Tentative BWs opening in Marquette...

Rumor has it that the new Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Marquette (located next to the Hotel of the Year: Country Inn & Suites) will be opening in early June. That's pretty sweet, considering the kiddo's birthday is September and she'll be able to have her "party" there, just like she hoped.

They are beginning interviews next week for those who applied via the website. We don't know if they're still accepting applications, but if they are and you get a job, you'll probably be seeing us there. :)

June is SO close! Yet, SO far away.

These folks are Hog Wild over BBQ

This summer in Kingsford, Mich., there's going to be a lot of smoke rolling out of grills. That's because the folks over at U.P. Hog Wild will be hosting their sixth annual KCBS State Championship BBQ event on July 16 and 17.

The event focuses on grilling up some great grub, but what we're interested in is the Wing Dings competition, which isn't a KCBS-sanctioned part of the event, but a fun one nonetheless.

We've asked if they'd be willing to make an exception for their "Must be 16 or older" rule for judges and let the kiddo take a seat and give her opinion on which grilled wings are the best.

For more information on U.P. Hog Wild, or to get entry forms, you can go here.

VFW, Ishpeming, MI

VFW Post 4573

310 Bank Street

Ishpeming, MI 49849

(906) 486-4856

The VFW Post in Ishpeming isn't a typical restaurant. They don't have food every day. Instead, on Friday, they have a fish fry that is liked by the locals. My dad really liked it, too. He said the fish was really tasty and the price was really good. I don't eat fish, so I'll take his word for it.

The chicken wings, listed as wing dings on the kid's menu, weren't my favorite. They're breaded, which I have mentioned before isn't my favorite, but the taste just wasn't right. My dad guessed that they probably cook the chicken in the same oil as the fish, so that what was probably throwing it off.

At first, I have to admit, I really liked them. They were plump and juicy. But I was really hungry, too. Dad was practically starving me as he made up his mind where he wanted to eat. After a few bites, though, I just didn't like the taste. I guess that's good though, because I only got three wings. I normally eat six.

I probably won't be going back and, if I do, I definitely won't be ordering the wing dings. There is no sauce, other than ranch dressing, to even cover the flavor. I guess I should start bringing my Frank's Red Hot with me.

If you like fish fry, though, my dad says you can't go wrong. Cod, perch, white fish and salmon. Big portions, too.

But wings? Not so much.

FINAL RATING: 4-out-of-10

Buffalo Wild Wings, Petoskey, Mich.

Buffalo Wild Wings
2180 Anderson Road
Petoskey, MI 49770
(231) 439-9153

This was just my second trip to Buffalo Wild Wings. I went to one in Racine, Wisc. with my dad and Kim last year. My dad surprised me with it for lunch when we were headed to Chicago. I’ve been a fan ever since. I love it. Really.

When I found out one was coming to Marquette I asked dad to let me have my birthday party there. He said yes. I can’t wait for September 14.

So for Spring Break my dad wasn’t able to take me anywhere like Florida, but I did get to go to Lower Michigan to hunt for fossils in Rogers City and Alpena. The next day, he took me to Petoskey to find Petoskey Stones, but it was raining and snowing and cold. So, he took me to Buffalo Wild Wings.

It’s kind of unfair to rank them because I give them a 10. It’s super good. It’s the best food I’ve ever had. I love it, like I said.

I wish I could eat there every day. The wings are juicy and flavorful. They have great sauces. I order them on the side so I get a variety.

They cook their wings naked, which is the way I like them instead of breaded. Some breading is OK, but it all depends on the spices and the thickness of the breading. It doesn’t taste as good when it isn’t done right.

I tried a few sauces while I was there: Medium is my favorite. It’s just right for me. Not too spicy and not too bland. The perfect combination; Hot is good, but not perfect. But good; Parmesan Garlic: This was great. The taste is unbelievable. It’s better than I expected a garlic sauce would taste. Not spicy, just flavorful; Spicy Garlic: It was terrific, too. Great flavor with plenty of spiciness like the medium; and Mango Habanero: My least favorite. I just don’t like sweet in my chicken wing sauce. This had that. My dad liked it, but he likes honey BBQ and hot BBQ sauces, too.

I’m looking forward to getting a chance at more sauces the next time I go (they’re opening one here in Marquette this summer, so very soon!): Blazin’ Hot—the hottest of the hot. I can’t eat a lot of these, but I’ll eat a couple; Wild—The second hottest at BW’s and one that I really want to try. I’ll try the other sauces, too, but those ones are at the top of my list.

In addition to Buffalo Wild Wings tasty chicken, I am also a new fan of their breaded pickles. I had them while in Petoskey. Warm pickles? Covered in breading and fried? They’re delicious! I suggest you should try them at your very first opportunity.

FINAL RATING: 10-out-of-10

Update on Wingstock 2010

So we just wanted to update you on Wingstock 2010, which is taking place downstate. We were told today, by someone involved in the planning of the event, that there will only be one vendor offering chicken wings there, and that's Pizza Hut.

Doesn't sound much like a Wingstock to us. More like a Pizza Hut showcase.

Snoop Dogg, we were told, won't be available for any interviews either. Only the radio station (which is hosting it) and the local newspaper will be able to speak with him. That's too bad. It's a good opportunity, but one that won't be opened to young writers.

Looks like we're crossing this off our calendars. Why travel all that way to get declined an interview and to get over-sauced wings that we can get right here in Marquette?

Wingstock coming to Michigan June 12

These news updates are tracked down by my dad, for the record, but I have to admit that this one sounds like it will be a lot of fun. Though, it would probably be more fun if it were Taylor Swift and not Snoop Dogg. I am an eight-year-old girl, afterall.

The idea is a chicken wing even that mixes the best food in the world with some headliner musical acts. Snoop Dogg, Jackyl, Evil Pop and Richy Nix will be playing while vendors will be selling a variety of wings and beer. One poster we saw said Drowning Pool will be there, too, but they're not mentioned in the press release.

The wings sound good to me. And so does good music. I'll leave the beer for my dad.

I wonder if they'll give out "press passes?"

For more information about the event, which is going to be in Comstock Park June 12, you can click on this link.

Review: Crystal Original Wing Sauce

Crystal Original Wing Sauce

It's not often that I come right out and say it, but I don't like Crystal Original Wing Sauce. This decision was made on the first bite of the wings my dad made me. The opinion stayed throughout the three wings I ate that were covered in the sauce.

The first thing that hit me was the sweetness. And not a honey-BBQ kind of sweet. Instead, it was a sour kind of sweet. I don't know how to describe it other than "gross." It didn't have any characteristics of any wing sauce I've ever had. To be honest, I hope it doesn't have any of the characteristics of any wing sauce I'm going to have in the future either.

My dad, who doesn't like to waste food, still has this bottle in the fridge door. I really just plan on throwing it in the trash one of these days when he isn't looking. There's no waste if we're never going to use it and, honestly, I'm not going to eat any more wings with that sauce on it.

I did have the option at the grocery store to try some of their "Hot Wing Sauce," but chose to try their original instead. And, maybe, the hot sauce is much better. I don't know, nor am I going to know. I'm not going to pick it out when the time comes to get a new brand.

I am sorry to those wing fans out there who like Crystal, and to the company that makes it, but I just don't like the taste, which is why I rated it so low. For those interested in trying it themselves, here is a link to the company's online store.

FINAL SCORE: 1-out-of-10

Crossroads Bar and Grill, Sands Township, Mich.

Crossroads Bar and Grill

900 County Road 480

Marquette, MI 49855

(906) 249-8912

When I was little, I liked chicken wings because of the wing dings they sold at my Grandma and Grandpa's bowling alley in Belleville, Mich. The name of the place is Lodge Lanes. There, I ate chickens wings every week. And then they'd take me to a restaurant called Red Apple, and that had the same kind. They were delicious.

Those wing dings come to mind as I think about the wings I just ate at the Crossroads Bar and Grill that my dad took me to earlier this year (I'm way behind on posts! Sorry!). They had great breading and a great taste. Alone they really stood out, and with a little Tabasco sauce they had a nice kick to them.

I've discovered, though, that breaded chicken wings can often be very dry if cooked too long. The cooks at the Crossroads must have been paying attention though because these ones were very juicy and tasty.

I'm not sure if it was the taste or that they reminded me of the first chicken wings I really liked, but I left the Crossroads feeling like I would definitely want to go back to eat their wings again.

While I didn't try them, there was an advertisement for other wings, too, which were supposed to be spicier. I just wasn't in the mood for hot wings that day or I would have reviewed them.

Overall, I liked the taste, the juiciness and the amount of wings I got at the Crossroads. If you prefer crunchy wings over naked wings or simply flour-rolled wings, then these ones will definitely be up your alley and you should give them a try.

FINAL SCORE: 8-out-of-10