The Chestnut Report: Part VII of XX part series

"Tonight, this review is in...3D!
Unless you are reading on a computer.

This is the Chestnut Report!"

Welcome back to Part VII of a XX part series, Better Know a Chestnut Wing

Well Wing Nation, we are back once again to look at the 89 Chestnut Wings, the fight'n Chestnut! Famous for its hotel style residence and restaurant quality caf, 89 Chestnut's caf supplies hundreds of students with multiple entree options each night. But of course, on this night, its all about the wings, and I was dining with some fellow wing lovers: Diem, Gianna and David.

A Tip of the Hat went out to Diem who in all her glory was right up there with other wing hero's, battling a great wing. And Diem doesn't shirk away from the pain of a good hot sauce. Oh no, on any good day you can see this lean mean hot sauce eating machine flaming up her food with the good red hot sauce. On this particular night however, the sauce was winning the battle. She didn't give up, slashing through the pain to enjoy the flame.

A Wag of the Winger to Gianna who was criticized by wing hero Diem for not cleaning the meat off the bones of the wings. More of a sushi lover than hot sauce celebrator, the burn of the suicide was too much for her to douse her wings in spicy goodness. Its not all bad though, the bottom line being she was eating wings and that's enough to be granted citizenship in the Wing Nation.

Tip of the Hat to David who was more than ready to jump into the Wingibration that were the Chestnut wings. With his immense height and fearless attitude, Dave helped destroy an order of wings and send the armies of spice into fear. Don't ever feel bad about a second order Dave, ever.

Finally, a Wag of the Winger to Juliana, who once again did not have the wings and opted for the turkey burger (just like last year). This stubborn wing refusal is not doing well for keeping you of the Threat Down. I'm watching you.

The truthiness of the matter is that there are a lot of people out there on the interweb claiming to tell you about wings. Now anyone can eat a wing for you, but I Promise to FEEL the wing for you. And this particular night, I wasn't fully feeling the wings.

Don't get me wrong, I ate a lot of wings. A lot. Like so much that I would hold Congress in the States right now if every wing I ate was a Seat. A lot.

Chef Nathan had warned me the sauce he created was potentially not as hot as usual as he had not personally supervised its creation, this night. I still enjoyed this thick red flavour fire. It wasn't as hot as I can take, but the taste was strong and I did get the tingle in the mouth. It is what saved these chicken treasures.

But the general consensus about the wings was soggy. These baked expressions of all that is good, was lacking tonight. Mainly because the coating wasn't crispy and firm as it normally is. The meat of the wing was still good, the sauce was good, but the dusting and skin warranted a warning about Going on Notice. Keep this up Chestnut and you just might end up on the board.

It comes down to this: The 89 Chestnut Wings, the Fight'n Chestnut, has damn decent wings that even on their worst day are better than a lot of restaurants out there. And if you aren't eating these wings, your supporting the Veggiterrorists.

Stay strong be brave Wing Nation

Good Night

The LOON ~ Toronto ON

Cowboys ride off into it, someone told some young man to go there, and the Doors said that it was the best. I'm talking about the West. More specifically, Toronto's West end.

This is an area quite unexplored by myself despite my time in T-Dot. Having traveled not much farther than Dufferin Ave for its low cost mall, it remains mostly a mystery. I've been East, I've been South, I've been North. Little West. Most of my experience here in the city have been the confines on Yonge/Bloor/Spadina - everything else is the outskirts to me. Of course, its only a hop on the Rocket and I'm out visiting Nee in the Roncesvalle Village.

Nee had a number of places in mind for me to try out a wing review - Whelan's Gate (or as I thought she said over the phone, "wheel'n'skate"), The Local (that's all its called, The Local), and some place with 'Weezel' in the title that neither of us could find evidence of via the interweb. We walked to the Local, but it was packed. Instead we back tracked and walked into The Loon.

Nee at first was hesitant for us to take in this Canadian fowl named pub ~ she said there was an awesome patio out back that we would have to check out in the spring or summer. She also was hesitant because the Rayzor had a bad experience with wings here. Having gone to places before that I knew had bad wings just to review them, I had no problem testing them out here.

THE SCORE

SIZE of WINGS: large to JUMBO!
HEAT: hot 4/10 suicide 6/10
WET NAP FACTOR: 3.5/5
PRICE: $8.99 for small (approx 7-8 wings) $12.99 for a large

EXTRAS Info

SAUCE CHOICE: mild/medium/hot/suicide/honey garlic/Cajun/teriyaki
SIDES: veggies and blue cheese dip
WETNAP: 2 thank you very much
DEEP FRIED, GRILLED,
BAKED, BATTERED: breaded, then deep fried
WING NIGHT: Tuesday 1/2 price night
OTHER: live music, apparently good patio

Well, I was quite surprised by these wings. Rayzor must have had them on a bad night because these monsters were good (and I have faith in his suggestions). The first thing that caught me by surprise was how large these wings were. Despite the batter, the size was magnificent. Big and meaty, these put so many other wing places to shame.

These had a simple flour batter on them, making them crunchy and just right for soaking up the sauce. This is where The Loon loses some points: hot was not. The sauce was mild at best. There was a faint Buffalo flavour to it, but it was incredibly weak. Suicide had a small bite - maybe medium/hot. It had a more concentrated flavour, but the taste lies more with the 'hot'.

Nee followed the ancient tradition of fish on Fridays, ordering classic pub fish and chips. They looked great with the fish flaking off in a beautiful white chunks. The fries were great - hand cut, skins still on. The way I like them. Nee added a wonderful Belgian addition to the fries: mayo. One thing we both agreed on about this as a good pub was the 'condiment caddy' brought to our table. Ketchup, mustard, vinegar, salt n pepper, extra napkins etc (and the bonus mayo here at The Loon that other places don't have) all available without having to ask. Its just right there. The only time I'm not a fan of the 'condiment caddy' is when you have a tiny table and it takes up half the table. We had 2 to ourselves, so it was all good.

Service was friendly, the food was good, and there was entertainment on the way (we left just as the band was setting up). Yes, I heard the call of The Loon. A good Canadian English-style pub that does chicken big, The Loon has the wings half right; now if we can just get them to spice up the sauce, they would definitely be in the top 10 of Toronto.

***1/2 out of ***** flappers

The Loon Restaurant and Pub
416 Roncesvalle Ave
The Loon

Dead Man Eating? Death Row Chicken Wing Requests

Many of us have played this game which has many variations but a simple theme: if you were trapped on desert island what would you bring? What is the one thing in the world you can't live without? If you were going to die, what would be your last meal?

What happens if that wasn't a game and you did have to chose your final meal? The website "DeadManEating.com" looks at our curiosity of death and food and found out what inmates on death row ordered for their final meal. Allowed to order whatever they want, the website also details these inmates crimes and their final words. Here are a few examples of some of those final request that included chicken wings in their last supper.

WARNING: there is a reason some of these individuals were on death row. Reader Discretion is Advised

OHIO JOSEPH CLARK
May 2, 2006

"...the nearly 90 minutes it took Ohio to execute Clark is believed to be the second-longest lethal injection on record....."

Last Meal: Clark had a final "special meal" request of jumbo shrimp; a T-bone steak with A-1 steak sauce; fried chicken wings, Frenchch fries; dinner rolls; cherry pie; and Pepsi.

The skinny: Clark, 57, was executed for killing a gas station clerk during a spree of robberies in 1984 in which he also killed a convenience store worker. Clark was executed following a delay of more than an hour because of unprecedented difficulty administering the lethal injection. Last words and such: Clark calmly but tearfully proceeded to give the longest final statement a lethal injection inmate has given.

In his final statement, Clark said, "I would like to tell them young brothers and sisters also all over the world, do not let drugs ruin your life, ruin your body, and destroy your mind. Today my life is being taken because of drugs. If you live by the sword, you die by the sword." After a long speech in which he thanked his family and friends, apologized to his victims families, and preached against the dangers of drugs, Clark quoted from the Martin Luther King, Jr., "I Have a Dream" speech in declaring himself: "Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, I am free at last." Clark made a final statement apologizing to his victims' families and saying "I would like to say to family and friends that I didn't get to talk to, ... that was wondering how I felt, I would like them to know that I asked God to forgive me, that I asked the Lord to save me from my sins. And I asked God to forgive those who are participating in this here today."

INDIANA
ALAN LEHMAN MATHENEY
September 28, 2005

...prison officials do not want inmates to consume too much the day of the execution ...

Last Meal: For his special meal he had chicken wings, a fried chicken dinner, large wedges of potatoes, corn on the cob, biscuits and a chocolate shake. The special dinner is prepared at a local restaurant. It is not called the last meal since it is served a day or two ahead of time. That's because prison officials do not want inmates to consume too much the day of the execution, much like a doctor asks patients not to eat before surgery.

The skinny: Matheney, 54, one of the most notorious killers on Indiana's Death Row, was executed by lethal injection for beating murder his ex-wife with a rifle butt while on an eight-hour furlough from the Correctional Industrial Facility. Matheney burst into the victim's home, caught her as she tried to run away and struck her in the head with a rifle so hard the weapon broke.

Last words and such: "I love my family and my children. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused them. I thank my friends who stood by me . . . I'm sure my grandchildren will grow up happy and healthy in the care of their wonderful parents," Matheney said in a final statement read by his lawyer, Steven Schutte

NORTH CAROLINA
SAMMY CRYSTAL PERKINS
October 8, 2004

...these are the ones that keep you up at night....

Last Meal: Two fried chicken breasts, two fried chicken wings, sweet potato pie, a large order of French fries from McDonald's, a 20 ounce Coke and a cup of ice.

The skinny: Perkins was executed for the 1992 rape and murder of a 7-year-old girl.

Last words and such: "I would like to say I love my mother, all my brothers and sisters and all my children. I'll see ya'll on the other side."

-----------------------------------------------------------

NORTH CAROLINA
RAYMOND ROWSEY
January 9, 2004

Last Meal: Rowsey had his last meal of pizza, chicken wings, two packages of peanut M&M candy and a Pepsi.

The skinny: Rowsey, 32, was executed for the 1992 pistol slaying of a convenience store clerk that prosecutors said was carried out for the thrill of killing.

Last words and such: Rowsey made no last statement, but his family told reporters afterward that he was innocent.Rowsey's wife, whom he married while in prison, and his mother sobbed as they watched the execution.Rowsey defense lawyer James Payne said his client "asked us to tell you that he died in peace with no hatred in his heart, and nothing but love for his brother."

TEXAS
CHRISTOPHER BLACK, SR.
July 9, 2003

Last Meal: Steak (medium well), fried chicken (wings and thighs), french fries with mushroom gravy, mixed steamed vegetables, chocolate fudge cake, peach cobbler, sweet tea, bread, chef salad with Italian dressing.

The skinny: Black was executed for killing his 17-month-old step-granddaughter. He also killed his wife and his 5-month-old daughter. Black was convicted of killing the child at the Killeen home of his estranged wife, the toddler's grandmother. She was found slumped in a high chair. She had been shot five times in the chest. Her grandmother was shot 10 times. Black's daughter was shot once. "I ran out of bullets," Black told a 911 operator he called after the attack. Black was charged, but never tried, in the slayings of his wife and daughter.

Final words and such: Asked by the warden if he wanted to make a final statement, Black Sr., said no.



OKLAHOMA
LAST MEALJOHN HOOKER
March 25, 2003


Last Meal: three chicken breasts and three chicken wings from KFC, broccoli spears with cheese sauce, a baked potato with sour cream and chives, two bacon cheeseburgers, two slices of cherry cheesecake and two 7-Ups.

The Skinny: Hooker was executed for stabbing his girlfriend and her mother to death. Hooker was executed almost 15 years after the stabbing. The mother of his three young children, had moved out of the Oklahoma City apartment she shared with Hooker a week before the murders. She had told her sister she feared Hooker would hurt her and the children. She was right.

Shoody Work: In 2001, officials re-examined DNA evidence in Hooker's case because it originally had been handled by Oklahoma City police chemist Joyce Gilchrist. Investigators retested DNA evidence submitted in all of Gilchrist's cases after officials accused her of performing shoddy work. Results of the retesting, however, showed that blood from Stokes and Morgan was found on Hooker's pants.

Last Words and Such: As the curtains in the death chamber were drawn, Hooker smiled at those who came to witness on his behalf. "To all my family and friends, I'm all hooked up," he said. "I can't even move. I'm at peace. Y'all stay up. I'm out."

So what would I order for my last meal?

-banquet burger, t-bone steak, potato skins, Caesar salad, poutine, cheese and garlic loaf,
fries, onion rings, pizza, nova scotia donair
-cherry coke to drink
-New York style cherry cheese cake, deep-fried Mars bar, butterscotch pie for desert
- and of course, lots and lots of chicken wings. As hot as I can have it. I want my mouth burning, reminding me about life.

What would you order?
put your response in comments or e-mail ~ praxis_industries@hotmail.com

Check out DeadManEating.com to find out more about the last meals of inmates.

HONG SHING' General Tao Chicken

"Ah, General Gao, you were a bloodthirsty foe, but your chicken is delectable!"
C. Montgomery Burns

It may not be chicken wings, but this is one of the best substitutes out there: General Tao Chicken.

This sweet and spicy dish goes by many names: General Gau's , General Tsao's, General Zhou's, General Gao's, General Chou's, General Tzo's, General To's, General So's, General Joe's, and General Toso's, General Tso's, and even General George's chicken. Wow, clearly where you are around the world (specifically North America) will depend on how you order this delectable dish.

So what is so big about General Tao?

Wikipedia reports him, Zuo Zongtang, as "a gifted Chinese military leader born in Wenjialong, north of Changsha in Hunan province, during the waning of the Qing Dynasty. He served with brilliant distinction during China's most important (and the world's largest) civil war, the 14-year-long Taiping Rebellion, in which at least 30 million people lost their lives." The dish has questionable origin, some claiming it as a Hunan chicken dish, other claim it was founded in New York City. Either way, Zuo himself never had it. Too bad because its de-lish.

I had never had the General's chicken until I moved to Toronto. All of the small town Chinese restaurants I had ever eaten had all had the same Canadian-style Chinese food. But first year university introduced me to the joys of late late night food - and of my new Chinese adventures came Shanghai Noodles, and General Tao chicken.

Since then I have had the dish a number of times, and like the name, the dish is served differently at each restaurant I've tried it. Some places its dark red, other places orange looking, others yellow-brown. This particular order from Hong Shing was neon red. Sometimes it is accompanied by peppers, spices, onions, broccoli etc. Some sauces are spicier, others sweet. My absolute favourite is from New Ho King in Chinatown because of its spiciness and its wonderfully fried chicken. Hong Shing definitely comes in second with this glowing deep-fried delicacy.

Its crunchy, its sweet, its spicy. What is not to love? Deep fried chicken is always good - but add on a sauce that makes the mouth drool on a late school night - DAMN its good.

A dish of this at Hong Shing is $8.95 and despite how easy a dish it is to make, it is often more expensive than most other dishes of a similar nature. I have to be honest, the dish is pretty much a North American dish (a gwai-lo plate if you will), but honestly, who cares where it comes from. Its just good.

The Canadian Dream?

Ricky Patel might be a creative cuisine genuis:

"cheese and gravy covered wings...think about it"

CRAZY DELICIOUS?

The RED ROOM

It was Friday Night, and a spontaneous outing was planned amongst the Don team. The end of the week required a trip to a pub, but not just any pub: The Red Room. Now I have never been to The Red Room. I am more familiar with The Green Room (no this isn't a dumb joke), the Green Room is a interesting pub/coffee house that was an occasional destination during my undergrad.


What made it unique was that it felt like a secret hide-away. You take an alley, then another alley, then another alley to get there, and just when you think 'is this how to get there?' your there. The food was decent, and cheap, although you only saw a waitress once in an hour. There were couches and it was lit by candle. It was quite the spot. So was The Red Room going to live up to its older sibling?

What I like about these coloured rooms is the Bohemian feel of it all. Its like a place where artists and philosophers escape to talk about both important and unimportant issues. It reminds me of a bar in Prague I had been in and really enjoyed the aesthetic.

Approaching The Red Room, I couldn't see inside. Not at all. There were curtains up. Even over the door. A few people stood outside smoking (thank goodness for Ontario smoking laws) and when we went in, I was taken aback by how packed it was. Were 9 of us going to find a spot together? Well we did, in a back corner, sitting at a long table that felt like it had character. The iron chandeliers that hung from the ceiling splashing what can barely be described as candlelight. It was like a Gypsy tavern. The Green had much more seating, conforming more to a restaurant feel. We even had twice as much service as my former undergrad haunt.

Of course while I was there, I had to try some cheap food. And when wings are involved, so will I (be involved.

THE SCORE

SIZE of WINGS: medium to small
HEAT: 1/10
WET NAP FACTOR: 4.5/5
PRICE: $5. 75 for approx 8

EXTRAS Info

SAUCE CHOICE: BBQ, that is all
SIDES: lettuce count?
WETNAP: no - and no napkins either!
DEEP FRIED, GRILLED,
BAKED, BATTERED: deep fried
WING NIGHT: none
OTHER: lots of great vegetarian options and cheap food

Right off the bat, The Red Room is not a wing place. I acknowledge that, and anyone going around to here or The Green Room should be aware of that. What does that mean? Well, my hopes were not high for the one wing to rule them all. That being said, they still didn't do a very good wing.

They are not traditional wings - yes they are deep fried and yes they are dipped in sauce, but they only come in one flavour: BBQ. Not that that's a bad way to go, the BBQ had a nice sweet flavour, with a hint of tomato. It was very saucy, which is good, but no napkins (bad!). The skin was not crispy, so the ton of sauce made them soggy fast.

They were also difficult to eat, not only because of the slippy wetnap factor, but because for the most part, they were tiny and hard to hold (I dropped each one at least once). They leave the tips on the end of the flappers, which very few places do. For me, that usually represent a little bit of extra wing; to others, laziness to cut it. But in this case the sogginess and tiny nature added to the difficulty of consuming.

Final ratings: The wings are not great, but I didn't hate them. I would never go back just for the wings, and when I come back would I order them again? I probably would try the nachos I saw on other people's plates. Many in our group enjoyed the spring rolls, and anyone you talk to who has been there before recommends a dish. I think most people I talked to prefer The Red Room to The Green Room, but for me, the latter holds a special place in my heart. Yes Red has better service and seating, but the truly Bohemian feel and service of Green appeals to me more.

1 out of 5 flappers

The Red Room
444 Spadina Ave

or the original

The Green Room
296 Brunswick

The Chestnut Report - Part VI of XX Part Series

"By the power of Grayskull, this is The Chestnut Report!"

Welcome back to Part VI of a XX part series, Better Know a Chestnut Wing

Shout out

Nation, I was ecstatic this past Thursday. Like the setting of the sun, the cycle of the wing continues. It was week 5 and Wing Lunch was back. I had had a long phone call the night before from mentor, Wifred Brimmly who called me at 3am:

CWK - Hello?
WB - Hey hey Wing King, its Wilford, Wilford Brimmley
CWK - Oh, hi Wilford
WB - Hope I didn't wake you up with that 3 hour time change they got
CWK- No, no not at all
WB - So you were up?
CWK- Sure
WB - Why? you worried about the blog?
CWK - No, is there something you want?
WB - No, I was just making waffles. I'm angry with you man
CWK - Angry?
WB - I've been reading the blog - where's that cocoon I sent ya?
CWK - The cocoon?
WB - Ya I sent you one of the cocoons from the movie Cocoon,
I thought it would look good in a picture with some wings.
CWK - Well, its too big
WB - Well you can't you make more room, your the boss right?
CWK - Can we talk about this tomorrow?
WB - Why did I wake you up?
CWK - Ya actually you did
WB - So you're a liar
CWK- I was just being nice
WB- By lying to friends, that's nice. DAMNATION I burned my waffle,
shouldn't be having these things anyway, I got the diabetes.
Hey I gotta go I got a grease fire here!

I didn't talk with Wilford for long, but when I woke up, it was time for lunch and I was ready for wings. Of course, today was BBQ and Honey Garlic, BOO! (Honey Garlic is the greatest threat to the Wing Nation today) I of course got a double order of BBQ and a side of perogies. Having sat down with Chef Nathan the night before, I found out what makes these wings so crunchy and delicious. A mixture of 2/3's flour and corn. What's the other third? Well, I can't reveal all the secrets of the Chestnut Wings, the Fight'n Chestnut Wings! But he and I did discuss the danger that too much flour can cause to a clumpy and poorly dusted wing.



A return to the counter of Freedom Food, I got a second order of these crunchy, smokey wings with the traditional Chestnut side of Curly fries. These curly fries were plain. I was expecting an Arby's style spiced curly fry, and thus I was disappointed. It reminded me why I normally don't have sides on wing days, its just filler.

Well, that's all the time we have for the Report. Check in a few weeks from now when the Chestnut brings us some more delectable wings.

Remember, if its Honey Garlic, its not a real with. And that's truthiness for you.

Good night

Ned Devine's - Milton

NOTE: This, like the last review, is several weeks old

When word reaches Jackie and Michael, two elderly best friends that someone in their fictional tiny Irish village of Tullymore has won the national lottery, they go to great lengths to find the winner so they can share the wealth. After a chicken-dinner plot to narrow down their list of suspects, they pay a midnight visit to the only absentee, Ned Devine.

Ok, the only connection I could find between the pub and the movie was the name and the Irish theme. As far as I can tell this Milton establishment picked a film about Ireland, thought it sounded great for a pub, and poof, there it was.

Why was I in Milton to begin with? Well, the new Away Team was on a ghost investigation that weekend. Brad Amanda and myself had done some preliminary set up, but due to weather, we were forced to wait it out. Lunch became the next important investigation and Bramanda knew of a nice little pub in the area to try the wings.

Normally I find it odd when a pub exists in a plaza mall, but Ned Devine's seem to find a perfect home. Inside the pub is very new, with a decor similar to classic Irish pubs, but much more fresh. Flat screen tv's surround the main room with a happy mid-Saturday crowd enjoying the music, the game and the food.

There were a lot of interesting things on the menu. Amanda went with an excellent All Day Irish Fry, or breakfast special. You can see her above enjoying bacon. Yes, thats our former Vegan relishing one of the most delicious foods next to wings, Bacon. Brad ordered a delicious looking fish and chips. We did order a delicious sounding dip that fortunately our waitress forgot, because we were so stuffed with what we got. I should note we had an excellent waitress, despite this accidental blessing in disguise.

I on the other hand got sheppard pie. No of course not. I ordered wings. What else???

THE SCORE

SIZE of WINGS: medium to large
HEAT: 6/10 for hot, 8/10 for suicide
WET NAP FACTOR: 2/5
PRICE: $9.95 for 1 lb., $16.95 for 2 lb., $24.95 for 3 lbs.

EXTRAS Info

SAUCE CHOICE: mild/medium/grand hot/suicide/honey garlic
SIDES: veggies and dip
WETNAP: yes
DEEP FRIED, GRILLED,
BAKED, BATTERED: dusted then deep fried just right
WING NIGHT: Tuesday $0.39 wings, with purchase of a drink

As soon as I saw the wings come out, I was happy. They were big, they looked crunchy, and they smelled, well, devine. It was a pound of hot with suicide on the side. The hot had a good flavour, distinct but not unlike that I have tried before. It was nice to have a different flavour than your run of the mill pub wings.

The suicide was on the side because of past problems. The sauce was a good suicide, with a bit of a burn and a flavour that didn't make me gag with pepper. It was very similar to PAIN (as mentioned before) but without the gag reflex I have associated with it now. Amanda even tried it in her day of taking chances, however, like her quick acceptance to sit in the Bait Room for the ghost investigation, she regretted making the decision shortly after.

So, Ned's was a great pub, great service, and great food. The wings definitely get my thumbs up, despite the fact that many of you will never stop in Milton to try these delicious wings. 4 out of 5 flappers.

Ned Devine's Irish Pub and Alehouse
575 Ontario St. S., Milton
neddevines.sites.toronto.com

Mick E Fynn's

Hello loyal readers. I have to apologize because not only have I not updated the blog in a long time, but I have had 3 entries to enter for a long time now. However, due to events: Away Team Ghost Investigations, Rez of Terror, Library of Terror, Ghost Tours, Trickoreat.ca, as well as blowing up cars. These events have given me no time in which to upload pictures, and write reviews. It has also made for a difficult problem with this review: it has been weeks since I went here and I cannot find or remember for the life of me the choices, selection, price etc. I am disappointed as a review, a blogist, and a chicken wing enthusiast. I am sorry.

I will try and recount the story as best as possible. It was a dark and stormy night. Ok no it wasn't. It was a nice night if not a little cold. Several of the Dons were celebrating early October birthdays, and it was decided that we would go to a pub to celebrate. Enter, Mick E Fynn's (MEF). This old time Irish Pub located across the street from Maple Leaf Gardens seemed an unlikely choice for some of the Dons involved, simply because its not super close to rez and how many people actually know about it? I did, however, having only been on the patio in much warmer weather.

MEF's is most popular since the demise of hockey at MLG, as a hangout for Ryerson students. Who could have guessed how popular? Not I. We went in and went to the back room to make sure we had enough seats. It was dark, quite dark, and when asking the waitress if we could have more lights, she said something to the effect "its kinda the atmosphere we were going for". I remarked, "The dank! oh no we can't get rid of the dank". And we didn't. To skip the important part of our wing story, when we were leaving, there was a huge line up outside with bouncers. Bouncers! A line up! For a plain, simple pub! No dancing. There was pool. What the heck? What the heck I say!

None the less, our table filled up quickly, the Dons socialized, and a good time was had by all (some having a good time more than others :p) This was also an exciting day as our rez caught on fire. No one was hurt, but it was a fire that toasted a room, and myself, well I was exhausted from taking on a lot of responsibilities in relation to said fire. I needed a break, I was wing deprived, and I did what any good Fellowship of the Wing would do.

THE SCORE

SIZE of WINGS: medium
HEAT: 5/10
WET NAP FACTOR: 3.5/5
PRICE: $6.99 a pound (approx 8-10 wings)

EXTRAS Info

SAUCE CHOICE: mild/medium/hot/suicide/honey garlic
SIDES: veggies & dip or fries $2.50, onion rings for $3.50
WETNAP: yes!
DEEP FRIED, GRILLED,
BAKED, BATTERED: deep fried classic style
WING NIGHT: ???

I can't remember a lot about the wings. Were they good? They weren't bad. But they were not great enough for me to recommend how much they cost, what sauces they have etc. They were plain pub wings with a decent sauce, a tiny bite and a hell of a lot or room to improve. They were saucy and crispy which gets them points. Anything else to add? Not really. They did meet my craving but my overall response is "meh".

It was a great night because of the company I was keeping. As for the atmosphere, a place like this should not be so cramped. Or have a line up. Or have bouncers. The crowds were certainly not breaking down the place for the wings, but it does have a large patio great in the summer time. I should also mention that amongst our crowd was 2 individuals from the pub Pogue Mahone, and one such young lady suggested I check out their wings. That sounds like a great idea.

Mick E Fynn's
45 Carlton Street Toronto