Feasting on Wings Over is practically a right of passage. After two years of countless late night orders to Wings Over Burlington, I can practically recite my order by heart. However, there is more to the menu than my standard staples. Now, in the light of day, I decided to take a look at what else Wings Over has to offer.
The Good
Ribs
Honestly, I'm surprised that I've never tried these before. I'm a pretty big fan of all things barbecue, but I haven't ever considered Wings Over as an option to fill those cravings. The website gives a mouthwatering description of their "St. Louis Style Pork Ribs," saying they're "marinated for at least 24 hours and then slow cooked for at least half a day, then finished off on the grill with any of our BBQ sauces." Pretty solid for a takeout joint. I ordered a half-rack and hoped for the best.
First Impressions: The smoky-sweet smell of these ribs wafted out of the bag before it was even full opened. After popping open the Styrofoam box, I was greeted by a sizable, thickly sauced slab. For some, the sauce (classic BBQ flavor) may have been a bit much, but I was into it.
The Taste: These ribs fall off the bone almost completely. The tenderness factor is out of this world. They are messy and saucy and just what you need when you want that barbecue experience without leaving your house. Are these the best ribs I've ever had? No. But they get the job done and I would order them again.
Onion Rings
I am so in love with the West Texas Mesquite Waffle Fries from Wings Over, even considering another side dish pains me. However, I decided to give the onion rings a chance.
First Impressions: At first glance, these aren't all that impressive. They look pretty much like every other onion ring. However, I was surprised by the portion I got in my small order. Lots of rings with a generous amount of ketchup packets tossed in.
The Taste: These are surprisingly good. The beer-batter is not overwhelmingly bready and allows the rings to stay thin and crispy. These onion rings even stood up to the ultimate test: After each bite, the onion remained in the coating, never leaving you with a hollow shell and a floppy string of onion. While waffle fries will always be No. 1 in my heart, these rings were a nice change.
The Bad
Cheeseburger
This seems like an odd after-thought on the Wings Over menu. With hundreds of burger chains out there, I was skeptical. How good could a burger from a wing place be? The answer: not very good.
First Impressions: I was pleasantly surprised when I first laid eyes on this burger. The bun looked sturdy, the tomato slices were thick and the lettuce looked fresh and crisp.
The Taste: Never in my life have I taken just a single bite of a burger, until today. The thin cheese layer clung to the pre-made burger patty that seemed half-warmed. The bun was overwhelming and those luscious looking tomatoes turned out to be soggier than expected. I would not recommend this burger to anyone, ever. Order literally anything else.
The Ugly (In a Messy Way)
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
I am passionate about many things in this world, and one of those things is buffalo chicken. After eating more than my fair share of buffalo chicken wraps over the years, I felt equipped to judge this Wings Over rendition.
First Impressions: This wrap is a little buffalo bomb. When I opened up the container I couldn't believe how hefty it looked.
The Taste: Biting into the wrap, I was hit with the taste of Wimpy sauce-coated chicken, cool tomato and crispy shredded lettuce, all coated in a generous amount of blue cheese dressing. My only complaint is the chicken to lettuce ratio; it could use more chicken and a bit less lettuce. However, it could easily be solved by ordering a few wings and adding them into the wrap yourself.
Bone-in Wings
When you are scarfing down food at 1 a.m. (prime Wings Over time), you probably aren't going to put the effort into picking around bones. After countless orders of Wings Over boneless wings, I decided to give their traditional wings a chance.
First Impressions: In addition to trying a new wing style, I also decided to try a new flavor. The Hot Garlic sauce smell hit me as soon as I opened the container. Spicy and sharp, the sauce seemed promising. However, the wings themselves looked a bit rubbery.
The Taste: I could literally drink the Hot Garlic sauce. So delicious. The sauce really made this item for me. Unfortunately, the steam from the container had taken its toll on the wings, making them a bit too slimy to be fully enjoyable. If you're up for a little DIY, popping the wings into the oven for a bit brings them back to life. For those willing to take this extra step, they are worth ordering. If you just want to mindlessly stuff delicious chicken in your mouth, stick with the boneless.
