January 6: Old Friends, New Places

Every few months or so, my buddy Nick and I get together to have a few beers, watch sports and catch up on life's events since our last male-bonding excursion. Traditionally, we meet up at Hamlin Pub, grab a space at the bar and indulge in a couple of "tall" beers and eventually a burger or some wings as the night wears on. It's a nice halfway point between our homes and usually not too crowded for our tastes. However, over the past few months, I've grown increasingly curious about a relatively new establishment called "Buffalo Wings and Rings"; as I pass it on my way to the grocery store and occasionally to/from my son's daycare when I take that particular route. I've checked out their website and learned a couple of things about this franchise. First, apparently it's very well known and not the one-hit wonder BW3 knock-off dive that I imagined it would be. So, my sincere apologies to all Buffalo Wings and Rings franchise owners and associates across the states that may be offended by such a perception. They actually have locations in 14 states, including two in Michigan. Secondly, it appears to offer a wide variety of menu items, beyond chicken wings and onion rings, that look quite delicious in the photos on their website; including their own line of sauces - which although seem relatively familiar, they appear to be a different variety from those offered at other local restaurants specializing in chicken wings. And, they have beer. For a guy, that's the one element that can easily minimize any menu, taste, cleanliness or service issues that may be encountered during your restaurant visit. So, after getting Nick's buy-in, we made our way down Schoenherr and into a world of wings and rings. You know those buildings that look small on the outside but are quite spacious on the inside? This was not one of them. It was small...very small. In fact, I've seen more square feet on playground jungle gyms. On the bright side, they had some pretty good beer specials going, and that's always a nice thing to hear from a bartender. So we ordered and began sharing stories. Eventually, we had to try their "wings", but skipped the "rings" and opted for the curly fries instead. Let's just say I don't think this particular establishment will be taking home any national (or local, for that matter) food awards anytime soon. I'll give a semi-thumbs-up to the fries, but I have to give the old 180-degree thumb to the wings. There was nothing special about them, and they were a little on the dry side; although their "Crazy" sauce, which is a combination of roasted garlic with BBQ, was unique. Still, like always, it was good to talk with Nick again and share some hearty laughs. And, as a bonus, the evening ended with a Chippewa victory in the GMAC bowl. But, all-in-all, I don't think we'll be returning anytime soon, and it seems the Hamlin Pub will be seeing two returning customers during our next adventure out.