BLOGIVERSARY REVIEW: DANGEROUS DAN'S DINER 1 YEAR LATER

The day after New Years 2006, Dude, Ricky and I came for a NY feast of burgers wings and poutine at a divey little joint known as Dangerous Dan's Diner (see HERE & HERE). It was a fateful day because it was the day I decided I was going to give the Lord of the Wings blog a second chance. It became the first official review of the blog reloaded.

While it was a little rusty - the rating system was 1st being tested, and I had a hell of a time with the photos - this little dream of spreading the wing gospel has expanded to THE place to find out about chicken wings. One year later, coming back from New Years in Peterborough, Rick and I decided we should pay homage to this greasy site.

Not much has changed in a year: DD's is still across from a strip joint, the menu is exactly the same, and the seats are still made of car parts.

Like last year, Rick and I started out with some poutine. I don't know why I keep ordering it - its one of my least favourite poutines because the fries are frozen and the gravy is very weak.

Its much better then next day, cold. Rick on the other hand, thought the "poutine was good.. I liked the fries..they were cripsy but soft inside... but there was a hint of fish flavor like they were fried int he same oil that some fish had been fried in." No one ordered a Quadruple C burger, but Rick did get a Peameal Bacon Burger. I got wings, naturally.

The NEW SCORE

STYLE: plain deep fry
SAUCES: mild/medium/hot
SIZE: jumbo 2 /2
HEAT: no heat 3/10
CRISPINESS: very crispy to start 3 points, -1 for quick sogginess: 2/3,
WETNAP FACTOR: 2/5
PRICE: $7.75 for 10, $12.95 for 20
SIDES: veggies and blue cheese 2 /7
WETNAP/NAPKINS: 3 points for him specifically bringing napkins 3 /8
WING NIGHT: none
OTHER/SPECIAL: Coronary Burger is a must try once in your life
TOTAL: 14 /35

The wings were quite disappointing this time around. They came out very crispy but quickly turned to mush. The meat also became hard to eat and by the last few wings, I was leaving meat on the bone (I never do that! I usually suck wings dry). DD's is one of the unique places that leaves the tip on the wing, which is a pro and a con. Pro: a little bit of extra meat and skin. Con: they are a bugger to rip off and let you eat the actual wing.

DD's sauce was very disappointing. Its a homemade sauce, so I want to give them kudos, but it was so sad that I just couldn't. Its a BBQ base, with no heat what so ever. In the original pictures from last year it was a nice red colour, but this time it was an invisible brown sauce. I say BBQ base, but it wasn't really. I did my best to identify the flavour of the sauce, but it just wasn't worth it.

Ricky on the other hand, got a tasty peameal bacon burger. He described it as "just excellent... perhaps overdid it with toppings which made it a tad bit messy..but still delicious." The photo above doesn't show it very well, but there was a juicy beef burger and cheddar in that pile.

FINAL SCORE:
The wings were big and started off crispy, but the sauce seriously disappointed. 14/35 and a Nay vote this time. Hopefully I just caught them on a bad day. I guess some things did change in a year.

To see more pics, as well as the bird that invaded our car upon arrival at Dangerous Dan's,
click HERE .

Dangerous Dan's Diner
714 Queen St. East
dangerousdansdiner.com