Keglers - Morgantown, WV

Hello and welcome from Coopers Rock National Park. I am coming to you from the Vanagon tonight for this review. I had had Keglers wings about 2 years ago at a friend's birthday party in Pittsburgh. They travelled the 90 miles and were kept warm in an oven. And they were still damn good. So I told myself, self, when you get down in that neck of the woods, you have to hook that up, so here goes.


"Wings by the Interior Light" by Yours Truly. Maybe not at melodic at Love By The Dashboard Light, but way more tasty.

Wings are a good size. And I can instantly smell the habanero, this is gonna hurt in the AM. I got these wings to go, so they do suffer from a bit of steamage in the togo box. Add to that I got lost getting to the campground (stupid Google Maps), so they weren't really temperature hot anymore. But let's eat.

Still really good prep. I've had their wings both times as long distance togo's and they never disappoint. I can taste that pepper as soon as I dig in. Good flavor and I'm happy. Second wing in the mouth, and I'm happy. Third wing in the mouth and I'm feeling a tingle. Fourth wing in the mouth and I feel a burning sensation. Fifth wing in the mouth and I'm on fire. Holy smokes that is hot. Not quite Jiggers hot, but this heat hangs around. I took two breaks to get through them. Good stuff, though. Would do that again in a heartbeat.

Order: 12 911
Size: 4
Prep: 4
Taste: 4
Total: 12

Fortinos - Oakmont, PA

So, it's been a while since I've done a review, so I figured it was time to write a place up. Last night I had the opportunity to try out Fortinos pizza and wings. Upon first glance, I'm somewhat intrigued. Full wings and they smell fantastic. I couldn't wait to grab my plate and dig in.

Decent size, like I said, full wings. Prep is okay as well. Fortinos is a small take out joint, and that is too bad. I'm curious to know what their wings would be like fresh out of the sauce bowl. Instead, you get a wing that has chilled out in a styrofoam container and kind of steamed. I used to have this same gripe with Big Shot Bob's wings. You get this feeling the wing could be so much better without the togo container.

Tastewise, the closest thing I can think of is General Tso's chicken. It's a nice change of pace, but I miss a little bit of heat. It's a shame, though, because we ordered hot honey garlic, but we got just the plain honey garlic. I ended up saucing the wings with a little sriracha on my own.

Overall, from a wing joint that was on WPXI's top wing list last year, it's a fair offering. But, it's hardly the best show in town.

Order: 4 dozen hot honey garlic (we got regular honey garlic)
Size: 4
Prep: 3
Taste: 3
Total: 10

Wings N Things (Albuquerque, NM)

So the reviews said this is the place to go for wings, home of the Armageddon Challenge (though I think I will pass on that for now - see the videos on YouTube, pure pain).   This place was hard to find and it doesn't look like much, but I don't grade buildings, I grade wings.  Besides, they have Top Gear UK on the TV, it's gotta be all good.

So, I just found out they don't do the challenge anymore (new ownership).  But, the recommended flavor with some hang time is Fallen Angel.  Give me that.  Then, I thought I might need some sanity to the write up, so an order of X-tra Hot, too, please.

Order in and they come back to tell me they are out of regular wings.  How does a place called Wings and Things run out of regular wings?  Their place is just called Things?   But, buck up, they haved baked wings which somehow also get fried (not sure how that works).  But, I get a discount and a review moves forward.  Bring it.

Wings show up, whoa these are small.  I mean look at this compared to my pinky:

Add to that, the wings are more dry than wet.   Sigh.  In a deceiving move, though, the X-tra Hot (seen here)

smells warmer than the Angel (seen here).

 But, let's find out.

Cooked like crap, soggy and no crunch.  Man, what a let down.  The fallen angel is very hot, with a hint a brown sugar, so it's rather nice.  The X-tra Hot is more your typical wing sauce with some more bite.  Flavor is decent, but you can't recover from that sauce and tiny wing.   Not to mention, I swear the ranch they gave me has turned.   They claimed they just opened it and perhaps my mouth is on fire, but my taste buds screamed YUCK, spit it out.   A first for me.   I've drooled, I've gone runny nose crazy.  But, this is the first wing I've ever spit out.

Size 1  Prep 2  Taste 1.5
Total 4.5

Congratulations Wings n Things, you've set a new low.  You should just call yourself Things.

Firehouse Tavern (West 55 and Columbus - NYC)

So this place was in the top 5 in NYC on a few lists, so I gots ta try that, brotha!   Wait, I'm in NYC, fuhgetaboutit.

So the wings arrive and my first reaction is uh oh.  Tiny and not sauced all round.  They look like the wing love train left the station and I got the remnants.  Let's find out.

First thought, if these are the top 5 in my city, its time to move.  Franks X-tra red hot and butter.  At least try to fool somebody.  Drop some pepper flakes in there or something.  Not to mention the wings were overcooked and a bit on the crunchy side.  All in all, a sad trip.  The buffalo wing may be from NY state, but this place doesn't do it justice.

Size 3  Prep 2  Taste 2.5
Total 7.5

Genesis Bar and Restaurant (1708 2nd Avenue NY, NY)

Wings show up smelling good but on the average size.  Only 8 for 8 bucks, welcome to the big apple.   Korean style, chili and sweet coating.  Let's eat.

Bigger size than I thought.  Slight breading on the wing, but probably the best prepped breaded wing I've had.  Which, for lack of a better analogy is called making lemonade from lemons.

Perhaps its the flavor, but way too much sweet flavor and not enough heat.  Its almost like eating glazed donut wings.  I could only put down 6.  I think they were just too sweet.  Flavor not so good.  I would like to try the Buffalo flavor here, just to see if that would bump up the score at all.  But, this is what it is.

Size 4 Prep 4 Taste 2
Total 10

Fire on the Mountain

Portland, Oregon

I got to the place and it is packed. And the fact that it's not that big also makes it more difficult to navigate, so I'll help you out with the ordering process. You can order your food, but if you're going to eat in, you need to be in a place to sit first before they will even cook it. So, step up, order and also get a beer. This you can consume while you stand around waiting for someone to get up. A lot of the tables are more like an indoor beer garden, so don't be afraid to snag a spot at a table with a bunch of other folks. I was starving so I grabbed the first place that opened up when two dudes in full bike gear decided to bounce. Just let the front counter know you have a spot now and what your number was and they will fire up your food. I can't wait.

Another thing to be aware of is that the food comes out at random times. First to show up was my french fries. Good because I was hungry. Bad, though, because I was hungry for wings. But, patience is a virtue and I was willing to wait this one out. Sure enough they show up and I am both underwhelmed and excited at the same time.




The wings look on the smallish side, and that is a bummer. An order of 12 costs $11, so you're hoping these suckers are gonna be huge. However, the smell coming off of them is amazing. The X-tra Hot has a nice spicy aroma, but it's the El Jefe that makes your nose hairs curl. These babies are gonna be hot. When I ordered them, the lady at the counter asked me, "Have you ever had these before?" To which I replied "No, are they hot?" She answers, "Crazy hot..." To which I simply return a two thumbs up and a smile. I may live to regret that gesture. Let's eat.

The wings themselves are cooked so-so. Not exactly crispy outsides, some are a bit soggy. It's almost as though they are par-cooked. Which would make sense since it seems most everyone in the joint is order the wings. But, it's not overly noticeable, so it won't count against them too much. Also, it turns out that some of the wings are of a larger size, so the size all kind of comes out in the wash. We'll call it average in size.

Now, the sauce, and they is a liberal amount of it on the wings is quite tasty indeed. There isn't a lake of sauce, so my Wingman back in Pittsburgh might frown, but there is a more than acceptable amount of sauce on the wings. So, let's get back to the tasty. The X-tra Hot has a really good flavor. Spicy, but not just to burn. It has a really good flavor - and not just based on a Franks N Butter sauce, you can tell they have a love of the pepper here. And the heat creeps up on you. After two of these, I start thinking, "if the El Jefe are crazy hot and my mouth is already this hot, I'm gonna be in trouble". I hate the fact my brain thinks the truth...




I move on the El Jefe and down time first one. The first taste that hits me is the taste of black pepper. This sauce is really really good. And the fact that the heat isn't really there makes me start to think that maybe they got the sauces switched. Perhaps I started with the El Jefe and these were the X-tra Hot? So, I grab for the second one and down that with no issue, but still enjoying the pepper-tinged moist white insides. And then, it happens. My mouth starts to explode with a feeling like I just jumped on a loose grenade and ate it to save the rest of my platoon at the table here.




That is a picture on the wall next to me, and it's very accurately portraying what I am feeling at this moment. There is so much heat and I normally do not use the items on the side (the celery and blue cheese), but I had to dive into that stuff. Not the mention I was drinking my Lagunitas Lil Sumptin Special pitcher as fast as I could pour it in the glass. Finally, after about 5 minutes, I turn back to the X-tra Hot, looking for solace. Which it delivers on. It's funny that at first, the X-tra Hot was just that, extra hot. But now, it's my safety oasis. I eat two more and I'm feeling more confident, so I turn back to the El Jefe. C'mon Wingarm Ali, let's do round 2.

Pop the first one in, and again, it's deceivingly tasty, and no hint of heat. Eat the second one and there it goes again. My ears start to ring and my nose is dripping like a faucet. I would like to share the text message exchange I had with my friend back in Pittsburgh at this time:

Me: These wings could kill someone. Holy hell hot.
Bob: That sound fantastic.

Might I mention, that my friend Bob is probably the craziest person I know when it comes to heat. I don't just think he likes it, I think it powers his life force.

Me: Small size, but wow, what flavor and so hot, I'm dizzy.
Bob: That's right! The dizzy part is a weird feeling and that's high.
Me: It is. It's like that capsaicin is release so much seratonin in my body, I can't function. Wow.
Me: I just felt the table vibrate for no reason.
Bob: Earthquake?
Me: Heatquake!

That pretty much sums it up. If you're ever in Portland, do yourself a favor and check this place out. They aren't the best wings I've ever had, but they are some of the most flavorful. Until we meet again El Jefe, you better watch your back.

Order: 6 X-tra Hot 6 El Jefe
Size: 3 Prep: 3.5 Taste: 5 Total: 11.5

What the Hell Are Wyngz? Colbert is here to help!

Pok Pok

Portland, OR


Interesting place tucked among the neighborhoods along Division. Quite unassuming from the outside, the inside opens up to a bustling crowd inside. Which, is surprising because from the street it seems dead. The smells are amazing in here, I want to eat everything.

So they arrive and the fish sauce smell hits you. Not really putting me off but not sure what to expect. Looks great fried and a light sauce with visible pepper seeds. Let me eat!

Interesting, but I'm not blown away. Perhaps the expectations were too high based on reading reviews.

Wings are on the smallish side and for 12 bucks, that is a bummer. But, I guess this rings up as a classier wing experience.

Cooked well, nice crispy outside and moist inside. Just I wish the wings were bigger. I guess my biggest hangup is the sauce. It was a thick glazed sweet sauce with a hint of peanut and heat. Not a huge fan. They become more candy wings than hot wings. But, overall, it was worth the trip.

Size 3 Prep 4 Taste 3 Total 10

The Grove

Jacks Run Rd Pittsburgh, PA


Smell nice and hot, good spice notes in the aroma. Not the biggest of wings, fairly average. Decent sauce coating, not swimming like the wingman likes it, but no dry by any stretch. Let's eat.

Have you ever been watching a movie and an actor comes on the screen and you say, "oh there's that one actor, what's his name? He's from that one show?" Enter stage left, actor Buffalo Wing.

This is your typical franks and butter sauce. Easily conjured, easily eaten, easily forgotten. The size of some of these bad boys was deceivingly larger than I first thought. And the prep itself was above par. It's just the sauce that keeps it so... Forgettable.

I definitely want to come back here and try some of the other 11 flavors. The only bad part is this was the hot, and most of the other sauces seemed to go down in heat from there (note, the hot wasn't as hot as it smelled). But the hot garlic honey has piqued my interest. As Arnie said, "I'll be back."

Order 12 Hot
Size 3.5
Prep 4.5
Taste 3
Total 11

Quaker Steak and Lube

Sharon, PA


So, regardless of the disappointing outcome of the Steelers Super Bowl loss, it only seemed right to do the day after the Super Bowl tradition and make the drive to Sharon to get some wings at QS&L. Just like last time, a compact bucket of Supercharged and Buckeye BBQ, but we're adding an order of 6 atomic this time. Atomics clock in at 150000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units), Supercharged at 30000 SHU and the Buckeye is 5000 SHU. Gotta love a place that enjoys science and gives you that kind of info to consume along with the food.


So, they show up. Good size, plenty of sauce. Smells so good. The aroma off the atomics will curl your nose hairs The Wingman and me must eat!


Well, atomic lives up to the reputation. They aren't quite as hot as the Jiggers psycho wing, but they'll leave you lips humming. Slightly reminiscent of the Gator Death at Gators.


Upon further digging, there are some smaller wings that turn up. So, that is kind of a bummer. But at least everything is done well in the prep department.

I'm a big fan of the buckeye, tangy and sweet. I just wish there was a hotter version. If they could pair supercharged with buckeye, that is a sauce I'd love to try.

Size 3.5
Prep 4
Taste 4.5
Total 12

Jiggers Part 2

Export, PA


So, back again to try some wings I can taste. It's wing night, so it's 50 cent wing dings. They show up, less sauced than before and slightly smaller. I chalk it up to the fact it is a wing night and they are firing out order after order. But, I was harsh on other joints for lowering the bar on a wing night, so same rules apply here. As stated, they are smaller than last trip and could use more sauce on the wings. But, great flavor on the wings and plenty of spice. I definitely want to come back and I haven't even left yet.

Order 6 Yuppie 6 WV Moonshine
Size 4 Prep 4.5 Taste 5
Total 13.5

Oh how the mighty have fallen...

 So, it's a Friday, and my wingman and me are on the hunt for some tasty wings. After trying, unsuccessfully, to find a short wait at a couple new places, we end up back at the Birmingham Bridge Tavern. Which is a good thing because it's home of Eric the Red wings, which have been past favorites. So we order some.

What came out was a misrepresentation of the wings we remember. Really no sauce at all, which sucks because that was one of the best parts. The wing itself was average size and the prep was average as well. Just the taste with no real sauce was a let down.

While I will most likely return to the B-ham for some more wings, this was an unfulfilled night.

Size 3 Prep 3 Taste 3.5
Total 9.5

Jigger's (Export, PA)

They arrive, plenty of habanero smell. Sauced pretty well, not too much. Man, I can’t wait to dig in. Let’s eat.


If ever I think to myself, I wonder what it feels like to be deaf, all’s I have to do is remember this moment. I cannot hear, my hands are weak and I can’t feel my face. Don’t get me wrong, this is not what the blog is about, pure pain. It’s always a quest for taste. This place has both.

The Mississippi Mud is a nice garlic hot, very reminiscent of hula’s hot garlic parm. The West Virginia Moonshine are sublime. They remind me of Lendy’s, and we all know where they landed. Psycho 1 will hit you with flavor, but a slow rising heat. This is insane gator back from the dead. And psycho 2, I wouldn’t go near it, but my wingman says: “Hot first of all. My face hurts from my mouth to my jaw. But I can’t stop eating them they are so good.”

Great size on the wings, meaty and cooked well. A couple small ones in the bunch, but all round great prep and better than average size. Wow, all I can say.

Great wings and I most definitely need to get back here soon. So many more flavors to try. Not that it matters to the ratings, but both the staff and the bar are tops as well. See you very soon, Jiggers.

Order: 12 psyscho, 1 west virginia moonshine, side mississippi mud. Size: 4 Prep: 5 Taste: 5 Total: 14

D'Amicos

Liberty Ave Pittsburgh, PA


Wings show up, weird order size. 7 wings for 5 bucks. Kinda disappointing, but my wing man points out the presentation is pretty good, what with the lettuce and all. But, this ain't a beauty contest. I would eat wings off a garbage can lid if they were plump and fried perfectly with a heavenly sauce. Let's eat.

Average size, but good prep. A nice crunch on the outside, but the wings themselves are slightly overcooked. It's not a large gripe, but it was noticed.

Ther sauce is pretty much your typical franks and butter. But I appreciate that it is done well. Not all greasy and blah. But it tasted fresh.

All in all, a middle of the road contender. Not great, but nothing to turn your nose up at.

Order: 1 order buffalo
Size: 3 Prep: 3.5 Taste: 3.5
Total: 10