It's another #tbt & #lostreview
This trip down memory lane comes from June of 2014. I was home visiting my folks in Southwestern Ontario, and we had gone for a country drive. We ended up in Turkey Point, a small village on Lake Erie known for it's beach and being a cottage town. It's also where my cousin Steve had for months re-modelled an older restaurant and had just opened the month before. We went, and I'm sure due to being busy, I never wrote this review. Once again, I have no notes, just my memories and these photos.
Steve has been in the chef game for several years, working in various kitchens including the time I reviewed his wings at Muir's back in 2010. It was great to see him get a chance to get a place of his own, creating a family business with his then girlfriend (now wife Carissa). Sitting in a prime location across from the beach, they renovated the interior, redid the menu, and has made the Sandbar on the Beach a year round destination.
We were there on a beautiful day and the patio out front was packed. The view is great, but most are there for the food.
Inside was less packed and we set up here. The place has a comfortable, casual beach feel to it. While we were there my Aunt Cathie was in, as was my cousin Becky, her husband Grant (a great musician who was playing live later that night - that's him in the red shirt at the bar) and their kids. It's very much a family affair there!
Steve's created a great menu with everything from burgers, wraps, fish and chips, and of course, chicken wings. It's a great selection of flavours with both sauces and rubs.
To share my folks got what I am pretty sure is the Jalapeno Popper Dip: "Roasted jalapenos and Dr Pepper candied bacon in a creamy dip topped with a layer of panko parmesan bread crumbs and served with wonton chips." I remember it being good and goey with such unique textures - the wontons and the panko adding a crunch to the creamy dip. I don't think they have this on the menu anymore though.
My mom went with one of her staples at restaurants, a Buffalo Wing Wrap, served with fries and a dill wedge. It's a big wrap and full of Buffalo sauced crispy chicken and salad. I didn't try it, but it looked good.
My dad and I both got the wings - but I'm a little foggy on who ordered what. I think (I think), my dad got the dry rubbed Cajun wings with a side of Buffalo sauce, and that I got the Parmesan Pepper? or maybe it's Fire & Ice?
Both sets of wings came with veggies and dip, but I can't remember if this is blue cheese or ranch. It looks like blue cheese to me.
The wings were large, Ontario grown wings, and they were pretty meaty too. They are dusted and deep fried so they had a nice crunch to them.
I'm pretty sure the above are the Cajun dry rubbed wings with a side of Buffalo sauce. While these definitely look like wings I would order, I think they were my dad's, because around this time he discovered Cajun rubbed wings and I think I suggested getting the Buffalo on the side to dip because we still like saucy wings.
You can see that the wings were well coated in dry rub and if you haven't had the combo of dry rubbed Cajun dipped in Buffalo, you should.
This second order of wings really has me puzzled as I don't remember ordering this and I don't know what it is fore sure. My guess is Parmesan Pepper, because those wings look coated in shredded Parmesan cheese. But the Parmesan wings are listed under dry rubs, and those wings are very creamily sauced. From my review at Muir's I know Stevie B wings are sweet Thai & Honey Garlic, and Bundy is usually Hot & Honey Garlic. I don't know about Fire & Ice ...
Looking at these photos I can tell those were some good, sloppy to eat kind of wings!
Sandbar on the Beach
45 Cedar Drive, Turkey Point ON
sandbaronthebeach.com
NOTE: After re-reading my review, it may sound like I'm just trying to promote a business because they are family. That's not the case here, or in anything I review. While Steve is my cousin, and I'm proud of him, the food is good and the fact they are still going strong in 2020 shows that.
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