In case you haven’t heard of it, there is a website dedicated to the best wings in Canada. Which is a noble, necessary and admirable goal. Especially for those of use that don’t indulge often enough to be a dedicated wing connoisseur. And if you know for a fact that the local pub wings are nothing to write home about. Wings are not the healthiest of foods, so if you’re only indulging occasionally, you want to be sure you’re getting the good stuff. Calories should count and all that.
So with that goal in mind my friend and I found ourselves sitting down at what was then the number one spot to have wings in Calgary, as voted by hotwings readers.
We started with the obligatory Caesar, which was fine but nothing special. I don’t know what differentiates a good Caesar from a bad one, but it’s funny how all of know a good one when we see it. Perhaps it’s just a formula – X amount of clamato, a dab of horseradish, a hint of lemon juice, but a well made drink is a sign of beauty that we can all recognize. This one was drinkable but unmemorable.
We also shared a pound of wings and the wonton crusted jumbo shrimp. I was underwhelmed with both. They were fine, I hate writing such a bland review, but there was just nothing there to elevate them out of averageness. The wings seemed oven baked, which is fine when done right, but ours were on the dry side. The flavors were decent, the size good. But there was nothing there to distinguish them from any other decent wings in the city. No special sizzle, no extra moisture, no subtle or bold sauce to keep you reaching for more. As of today’s writing they lost their number one spot, and are humming along at number four. Nothing to scoff at, but definitely no top honors.
The wonton crusted shrimp were actually the better dish. Perfectly crunchy, with a sweet and spicy sauce they were as good as deep fried food gets. Unlike many people we managed to hit up the pub when it was still slow, on a Thursday night, and our service was good. So the verdict is, it’s better than my neighborhood pub, I’d go back if I was in the area, but I would not go there just for the food, nor just for the wings.
3/5
(403) 212-0304
7746 Elbow Dr SW
Calgary, AB
