, and so when he and Teresa abruptly decided to close the restaurant without explanation in 2007, many of us were crushed.
The story winds its way through a few twists and turns, detailed in a few news articles:
https://www.adn.com/food-drink/article/wings-n-things-reincarnates-new-location/2009/01/24/
http://www.alaskajournal.com/community/2011-01-21/former-wings-n-things-owner-allegedly-used-drug-money-buy-business
http://www.frontiersman.com/news/wings-n-things/article_09cb7ddb-fc0d-5b53-bbe5-27c58aaf0b33.html
which leads us to where we are now: Wings 'n' Things with a new owner and the same secret sauce.
And, ladies and gentlemen, I can assure you, the sauce is the same. My craving is satiated. My only regret is that the Anchorage wing--which is, objectively, superior to the vinegar-based mess of a traditional Buffalo wing--only exists in Anchorage and hasn't been re-exported to the Rust Belt or NYC or, heck, anywhere south of the 60th parallel.
Now, strip away the magic seasoning (which is tantalizingly familiar but never-quite-pinpointable), and are these wings at this reincarnation of an old favorite objectively great? I'll admit they're not, and that plus the high price has me knocking a star off. The old W&T used wings supplied by Mike's Quality Meats in Eagle River, and they were a little chunkier, though still small and crispy. The new owner seems to be skimping a bit on the wing size (though not tremendously so--maybe 20% smaller than the original's), so for those expecting a nice, big, juicy, meaty wing, you're going to be disappointed. But the whole two-bites-plus-sucking-the-sweet-meat-morsel-from-between-the-bones thing was part of the experience at the original and continues to be now: the wings are largely a nice, crunchy vehicle to get as much of those secret spices into your mouth as possible. (Just think: smaller wings means a higher surface-area-of-spice-to meat ratio, so you can order more of them and get even more of that amazing flavor in your mouth!)
They're also *very* oily. Not just glistening, but literally *soaked* in a pool of liquid grease. Cross-town competitor Winky's Wings, which popped up in the absence of the original W&T when it shut down, goes for a drier rub (and with a good but slightly sweeter spice mix) that probably works better if you're counting calories, but this place stays true to the original with a good several ounces of oil left behind on your plate. That greasy goo dripping with leftover clumps of the rub makes the perfect thing to dredge your leftover celery sticks through. (It's still healthy if it's celery, right?) Again, this is part of the charm of the original.
And they're not gangbusters-hot, by default, anyway. Other reviewers complain they're too bland. I'm a "medium" kind of guy, and the mediums are admittedly fairly mild, though I can detect a hint of spice to them. The hots are a step up and have a pleasing heat to them, though I find the heat to actually overpower the deliciousness of the seasoning in the rub, so I personally stick with medium. I think there's also an extra hot option, but for those who crave their mouths on fire, go for "nuclear." I've never tried them, but don't order anything less than nuclear and then whine on Yelp that they weren't hot enough. (And please, for the love of all things 'n' wing, don't come here and order barbecue. They may be good, but that's not why you're here.)
I alluded to the price earlier. They're not cheap. Few things in Alaska are, but at over a buck per tiny wing, plan accordingly. A combo of 5 wings plus an 8" cheesesteak (not at all traditional, but absolutely delicious just the same) is $17. Ouch.
But smear that special, secret spice mix (allegedly still made in secret by original owner Joe Connelly) on these crispy, small, greasy, sorta-mild wings, and all potential sins are covered up. The sauce is very distinctly the same as it was when I started eating them in 1995, and that is the reason I come back to Wings 'n' Things over and over again. There's nothing on earth quite like an Anchorage wing, and I'm glad someone has kept the flame alive. I'll keep fulfilling my craving on my visits back home to Anchorage as long as this place remains open. read more