St. Baldrick's Day: Pre-event Interview

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, bars are gearing up for the "everyone is Irish today" holiday by buying extra Guinness, corn beef, cabbage and of course, wings.  Well, maybe that last one is a bit of stretch, but you catch my drift.  As important as all those things are, bars are also getting ready to help raise money for children's cancer research by breaking out hair buzzers and shaving their way to a cure.

According to their website, the St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.

Two members of the Wingmen will be taking part in different St. Baldrick's Day events in New York and the following is part of an interview for Wing World Quarterly.*

I am sitting here with two members of the Wingmen, Jody and Steve, who will be shaving their heads in solidarity with kids suffering from all forms of cancer.  They are doing this as part of St. Baldrick's Day events and I caught up with them the other night while eating some wings and I asked them a few questions about their charitable work.

WWQ-   Hi Jody, Steve, how are you guys doing?
Jody-      Good
Steve-     Alright, how are you?

WWQ-   I'm just fine, thanks for asking.  So I was wondering, what made you guys decide to participate in such a worthy cause?
J-            Truth be told, I really need a haircut.  I knew about the event through Steve's participation last year, so I decided to grow my hair out as long as I could until March.  I've done some charity work before and really like the atmosphere when people come together to help other people.  It just seemed to make perfect sense to sign up for a St. Baldrick's event and they make it very easy to get involved.
S-            I actually work with students at a local college and one of them decided to run one at the school last year.  She asked me to shave my head.  I said sure and low and behold, the day was planned and we were on our way to raising money for childhood cancer research.  We pulled in just under $8,000 last year for the cause.  Doing so well, there was no way I could refuse the challenge to beat last year's mark.

WWQ-   When and where are you guys doing this?
J-             I'll be taking part in the Hero Celebration at The Boathouse in Central Park on March 16, 2011.  My shave time is set for 7:30 PM.  There are 30 active fundraisers (with 53 total signed up) so it should be a pretty exciting event.  I'm really looking forward to showing my support. 
S-             I'm taking part in Molloy College's event on March 7, 2011.  I don't have a scheduled time for the day, I'll be going when there is time during the hours of 10 and 5pm.  We have 19 shavees signed up, but we expect to have over 50 again this year.  Molloy relies on a lot of walk-ins.  They tend to see someone getting their head shaved, ask why and then donate some money for the "free" haircut.


WWQ-     What are your fundraising goals?
J-              I wasn't sure what to expect my first time out so I set my goal at $1,000.  It seemed like a substantial but reasonable amount. 
S              Last year I set a goal of $500 and reached it pretty quick.  I then upped the goal to $750 and raised $850.  After doing so well last year, I decided to up my goal to $1,500.


WWQ-     Have you reached it yet?
J-              As of right now, I'm at $900, so just $100 shy of the goal.  I've pretty much raised my funds in three separate bursts, each netting about a third of my goal.  I have a little under two weeks to go so I'm hoping that one last push will bring me to my mark or beyond.  
S-             Well, my event is close, tomorrow close, and I am still not quite at my goal.  I am currently at $1,381, just $119 more to go before the 7th.  Just made my least plea to my friends an family, so fingers crossed.


WWQ-     What is your favorite cartoon character(s)?
S-             I am not sure how that's relevant?
WWQ-     I am sorry, are you a reporter?  Did you go to journalist school?
S-             No, sorry, ummmm... Tom and Jerry.  How about you Jody?
J-              He-Man.  Obviously.


WWQ-     I must say, what you guys are doing is very commendable.  Any final words?
J-              St. Baldrick's has made this so easy and user friendly.  If you're looking to get involved, head to their website and sign up.  It's so simple and it really means so much to the kids.  Seriously, go sign up right now.
S-             There are literally dozens of bars, schools and other places running these events in New York.  It is a great thing they are doing and I encourage everyone to get involved.  Just the small gesture of shaving one's head can go a long way at helping a child with cancer smile.


The Wingmen serve as a reminder that it doesn't take much to do great things.  They are just a couple of regular guys who have raised over $2,000 in the last few weeks for kid's cancer research.  If you would like to help them in their efforts, you can do so by clicking on the following links:


Jody's event is 10 days away, donate here: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/jodyleggio 
Steve's event is 1 day away, donate here: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/steveo1
Don't forget, you can donate to the participants even after the events have ended.

Steve's Before Picture

Jody's Before Picture

*Wing World Quarterly is not a real periodical, but should be.

South Houston

331 W. Broadway
New York, NY 10013
Website

With spring teasing us a bit and waiting just around the corner, I have the perfect wings for you to check out.  South Houston has a grilled peach-apricot BBQ wing that seriously tastes like summer.  They are a little sweet, typical of most BBQ we've had, but the fruity undercurrent adds a nice flavor that sets it apart from other BBQ sauces.  Couple that with the grilled char flavor and you'll be and looking forward to warmer times for sure.  

They also make a Buffalo wing which is grilled as well.  I think most Buffalonians would say that the fact that it's grilled means it's actually not a true Buffalo wing, but I'm going to say that they shouldn't be so stubborn.  Grilled is better than fried, in my opinion anyway... I know, blasphemy!  These wings are meaty, flavorful, have a generous coat of sauce and, again, you just can't go wrong with the grilled taste of crispy BBQ char.

I go to South Houston pretty often for lunch with a few guys from work.  I don't think there's been a time yet that someone hasn't ordered the wings.  As a matter of fact, there have been a few times when everyone ordered the wings.  They're a staple.  I suggest ordering the combo so you get half an order of Buffalo and half Peach-Apricot BBQ.  You should also check out one of the many draught beers they offer.  It's always a rotating selection of local and imported porters, ales, IPA's, lagers... you name it.  They also brew their own craft sodas which is kind of cool.

The staff and management has always been friendly.  They even gave us free pint glasses with their logo on them the first time we ate lunch there.  We've been returning pretty regularly ever since.  Check them out.




PS - They also have the coolest ceiling fans I've ever seen.

The fans rotate around the light.
I want one in my home.

Q & A with Sous Chef Katie of Keg and Lantern

We were so impressed with our visit to Keg and Lantern in Greepoint, Brooklyn that I asked Sous Chef Katie if she would mind answering a few questions for us.  She happily obliged.  Enjoy:

Wingmen3:  What is the inspiration behind your stuffed wings?  Was there an epiphany moment or was it just a happy accident?

Katie:  I guess the inspiration for the wings came out of need ... and possibly a bit of ADD. At the last restaurant I worked in, we used to get our chicken breasts in skin, and wing attached. After cleaning and butterflying the breasts, I was left with a batch of wings attached to about 4 inches of skin (gross as it sounds - everyone knows crispy chicken skin is the most delicious part). Before I started working there, the wings were pan fried and baked as is and eaten as kitchen scraps or thrown out; but as I was in charge of food-costs, I was determined to use them as staff meal, and after some experimenting, came up with the idea of stuffing them - sometimes with leftovers, and sometimes as a treat for the staff with their favorite foods.

W:  Without giving away your trade secrets, how do you go about getting all that tasty food inside of a chicken wing?

K:  It's mostly a matter of splitting the wing enough to leave space for the stuffing, without actually breaking the joints.

W:  Why aren't more people doing this?  Is it because the word hasn't gotten out, or is it just too labor intensive?

K:  Both labor and food costs are prohibitive. People are only willing to spend so much on a wing, stuffed or not, so between the additional cost of the actuall stuffing, the staff time to do the stuffing, and the energy and labor for separate cooking, I imagine that even if the word DID get out, most people still wouldn't be doing it.

W:  What are your favorite foods to stuff inside chicken wings?

K:  Top 3 favorite fillings : Meatloaf and bacon, ham and swiss, mac and cheese (especially good wrapped in bacon before baking).

W:  Do you have any crazy concoctions you're thinking about trying in the future?

K:  Well, obviously the waffle fried version you guys inspired. How about a Turduckin version? Braised turkey wing stuffed with duck confit and buffalo chicken. I like that one.

__

If you're in the neighborhood, I highly recommend stopping in to Keg and Lantern to pay Katie a visit.  If you're lucky, the Chef will have the night off and you may get treated to some of the amazing combinations she mentions above.

Keg and Lantern

37 Greenpoint Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11222
Website

This past Saturday, Red Star - a bar in Greenpoint, Brooklyn - was hosting an event to crown the best wings in Brooklyn.  It seemed like the perfect event for The Wingmen to check out.  Not only would we finally put Brooklyn on the Wingmen map but three of the nine competitors have been recommended by readers on our Facebook page.  Unfortunately, Steve and Jeremy were busy with life and it looked like a bust.  However, at the very last minute I decided:  what the hell.  I grabbed my camera, sent Wingmen Field Taster* BJ a text and told him to meet me at the G train in LIC.

*I just made up that title, but BJ has been on a lot of wing missions with me now and is a little sensitive about not getting any credit.

BJ and I got off the train at Greenpoint Ave. and started hoofing it to Red Star.  We were stopped in our tracks when we turned the corner and saw the line to get in.  There were easily 400 people and the wait was at about 2 hours.  Yeah, I like you guys and all but I don't like you that much.  I looked at BJ and said, "shortest review ever".

This is what the line looked like.  No chance.  Sorry.

Luckily for us, our loss was our gain (or something like that).  While all of Brooklyn was waiting on line to get into Red Star, we decided to find a participating bar and taste their wings on their own turf.  I pulled up the flyer on my phone.  There was one competing bar (other than Red Star) in Greenpoint:  Keg and Lantern.  We were off.

95 Nassau Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11222
Website

The place was cool.  It had a welcoming atmosphere and a friendly staff.  We found a couple of stools at the bar, ordered a couple of Brooklyn Lagers (what else?) and a plate of wings.  They were pretty good wings.  I'd file them under "traditional" with the hot sauce/butter combo.  They were a bit on the small side, but the flavor was great and they had a nice amount of heat.  It wasn't so hot that it was overwhelming, but the heat definitely made its presence known.  It seemed like a pretty average wing excursion, until Sous Chef Katie came out.  We had no idea what we were in for.


Katie was holding down the fort while the Chef was serving wings at the Red Star event.  She seemed indifferent when we started talking to her about the wings she made for us.  She let us know that her real specialty was her stuffed wings.  Wait... what?  Stuffed wings?  Yes please.  Katie seemed a little excited that she was able to peak our interest.  She told us that all of their stuffed wings were sent to Red Star and it would take her about a half hour to make a new batch from scratch.  We let her know we weren't going anywhere, and off she went to the kitchen.

About a beer later, Katie emerged with a small white plate with two chicken wings sitting on it.  At first I was a little confused.  Is this just a sample?  Are they that good that an order is only two wings?  She set the plate on the bar and just said "chicken cordon bleu".  Sure enough, one bite would reveal a wing stuffed with bacon and swiss cheese.  It was amazing.  Just the fact that we were eating wings stuffed with other food was great enough... but when that food is bacon... I was pretty sure we were going to have to retire the site.  I don't know how you top that.

On the menu, Keg and Lantern lists only one type of stuffed wing:  "Sin Filled Thai Wings", stuffed with Thai sausage and topped with sweet chili sauce.  But you know what they say... When the Chef is away, the Sous Chef will play.  Katie continued to treat us with her own concoctions and her special take on stuffed wings.  She brought out a few rounds, two at a time. It was like a Chef's tasting but with chicken wings.  It's definitely the classiest I've ever felt while eating pub grub, that's for sure.  Here was the lineup:

Course One:  Chicken Cordon Bleu (Bacon and Swiss)

Course Two:  Sauteed Onions and American Cheese

Course Three:  Bleu Cheese

Course Four:  Mac and Cheese with Hot Sauce

Course Five:  Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce

     

They were all so good.  None of them were overstuffed to the point of being overwhelming either.  There was just enough stuffing to give you a taste - a nice little burst of flavor when you bit into the wing.  I can't decide if I liked the bacon or the mac and cheese better.  One thing I do know though, these wings are very unique and unlike any I've ever eaten.  If you get a chance, definitely check them out.  I know BJ and I will definitely be back and we'll be bringing Jeremy and Steve with us.  Thanks Katie!

Search Feature Is A Go!!!

For those of you who were wondering when we'd add search technology to our site, the answer is NOW!!!  Yes Mike O., I'm talking to you!

If you are wondering if we've reviewed your favorite place, just type it into the search box on the top right of the page and you'll get your answer!

Enjoy and keep your eyes peeled for Wings To Go in New Jersey and Elijah Churchill's in Northport, NY.  They'll post soon, as well as others!

Kool Bloo

117 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10013

Website

I've worked across the street from the takeout/delivery joint Kool Bloo for about a year now.  I went there once when we first moved into the building... and hated it.  I take full responsibility though.  I ordered a shawarma sandwich from a place with nary a spit.  I should know better.  Still though, I've avoided this place since then.  Until today.  They advertise wings in huge letters on the outside of the building (which Steve noticed when he picked me up for our trip to Buffalo), so I guess it's about time I gave them a try.

The wings come in a combo deal that set me back $9.75.  It includes 5 wings and fries.  Not exactly a huge portion, but, as you may know from my last post, I'm not a fan of huge portions anyway.

Right from the first bite I could taste the recognizable combination of Frank's Red Hot Sauce and butter.  If I had to guess, I'd say the normal 1:1 ratio was slightly skewed in favor of the sauce, giving it a little extra heat.  There were also some added seasonings which kicked them up a bit.  The wings were relatively plump with a decent amount of meat, but very little (if any) crisp in the skin.  These were pretty average across the board.  I wasn't disappointed because I didn't have high hopes, but I wouldn't go out of my way for them either.  Put simply:  they'll do.

The fries on the other hand, those were good.  I'm getting those again.

Smokin' Al's Famous BBQ Joint

 4847 Merrick Rd.

Massapequa Park, NY

Website

This past Sunday, as we sat at Jeremy's house and watched the Jets shock the Patriots (while eating mediocre wings), our friend Pat asked us why we haven't tried Smokin' Al's wings yet.  Well, I had never heard of the place before, but tucked it away in my memory.  When it came time to choose a place to go for our Wednesday wing meetup, I threw out Smokin' Al's as a suggestion.  Knowing that Massapequa is a hike for me, Steve suggested Sly Fox Inn by St. John's University.  We decided to make our choice based on the menu.  I copied the descriptions into an email and sent them to Jeremy and Steve.  Sly Fox Inn offers "Jumbo Buffalo Wings... tossed in pepper sauce with bleu cheese dressing".  Smokin' Al's describes their "Some Like it Hot" wings as "Chicken wings, rubbed, smoked and then smothered with Al's Famous Rattlesnake Sauce". Steve's reply:

Rattlesnake sauce! We HAVE to go there!

Sorry Jody... My vote is for Smokin' Al's!

Fair enough, it's tough to argue with that. So I walked to the subway station, took the A train to Penn Station, took the LIRR to Bayside, walked home, got in my car and hopped on the Grand Central Parkway.  About two hours later I was in Massapequa ordering a Sierra Nevada and wings.

The waitress warned us that they didn't serve traditional pub wings.  They are conjoined, smoked and coated in BBQ sauce and she didn't want us to be disappointed.  We assured her that this wasn't our first rodeo and we knew what we were in for.  The wings came out very quickly and were as advertised.  I'd put them in the same category as Virgil's wings, which I really liked.  

Jeremy rolled up his sleeves and dug in first.  He gave his stamp of approval almost immediately.  The wings were cooked really well.  They are smoked for hours, seasoned with a dry rub and drenched in BBQ sauce.  They have just enough char on the skin and are moist and tender in the middle.  They were conjoined, pretty large and had a good amount of meat.  They offer two choices of sauce: regular and rattle snake.  As far as we could tell, the only difference between the two is some crushed red pepper in the rattle snake to give it a little more heat.  It didn't make it all that hot, so if you tend to shy away from very spicy foods, don't worry, you can probably handle the rattle snake.  I felt the sauce was strong on the vinegar and maybe a little thin.  Steve thought it was too sweet, which I agreed with.  Jeremy was the biggest fan of the three of us and didn't have much in the form of criticism.  Small critiques aside, we had no problem polishing them off.

Instead of ordering another plate of wings, we decided to mix it up and get a haystack and burnt endz.  The haystack is an obscenely large portion of fried onion rings piled about ten feet high on a plate.  Seriously, the three of us went to work on it and didn't even come close to eating half.  I'm not a fan of the huge portion.  I feel like it's gimmicky and most of it ends up wasted.  No question it was a tasty appetizer, but I'd say it would take about 6 hungry guys to polish it off.  That seems excessive to me.  The burnt endz were much more manageable (although they were served on a bed of haystack!) and we took care of them no problem.  These are the seasoned, crusted, burnt ends of their brisket that they chop off after smoking for 12 hours.  They are of course coated in their BBQ sauce. Unlike a lot of imitation BBQ places, the smokey flavor really comes through at Smokin' Al's.  I guess that's why Zagat voted them best BBQ on Long Island six years in a row.

Overall, I'd say they're a few notches below Virgil's but a solid choice if you're on LI and need some BBQ.  They also have a location in Bay Shore. Check them out.  Make sure you're hungry.  Really hungry.