Glazed with Hot Sauce, Beside the White Refigerator

I'm a rather plain eater. There are foods I like and foods that I do not. I'm far from a foodie, and am puzzled by free range molecular gastronomy. I like a certain taco truck's chicken and have not stepped foot in McDonald's since reading Fast Food Nation.

Moving from the east coast to Western New York then to the midwest, I've come to tolerate and even appreciate pizza that is different and that mustard comes standard on the burgers at Wendy's.

What I will not deal with is an inferior chicken wing.

Thirty years ago, when I went to college in Fredonia, New York, I had never heard of the chicken wing as being a major food group. Soon, though, I learned about ten cent wing night at B.J.'s, where a cook named Gary Kowalski manned the fryer that made the best chicken wings in existence. In later years I had the wings at Ground Zero, The Anchor Bar, and they were pretty darn good, but over priced. I was also turned on to the wings at Duff's, people think they're the best and I'm not going to argue with them.

Moving to Columbus twenty one years ago, it was hard to find a decent wing. Places that were hyped as being the best in Central Ohio were tried, and frankly they sucked. Greasy, soaking wet in slime - all loud hot sauce with little meat and less balance. Idiots did not realize they had to fry and bake!

Eventually I stopped trying. Why spend my money on food that will make my brain sad and my colon spastic?

A couple of weeks ago my nemesis, Scott Woods, started a blog about food that white and black folk can agree on, and the chicken wing was common ground, as Jesse Jackson used to say. Naturally, I have failed to bookmark that site so I cannot link it to you. Hopefully that will be corrected.

So between the coy racism and outright hatred when he and I converse, Scott recommended I try Wings Over Columbus, a wing joint just west of the Ohio State Campus. I looked over the menu, saw the potential and made a note of it to head over when the opportunity knocked.

My vegetarian Scottish Wife is out of town this week.



LOOK AT THESE MOTHERFUCKING WINGS!

I was stunned when I got home and opened the box. They're beautiful. They were also starting to smell really good just before I got home.

Ok, sure they look good, but how do they taste?

I'm going to start with their one flaw, they ain't crispy enough. Call me a wing snob, but there it is. However, they are the best damn wings I've had in Columbus in twenty one years. The meat is plentiful, the sauce (I got the cruisin' altitude) is not over whelming on the meat and just spicy enough to get that burn on your lips. These wings have balance that no other wing I've had in this city possesses. I have found, after years of searching, then giving up, a go-to chicken wing place.

Wings Over Columbus is located at 1315 W. Lane Avenue, in a strip center next to Buckeye Corner. It's mostly take out, there are only three seats in the place, so keep that in mind. Service was lightning fast.

And hardcore wing snobs. I know. I am not in Western New York. I know the wings will always be better there. But I'm not there anymore. I can't drive up to Duff's.

So Thank you Scott, for proving the chicken wing transcends racial divide, now when's that Little Palace review up?