Johnny's Tavern (the Original)

 

Well, we did another double-dipping by stopping off at Johnny's in North Lawrence after our "adventure" at Slowride Roadhouse just down the street.  This is the home of the Original Johnny's Tavern that everyone has come to know and love over the years.  We had wondered if there would be any distinguishable differences between the Original Johnny's and its sister location in West Lawrence.  You might not think so, but there was some.  For one, there is no Simmons Wings on their menu.  If you recall from our review of Johnny's Tavern West these are wings sauced with a combination of Frank's hot sauce and BBQ sauce, which makes for a great sweet, spicy, and tangy flavor combination.  The other difference is the same for everyone: the variability that comes with different cooks. 

 

As you can see from the picture, the wings are evenly coated in sauce and both the wingettes and drummettes are proportionate in both number and size.  The strong aroma of vinegar was in the air which aroused our senses and made mouths water. 

 

Texture and tenderness (T-n-T) on the other hand was very hit and miss on these wings.  We want our wings to be crispy on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside.  Some skins were crispy and others not so much.  Some meat was overcooked and dry and others a little rubbery.  They were pretty inconsistent depending on the batch.  Perhaps different cooks? 

 

The flavor is exactly what you would expect from a true classic buffalo style wing sauce.  At Johnny's we were told that they use Frank's hot sauce which is the original wing sauce, the creation of Frank Bellissimo, owner of the Anchor Inn Bar, and famed location in Buffalo, New York where the wing craze was born.  Which is great, but nothing stood out and judges thought it was pretty average when everything else was considered. 

 

When all is said and done, here is how the Original Johnny's Tavern ranked in appearance, texture and tenderness, and flavor. 

 

A:         7.6

T-n-T:  6.3

F:         6.7

 

When you factor in each criterias weights, Original Johnny's receives a total score of 6.67

 

Just to put it into perspective I looked up Johnny's Tavern West scores and they are as follows:

 

A:        8

T-n-T: 7.8

F:         8        Giving Johnny's West a total score of 7.94  and some bragging rights over their sister location  (and still the overall leader, barely edging out Jefferson's). 

 

So there you have it!  Next stop on the list is Set'em Up Jacks on K-10 highway.  Hope they bring it when we wing it.

 

Tailgate Ted and his Wing Nutz