Search

Slog

News & Arts

Line Out

Music & Nightlife

« Who Wrote the Ricin Letters? | Inaugural Address of the Day »

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Chow Hot Wings: Hot or Not?

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 10:41 AM

A bunch of Seattle's best chefs are getting together for a benefit hot wings cook-off:

Hot Wing Hoopla at Union Benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

SEATTLE, January 7, 2009 — Everyone loves hot wings. And everybody has an opinion about their favorite — from the traditional Buffalo-style to sweet & sour and extra, extra crispy wings.... Grab your favorite hot sauce (if you dare) and bring your appetite — there’s some hot wings to be judged!

...Chefs include: Mark Fuller (Spring Hill), Justin Solomon (Union), Dan Braun (Oliver’s Twist), Brian McCracken (Spur Gastropub), and Vuong Loc (Portage).... Each cook will prepare a pile of hot wings from their own secret recipe and bring them to Union to be eaten and judged. The cost to attend is $50/person and includes all the hot wings you can eat, fries, celery with blue cheese dressing, and tap beer. All proceeds from the evening go to support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.... For reservations, call Union at (206) 838-8000.

Obviously this event will be great—they always sell out and it's for a great cause—but not everyone loves hot wings, namely me. I've never met a hot wing I found even faintly compelling. They're little and greasy and virtually meatless, too much work for a lot of weird-sauce-coated chicken-wing-skin. What is the virtue of the hot wing?

Photo "Snowing at the Wingdome" by Wonderlane from The Stranger's flickr pool.

Full press release after the jump.

Hot Wing Hoopla at Union Benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Chef Ethan Stowell Launches His 2009 Cook-Off Series on January 18

SEATTLE, January 7, 2009 — Everyone loves hot wings. And everybody has an opinion about their favorite — from the traditional Buffalo-style to sweet & sour and extra, extra crispy wings. The options are endless, and the discussions can be heated from the use of breadcrumbs to the ideal spice factor for the sauce. One thing is for sure, people are particular about their hot wings! Now is your chance to let your hot wing preference be heard loud and clear because Ethan Stowell is kicking off his 2009 Cook-Off series with Hot Wing Hoopla. Grab your favorite hot sauce (if you dare) and bring your appetite — there’s some hot wings to be judged!

Stowell has rounded up a slew of local chefs and foodie friends to participate with him in the festivities. Chefs include: Mark Fuller (Spring Hill), Justin Solomon (Union), Dan Braun (Oliver’s Twist), Brian McCracken (Spur Gastropub), and Vuong Loc (Portage). The food enthusiasts battling against the chefs include: Rocky Yeh, Darryn O’Shea (O’Shea Scarborough Winery), Keith Waldbauer, and Darren Vengroff.

Each cook will prepare a pile of hot wings from their own secret recipe and bring them to Union to be eaten and judged. Guests will be given a scorecard and then will proceed to enjoy beer as they rate the hot wings. After much bribery and deliberation, a winner will be declared. The winner of the Hot Wing Cook-Off will receive dinner for six at Union, Tavolàta, How to Cook a Wolf, or the soon-to-be opened Anchovies & Olives, and of course, bragging rights!

The Hot Wing Cook-Off is Sunday, January 18 at Union. The finger-lickin’ fun begins at 6pm. The cost to attend is $50/person and includes all the hot wings you can eat, fries, celery with blue cheese dressing, and tap beer. All proceeds from the evening go to support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Reservations are highly recommended, as past cook-offs have sold out. For reservations, call Union at (206) 838-8000.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.leukemia-lymphoma.org.

Save the Date:
Sunday, April 19 — Lasagna Cook-Off
Sunday, September 13 — Rib Cook-Off
Sunday, November 15 — Chowder Cook-Off

Union Restaurant, located at 1400 First Avenue (at the corner of First and Union) in downtown Seattle, was opened in October 2003 by chef/owner Ethan Stowell. Union’s creative, elegant menu changes daily to reflect the freshest and most unique offerings available. Union maintains an award-winning wine list, which includes a cellar with over 200 premium wine selections to choose from. Union serves dinner seven nights a week from 5pm — 10pm. A bar menu is offered between 5pm — 7pm and 10pm —12am every evening. For more information, call (206) 838-8000 or visit www.unionseattle.com.

Share via

Comments (36) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Thank you for hating chicken wings. I am not alone.

Posted by Big Sven on January 7, 2009 at 10:46 AM

seconded.

Posted by Non on January 7, 2009 at 10:48 AM

Wow. Just wow. Your chances of getting lymphoma are directly related to your meat and dairy consumption, and these benefits all revolve around massive meat and dairy consumption. It's like if the American Lung Association held benefits in hookah bars.

http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content…

Is this a pro-lymphoma organization? What the hell?

Posted by jrrrl on January 7, 2009 at 10:49 AM

Screw that. Hot wings are awesome.

Posted by Abby on January 7, 2009 at 10:51 AM

I hate hot wings, too.

Posted by Catman on January 7, 2009 at 10:55 AM

@3 According to the study you link to, the risk is tied to "fried red meat" and dairy. Chicken wings aren't red meat, and they aren't dairy. If you're going to post a link to prove a point, at least read what you're linking to first.

Posted by Hernandez on January 7, 2009 at 10:55 AM

@4
I am with you. MMMMMM Wings

Posted by someguy on January 7, 2009 at 11:02 AM

you are the new monica guzman?

Posted by Monica C. Guzman on January 7, 2009 at 11:04 AM

As a native Buffalonian (as those of us from Buffalo are known), I can say I never eat wings outside the Queen City. Not worth the damage to my heart, kidneys, etc. they cause.

When in Buffalo though, I strongly recommend you haters give wings a try. Anchor Bar gets props for "inventing" them one snowy night, but the Gate (think Re-Bar) has the biggest, meatiest wings you've ever seen. I wouldn't want to meet that chicken in a dark alley. Casa di Pizza, La Nova and Coles all would put Wing Dome to shame.

Meaty, saucy, crispy and not greasy. Seriously. That's the big difference between wings in Buffalo and everywhere else in the world. I've never been able to figure out why.

Please stop the hating.

Posted by Queen City Wing Lover on January 7, 2009 at 11:05 AM

I think a love of hot wings is likely correlated with the enjoyment of professional sports and/or nylons & hot pants.

Posted by kid icarus on January 7, 2009 at 11:06 AM

@10: are the nylons and hot pants on the athletes?

Posted by Abby on January 7, 2009 at 11:08 AM

Wing sauces, yes--on proper bits of chicken (breast, please!). But wings? Why? Maximum effort, minimal chew-payoff.

Posted by eric on January 7, 2009 at 11:09 AM

I hated hot wings forever, too much skin, too messy. But I had some purportedly excellent ones recently and began to get it... The sauce is usually equal parts butter and your favorite hot sauce, which I have to admit is a pretty darn tasty combination. I think the appeal lies in the proportion of sauce to everything else: sky high!

Posted by hillpagan on January 7, 2009 at 11:11 AM

@6, just trying to link an actual scientific journal one; that one was too specific. It's pretty clear there's a link between eating meat, dairy, and deep fried foods and lymphoma. It's pretty ridiculous that this organization would have benefits celebrating some of the biggest risk factors for the disease they are supposed to care about.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=lym…

Posted by jrrrl on January 7, 2009 at 11:18 AM

@9, to its credit, Wing Dome doesn't claim to make Buffalo-style wings -- Dome sauce isn't at all tangy like Buffalo sauce.

That said, there's something totally ridiculous about a bunch of hoity-toity gastropub chefs getting together to make bar food. What's next, a tater-tot cookoff featuring chefs from Anthony's and the Met?

Posted by joykiller on January 7, 2009 at 11:20 AM

Kinda reminds me of boozy liver foundation benefits I've catered in the past.

Posted by jkjk on January 7, 2009 at 11:24 AM

I am in the anti-wing camp as well. Too much skin, not enough meat, too much work and messiness. I might eat one or two if they are there, but I would never order them.

Posted by Julie in Chicago on January 7, 2009 at 11:25 AM

Wing Dome never cooks their wings long enough - I always have to throw them under the brolier for a couple of minutes to crisp them up.

Posted by J.R. Labrador on January 7, 2009 at 11:29 AM

@10 I hate both of those things, but I love wings. Mmm..

Posted by N on January 7, 2009 at 11:29 AM

@15,

Tater tots, no. But I bet those chefs could make killer hash browns.

Posted by keshmeshi on January 7, 2009 at 11:31 AM

Go Rocky!

Posted by Rhia on January 7, 2009 at 11:31 AM

Wings are to Hippies as Garlic is to Vampires. It's all part of god's plan.

Posted by burgin99 on January 7, 2009 at 11:34 AM

I was very unimpressed when I tried Wing Dome a while back, they were too dry and didn't have enough sauce. Any other suggestions?

My favorite place is Fire On the Mountain in Portland...

Posted by Amnt on January 7, 2009 at 11:35 AM

I don't like the little wings, but the mini drumsticks have more meat on them and don't take as much effort. As long as the sauce is extra extra volcano hot, then I'll eat em.

Posted by Urgutha Forka on January 7, 2009 at 11:37 AM

The reason you hate them is the reason I like them. Different strokes.

Posted by another Andy on January 7, 2009 at 11:46 AM

The whole point of wings is the skin, cartilage and bone you can chew up, if they're properly cooked. Better than the meat, usually. But the sauce, ugh, that's usually just glop, not proper food at all. But the best part of a chicken is the leg and thigh. I'll eat the bones of those as well, or at least the cartilage caps and the marrow.

Posted by Fnarf on January 7, 2009 at 12:01 PM

@17, you don't live in Seattle. Your opinion of chicken wings is irrelevant to this discussion.

@23, my advice would be to try again, maybe on a less busy night. I've been going to the Dome for years and its biggest problem is inconsistency. Some nights, it's spot on; other nights, it's like eating dried boogers. (You can also ask for extra sauce if your wings are too dry -- most of the wait staff won't charge extra for that.)

Posted by joykiller on January 7, 2009 at 12:03 PM

The best place to get hot wings is Piecora's in Capitol Hill.* Try 'em, you'll like 'em!

* Your opinion of the best place to get hot wings may vary.

Posted by The Fella on January 7, 2009 at 12:10 PM

@28
Yes, my opinion does vary, Piecora's wings are fucking horrible. Their pizza is not very good either. Fuck that place

Posted by someguy on January 7, 2009 at 12:41 PM

I'm not into'em either. One of our clients is a chain of wings places, and everyone that sees the paraphernalia on my desk "oohs and aahs" over the delicious pics of wings. I don't get it.

I lived in that neighborhood when Sonic Boom Scooters went under and that Wing Dome opened. My roommates and I guess were way off the mark when we agreed, "what the fuck?" As there it is still, proudly displaying its pun no will get in a few more years.

Posted by Dougsf on January 7, 2009 at 12:53 PM

@Fnarf -- ick.

The Six Arms has pretty good wings, with a decent meat and skin to ick ratio.

Posted by itsmarkmitchell on January 7, 2009 at 12:54 PM

Hooters, according to my wing happy friend. He bought 200 wings one night for a UFC party at his house. I thought they were pretty good.

But I don't have wings that often.

Oh, and taphouse has some decent hot wings on happy hour, 5 wings for 4 bucks. Whatevs

Posted by wisepunk on January 7, 2009 at 1:59 PM

Hot wings are terrible. But if you have to eat them, everyone knows that the Wedgewood Alehouse has the best.

Posted by daytrpr on January 7, 2009 at 2:23 PM

Wings are my favorite things to eat.

@9: I have eaten the wings at Anchor in Buffalo and you are absolutely right; they are absolutely divine, and I have yet to eat better wings anywhere. Meaty, crispy, spicey and all in perfect balance.

I do like Wingdome's wings, too. Another recommendation is the enormous, meaty wings at St. Andrew's Bar & Grill by Green Lake, at Aurora and Winona next door to the PCC Market.

Posted by Bub on January 7, 2009 at 2:24 PM

Try the wings at Stellar's in Georgetown. You will not be disappointed. They're a relatively new item on the menu but she does them right. As a native Northeasterner, I like to think I know what good wings are all about - and hillpagan is right, it is all about the sauce! Also absolutely essential is making sure the wings are not undercooked. Practically every establishment I've tried wings from in Seattle serve them with the chicken still pink and slightly bloody looking inside. GROSS!

Posted by RatGirl on January 7, 2009 at 2:51 PM

Hot wings are HAWT!

Try this: soak them overnite in beer and lots of celery salt. Then, bake for about 45 minutes, covered. Put a little marinate in there to keep 'em MOIST. Grill them for about 15-20 minutes after that to crisp 'em up. Then, for the sauce: 1/2 butter, 1/2 Frank's Red Hot.

Wings are meant to be eaten Homer-style - wing goes into mouth, bones come out. If you don't like 'em, don't eat em!

Posted by wings++ on January 7, 2009 at 3:57 PM