LORD of the WINGS (or how I learned to stop worrying and love the suicide): JOE KOOL's

Thursday 7 December 2006

JOE KOOL's - London ON

Taking a quick mid-week break from Toronto, I headed home to get some shopping, dentist appointment and other tasks done before I go home for the winter break. Knowing I was tied to the building for the next month, I needed to get out.

I arranged to go visit Rick in London, picking him up at Western, where he was busy doing work. Ok, he was reading a newspaper but in his defence, he was waiting for me. We spent a while driving around the Forrest City's downtown trying to figure out where we were going to go. When all was said and done, Joe Kool's was the final decision.

Busy on a Wednesday night (not the photo above is not from our visit), this eatery for the young people was a crowded place to be. At first I thought the place was big, but it only gives the illusion of being bigger than it really was. We sat near the front, as it was the only table available when we got there.

We both looked at the menu and were surprised to find no chicken wings. Then upon closer inspection, we found they had BBQ wings. Then on even closer inspection, they had standard chicken wings. Somehow they were camouflaged on the first page. We both found we also read the title wings but would read the description on the menu item below. Strange. Rick was in a fish and chip mood, and I was torn between wings and a steak sandwich. Rick suggested I get the sandwich and that we split an order of wings. I knew I hung out with him for a reason.

THE SCORE

SIZE of WINGS: medium to small
HEAT: 5/10
WET NAP FACTOR: 3 /5
PRICE: $9.99 for 10, $17.99 for 20

EXTRAS Info

SAUCE CHOICE: medium/hot/honey garlic/BBQ
SIDES: crudite (fancy for veggies and dip - ranch or blue cheese)
WETNAP: none
DEEP FRIED, GRILLED,
BAKED, BATTERED: deep fried, choice of dusting or not
WING NIGHT: none advertised
OTHER:

After discussions of school, decisions and various current events, our food arrived. The wings came last, and they were definitely in last place in our meal appraisals. So where did Joe Kool's go wrong?

First, the wings were a decent size, but bordered on small. For $9.99 for 10, we should be getting jumbo roasters. These were not. Also, initially, the waiter asked if we wanted breaded wings, or not. I gave a bonus point to them for the option, however, upon biting into the wing, although crispy, the breading was barely a decent dusting.

Hot was not. A medium at best and mild at worst. There was no heat to be felt. The sauce was Frank's, barely disguised. They weren't terrible wings, but they were barely adequate and did not impress this tough crowd. The average person may not notice a big problem, but we did.