The age old question, where can I go to find some wings? Wings. Like the ones used to fly, except these wings come from chickens and are normally fried and thrown around violently in a bowl filled with a sauce. These wings will not be doing any aviation.
One's fancy for wings probably isn't piqued when they hear "Decorah, Iowa". The town is known more for what is thought to be traditional Norwegian cuisine. Lefse, the tasteless Nordic knockoff of a tortilla, is popular among natives.
Lutefisk is another appealing choice around here. Large fillets of cod are dried out and incorporated with the caustic chemical, Lye. One must soak the cod for an extended period of time in order to reconstitute the fish. It can really be quite good if prepared right and served over boiled potatoes with a white sauce and all spice. However, Decorah's culinary options may only seem to cater to those who think their food is good enough for who it's for. Wings are quite the opposite.
Wings that are sweet and tangy to hot and spicy can be found at a variety of places in Decorah. If you're a student who just wants to get their grub on and eat some tasty saturated fats, look no further than your local establishments.
In my time in Decorah searching for wings, I have not come across a bad one, but some have been pretty mediocre. The wings in the caf are not worth the usual long line. Food made in mass production often lack in quality, and these are no different. Crucial steps and care may be disregarded in a time crunch. This isn't to say you can't get decent wings on campus though. Marty's offers wings of a higher quality probably in part due to the much smaller batch.
Venturing off campus, the chicken delicacies can be found at variety of establishments. The sports bar, T-Bock's, offers sauces of a flavor different from what you may normally associate. Jamaican jerk is a sauce choice I would recommend. The wings could be larger, but the main focus is obviously the flavor.
The prized family restaurant Mabe's will give you wings, but you must apply the sauce yourself. You can put on as much as you want and it's great, right? Wrong. The way wings are traditionally made, especially with a barbecue sauce, allow the sauce to caramelize. This brings out a stronger flavor and thickens the sauce. This is my opinion of how wings should be made, but I guess they don't miss the mark entirely.
The best place to get wings in town does not specialize in wings or other types of meats, rather pizza is their thing. Pizza Hut will give you the best wings in Decorah. For the size of each piece and the taste, you get the best bang for your buck, and if hungry enough, have an excellent primer for a pizza that's not too shabby either. I don't typically prefer chain restaurants over the local staples, but if you're looking for chicken wings stop into Pizza Hut.
Whether you're looking for an appetizer, or just something to eat for the sake of eating at 9 on a Wednesday, go have some wings. You really can't go wrong anywhere in Decorah.
