Henry T's: Home Sweet Home

It is a bittersweet homecoming of sorts. It signals the end of the great 2013 Tourwing is close at hand, and our long time server Brittainey is moving back home to California for good.  She was one of the best servers we have ever had.  When she saw us coming she would have our drinks already ordered and brought to us.  She always knew our wing order too and our particulars, like grill marks, extra napkins, a communal plate with a pile of celery, and so on.  And now she is gone and we will have to train someone else all over again.  That's the problem with living in a college town, wait staff turns over with every graduation.  Brittainey certainly stayed longer than most.  We will miss her Valley Girl talk, her glowing orange skin from over exposure to UV, and her fun attitude. 

 

Now for the wings.

 

Here's the thing.  Henry T's makes their own sauce which we like because Frank's hot sauce gets a little boring.  We like places that put their own twist on sauces.  And, they make it fresh.  And with this comes variance.  Commercially made hot sauces use pepper mashes to control consistency with the heat.  Using fresh peppers is going to give you variance.  Plus, there will be variance with different cooks preparing the sauces.  So some times the wings are a little milder or hotter than previously.  But generally the flavor profile is consistently the same. 

 

T's recently expanded their flavor profiles and now offer naked, BBQ, parmesan garlic, buffalo, Sriracha honey, extra spicy, or toasted habanero.  Of the new sauces, parmesan garlic is my favorite.  The wings are really crispy and I order additional sauce on the side for double dipping. 

 

Tonight was a particularly good night for wings.  The appearance is an orange-brown with some grill marks, good size.  They could have been charred a little more for our liking but still good texture and tenderness.  And the flavor was really good - just the right amount of heat and tanginess.  Wing Nutz gave T's a score of 7.825 putting them in a tie with Jefferson's. 

 

And with this, we have judged everyone we set out to judge here in Lawrence.  There were 5 places that really broke away from the pack.  Henry T's and Jefferson's rounded out the top 5 tied at 7.825; Johnny's West at 7.94; Conroy's Pub at 8.325; and, 6 Mile Tavern at 8.36.  So, there is really one thing left to do...

 

Wing Off!  The Wing Nutz crew will gather one final time and in one day decide once and for all who has the most worthy wings in Lawrence.   

 

If you want to learn more about Henry T's and all the great food they make, just go to www.henryts.com and check them out.    

Crimson Fire!

Hot wings with "Crimson Fire" on the side

Well fellow wingers, we ain't quite done just yet with our wing quest.  We thought we were down to just one: Henry T's.  But then last week I stopped in here to blow off some steam with a fellow co-worker and discovered that within the past month they started serving food.  And yep, wouldn't you know it, wings!  So I rallied the Wing Nutz and we descended on this place, took it over, and had our way with their wings. 

 

6 Mile Tavern is located in the plaza area at 6th & Wakarusa in a part of the building that use to be Hereford House.  Famous Dave's BBQ moved in and walled off a narrow section that the tavern now occupies.  And it was just that, a tavern only and no food until now.  They've expanded their space and now it not only has a kitchen but also two sides: the "Chop House" dining room is on the left and tavern on the right where you can also eat.  The décor is dark wood and leather, low lighting, and there are pictures hanging of Buffalo Bill and the like to give it that old tavern like feel.  Good selection of wines, martini's, and imported beers all catering to an older crowd in a college town. 

 

 

But before I tell you how their wings fared, I would be remiss if I did not write about our experience there and mention things that do not factor into scoring.  For one, the service we received was outstanding.  Being a new experience for all of us, we had a lot of questions about their sauces, drinks, and so on.  Our waitress was extremely patient with us.  Nancee was not sure what drink she wanted to order so the waitress brought out free samples for her to try. When it came to sauces and wanting to learn more about heat and flavor profiles, she brought out samples of each along with a fresh baked loaf of bread for dipping.  And the bread!   My goodness was it good and just melted in your mouth.  And then there are the wet naps.  It surprises us that more places that serve wings do not have wet naps.  6 Mile Tavern takes the wet nap to whole new level.  Instead of the little towelette in a foil pouch they have full size heavy duty paper napkins that are served lightly wet.  At first we thought it was a little weird and over the top but I can tell you they were very much needed and appreciated after eating wings coated in crimson fire! 

 

Speaking of their crimson fire sauce: um, yeah it is hot.  Our waitress warned us.  Still, it is an edible sauce and not just a food additive like "The Atomic Bomb" that is over a million Scoville units.  Crimson fire is reddish brown in color with a smokiness to it and a little thick.  You first taste the heat on the tip of your tongue like a jalapeno pepper will do.  Then you taste it again in the back of the throat with a slow, intense build up of heat.  Habanero peppers have that quality about them and may also give this sauce some of that smoky flavor I was picking up.  It will make you sweat for sure.  In terms of being the hottest we have sampled tourwing around town, it is between this and Jefferson's turbo sauce.  Both will clean your sinuses and have you clambering for milk to quench the flames.  And obviously, there are other flavors to go with if you do not want to be as daring (or crazy stupid). 

 

And now for the judging...

 

Appearance was very good.  Good size wings, proportionate number of wingettes and drumettes, good color, and amply sauced. 

 

Texture and tenderness a little inconsistent.  Some skins were very soft and wings should have some crunch to them. 

 

Flavor was very good.  All of the sauces we tried matched the flavor profile described to us.  Good balance of vinegar and pepper. 

 

A: 7-7-8-8-8

TnT: 7-6-7-6-6

F:  8-7-7-8-8

 

Overall, we gave 6 Mile Tavern a final score of 8.36 and with that, that propels them into first place just edging out Conroy's Pub at 8.325!  Holy wings!  And we almost missed them.  Things are heating up as we close this out. 

 

And now, we only have one left.  Nope!  The Phoggy Dogg and a couple others have been added thanks to followers that have made suggestions.  Henry T's still must wait. 

 

So definitely give 6 Mile Tavern a shot.  We definitely will be going back and not just for wings.  Lobster mac-n-cheese is just one of the menu items that caught out eye (and taste buds).  

 

Tailgate Ted 

 



The Bird Dog: This Dog Won't Hunt

 Our latest "tourwing" of Lawrence takes us to a place we really should frequent more often.  The Bird Dog Bar is located inside The Oread located just outside the North gate of the KU campus. It is an American sportsman themed bar featuring eleven 50 inch televisions and a menu that is a notch above your normal bar food.  The limestone walls and columns, large windows, and an open terrace makes for an awesome setting to gather and relax with friends.  The hotel also has fine dining, night club, and a pizza joint.  But our favorite part about The Oread are the outdoor areas.  There is a very nice terrace area located on the fourth floor level that is suited for private parties, wedding receptions, and the like.  On the 9th floor you find the rooftop that has an outdoor bar and seating areas scattered around.  On weekends there is usually live music to enjoy.  But the views of the city and Campanile hill on KU's campus are the best part. The views are from a height and vantage point that many have never experienced before. We finished our evening off atop the roof watching the sun go down on the city and enjoying some cocktails.

 

To learn more about The Oread visit:    http://www.theoread.com/#play_restuarants_FourSplitPage_Restaurants  

 

But what about the wings?  Well, they serve them two ways: "dusted" and Buffalo style.  They come a dozen per order along with ample celery for $10.95.  As the photo demonstrates they are healthy in size too.  The dusted wings were very crispy but for some reason the buffalo wings were not and so the skin was a little rubbery.  They make their own buffalo style sauce and the flavor is good, but very mild for what you would expect of a buffalo wing. 

 

Wing Nutz judges gave them a 6.75 for appearance, 6 for texture and tenderness, and 6 for flavor.  When we multiply each category by the appropriate weight, The Bird Dog Bar scores an overall 6.075. 

 

And with that, we are down to one!  Last on the great TourWing of 2013 is Henry T's Bar & Grill.  Here is a recap of the rankings thus far:   

 

   

16.    4.275  Biggs BBQ 
15.    5.5      23rd St. Brewery 
13b.  5.82    Paddy O'Quigley's 
13a.  5.82    Wayne 'n Larry's 
12.    5.9      Set'em Up Jack's 
11.      6.075  The Bird Dog Bar
10.    6.08    Slow Ride Roadhouse 
9.      6.53    Saints Pub  
7.      6.67    Johnny's Tavern (Original) 
6.      6.84    Yacht Club    
4b.    6.9      The Jayhawker  
4a.    6.9      Dempsey's Irish Pub 
3.      7.825  Jefferson's  
2.      7.94    Johnny's West 
1.      8.325  Conroy's  

Until next time,

Tailgate Ted

Buffalo Bob's: Beats Biggs

Well, we are winding down on our great Lawrence TourWing of 2013.  Just three stops left and this stop has us trekking downtown on Mass Street to Buffalo Bob's Smokehouse for some smoked wings.  After our bad Biggs BBQ experience we were a little once bitten, twice shy so-to-speak about going to another BBQ place but we were pleasantly surprised.  As the picture shows, them are some healthy sized wing portions all crisped up and served on a bottomless bed of curly Q fries.  And if you are there on a Monday night as we are, they're $5 per pound.    

 

So, what about Bob?  These were so much better than Biggs.  They are slow smoked and then I am guessing flash fried to give it that crispy skin we so desire.  But an untrained eye can see that they serve their wings "naked" with only a dusting and not coated in sauce.  Boo, Bob, boo!  They do have sauces that are served on the side.  Obviously, you have a hot wing and a cold sauce that is runny.  Just isn't the same.  And, our rules clearly state that the wings must be coated in sauce.  So, there is going to be some deductions. 

 

As for texture and tenderness (T-n-T) they were above average and is their strong point.  Very crispy on the outside but not overdone.  The chicken meat well preserved by all the sealed in juices.   

 

But flavor, well, it took a little hit.  The sauces offered on the side are their BBQ sauces and a hot sauce.  The hot sauce (pictured above) looks and tastes like Louisiana Hot Sauce right out of the bottle.  One BBQ sauce named after an old girlfriend was described to us as sweet and spicy which we found to be lacking in both categories.  Maybe Bob thought the same and that's why it didn't work out; I don't know.  The hot BBQ was not hot.  Perhaps it was hotter maybe but not hot.  The mild was overall their most flavorful and best sauce we sampled.

 

Still, overall Buffalo Bob scores a total of 6.58 which puts them in 8th place thus far, sandwiched between Johnny's Tavern (Original) at 6.67 and Saints Pub at 6.53.  If Bob would only smoke them, flash fry them, sauce them, and serve them then we would eat them and judge them higher.  If anyone knows Bob you may want to suggest that.  Still, they scored a very respectable ranking and they are heads and shoulders above their in town rival Biggs BBQ that scored the worst: 4.275.  A morale victory, perhaps? 

 

Now, Buffalo Bob's overall as a place to go. They have good BBQ and some really good lunch specials and the service is fast and friendly.  The place is divided in two halves.  One side is the restaurant and the other is dubbed the "Dynamite Saloon" with a really cool bar.  There are flat screen TVs in there if you want to catch a game.  Same menu is served in the saloon so you will not be missing out on menu selections.  And on some Friday nights you can catch Patrick Nichols picking his guitar and singing some Delta Blues.  And if you are really lucky you may catch him on a night when our good friend Chris Millspaugh joins him on harmonica for a real treat to your ears!    

 

And then there were  two...

Most Worthy Wing Still Flying

 

Our quest continues but is coming to a close soon.  Only 3 remain on our list to be judged.  So I thought this would be a good time to recap and list the rankings thus far.  So here we go, from worst to first. 

14.    4.275  Biggs BBQ  Several broken bones, over smoked, texture and tenderness (TnT) no good.
13.    5.5      23rd St. Brewery  So much black pepper ruined them.
11b.  5.82    Paddy O'Quigley's  "O'Fail".  Good size but no heat.  Flavor profiles didn't match.
11a.  5.82    Wayne 'n Larry's  Many of the wings were overcooked that night.  Sauces okay.
10.    5.9      Set'em Up Jack's  Itty bitty wing committee.  Overcooked and dried out.
9.      6.08    Slow Ride Roadhouse  TnT was hit and miss.  Flavors were so-so.
8.      6.53    Saints Pub   Flavors and TnT were great.  All the broken bones were not great!
7.      6.67    Johnny's Tavern (Original)  TnT was really hit and miss.  Basic Frank's Hot Sauce.
6.      6.84    Yacht Club   Really good sauces helped overcome lack of appearance and TnT. 
4b.    6.9      The Jayhawker   Good looking wings, flavorful, and tasty.  TnT a little inconsistent.
4a.    6.9      Dempsey's Irish Pub  Good flavors and prices. TnT a little inconsistent.
3.      7.825  Jefferson's   Lots of great flavors.  Really good TnT.   Turbo double dipped! 
2.      7.94    Johnny's West  Lots of great flavors.  Classic and flaming combined is really good.
1.      8.325  Conroy's  They told us their wings were the best in Lawrence.  So far they are right. 

So there you have it; so far.  Buffalo Bob's, The Bird Dog, and the place that started it all for us, Henry T's, are all that remain.  I am thinking we are going to have a wing off! 

Tailgate Ted 

Biggs BBQ: May Day! May Day!

  There he is: Al "Heisenberg" sporting an official Breaking Bad t-shirt with the aforementioned alter ego screen printed on the front tearing up some drummies at Biggs BBQ.  That look of elation like the one he has when he cooks a 98% pure batch of crystal blue meth will be short lived. 

 

Biggs BBQ is located on the West side of Iowa street just past the 23rd street / Clinton Parkway intersection, Chili's, Saints Pub, etc. in a shopping/business strip.  Having wings there is a new experience for all of us.  We are accustomed to eating their BBQ whether it be sandwiches, ribs, brisket, etc. but not their wings.  And, they actually do not have wings by what you think of in the traditional sense of the word.  They only serve the drummies or drummettes.  We asked what happens to the wingettes but no one had an answer.  It doesn't matter to me; I prefer the drummettes anyway so I am golden!  Nancee was screwed though - ha ha.  According to our rules, it is fine to serve only one kind but proportion to size still applies.  And that is where it turns a little weird.

 

That plate of Al's pictured above is full of really healthy drummies but mine were pretty scrawny (I didn't take a picture: I know, I know: FAIL).  6 out of my 8 drummies were broken bones, which means they were small and got overcooked a lot.  Either that or my waitress, Journey, and the cooks really hated me for some reason.  Everyone's plate of drummies looked like Al's, just not mine.  When you calculate all the wings we ate and how many were broken, they're still no where as bad as Saints Pub and Grill just across the parking lot, but 19% broken wings is still BAD (Saints had at least 30% when we stopped counting/tracking).   

 

What else can we say?  The texture and tenderness was way off.  They lacked the crispy outside we like because they are not flash fried after being smoked.  Several were over smoked or cooked.  How do you know?  Just by looking at them.  When the skin and meat draw way up on the bone that is indicating to you that the moisture is being drawn up out of the meat.  When smoking you do want a little draw but not a lot.  Some of these had the skin/meat drawn up almost half way on the bone.  When you bite into them it is confirmed. 

 

And the flavor?  "Meh" is what we say.  We tried all variety of sauces and styles.  The hot is hot - that's a plus. Flavor, even though the most heavily weighted at 60% of the overall score, would not overcome the texture and tenderness category.    

 

So given all this, Biggs BBQ scored an abysmal 4.275.  Yep, that's not a type-o, an horrendously bad total score of a 4.275 out of a possible 10. 

 

But don't take our words for it.  Drummies come in orders of 4 ($4.99) or 8 ($8.99) in mild, hot, or BBQ and Monday's are half price.  Or do take our word for it, order up a slab of ribs, and feel satisfied.  Your choice.   Our opinion:  These birds crashed and burned! 

Wayne n Larry's

 

 

"Yeah, I know Wayne too!" And this stop along the wing tour has us at Wayne and Larry's which is located about 9th and Iowa, attached to the bowling alley.  We have been going to this place for a number of years.  Why?  It is close to our house - just a couple, three blocks is all.  And BONUS, it is also a "Chicago friendly" establishment since Wayne is from the Windy City.  Here you will find Chicago themed burgers and sandwiches such as Ryne Sandberg Sliders and even traditional Chicago dogs made with real Vienna beef that Wayne has shipped there.  So for me, this place is like a home away from home, err, my wanna be home anyway.  We go to the Windy City at least once per year or more.  And two of our fellow Wing Nutz are actually from Chicago (Al and Nancee). 

Now having said all that, just to be brutally honest, when you go there your service may or may not be great.  I'd go with the expectation of not having great service.  Better to go with low expectations and then be pleasantly surprised.  They usually do not have enough wait staff to cover the main dining area or too many which leads to the wait staff standing around a lot gabbing and not paying attention - or arguing over who can go home and who should wait on you because there are too many of them.  The safest and best place for service is the bar.  We have never had a bad experience just sitting at the bar.  Not sure why staffing is such an issue.  But, if you are a Bears fan, Sunday's they open up the back room for exclusive dining and game viewing and is an official watch party for our beloved Da' Bears. 

But what about wings?  Oh, yes.  Focus.  Monday is their official wing night and are half price ($4.49) and gets you ten (10).   They have different flavor profiles and can be made at whatever heat level you want.  They have Buffalo, BBQ, and Teriyaki, and can be made regular, hot or extreme.    They also do the grill marks if that is your thing and you request it.  They fry them, sauce them, then toss on the grill long enough to crisp them up a bit more.  This is perfectly acceptable according to our rules so long as they do not cook all the sauce off.  And they're pretty good about achieving grill marks and keeping them saucy enough.  And one more flavor combo that is not listed, but you should try, is hot Buffalo and BBQ mixed together.  Oh yeah.  Just tell 'em Tailgate Ted suggested it.  :-) 

The wings themselves are usually better than this blog photo might suggest. But on this night, they were not their best.  Judging seems to be getting tougher and tougher as we go.  (We should have never gone to The Peanut in KC - seems to have skewed our expectations!)  Unfortunately, Wayne, your wings were overcooked and the meat got dried out.  Just to be clear, I am not referring to the wings thrown back on the grill to get the grill marks.  Collectively we went thru over 70 wings and a number of them the meat got dried out.  And on flavor they were mostly just okay - nothing really stood out that sets them apart in the judges' opinion.  I have eaten a lot of wings there and can attest to it being an off night for them.  But I have said it and will say it again: when we wing it, you better bring it.   

Overall Wayne and Larry's scored a 5.82  Ouch!  But as a plus, the service tonight was unusually great!  So there is that.