This post is a #2020catchup from May 2020
The pandemic has changed everything. Many businesses, including restaurants, have been badly hit. So it takes a lot for a new restaurant to open in the middle of the pandemic. It also forces you to be something extra special, when you are opening a pizza joint. So how do you get noticed above the rest in 2020? Memes.
That's what the Dough Bros. in Orleans did, and it's how I heard about them in the first place. I gotta say, it worked well! In fact, not only did they do memes, they also used Cameo to have a few celebs shout out their new business (Screech & Bud Bundy!). I also saw a lot of hype coming from the Orleans Ontario Foodie Group, and the reviews were really good.
I decided to go and check them out myself. Since it was during the pandemic, everything is take-out, but this place would have been take-out either way. It's opened up in a shopping plaza that is pretty hard to miss if you aren't looking for it specifically.
Although I had done some research in advance, I went in pretending to know nothing. It looks like there will be some counter seating in the post-Covid future, but everything was take-away at this point. The place is clean and new, with a simple but classy black and white motif going on. They have a big chalk-board like menu, but I already noticed some differences between it and the printed paper menus available.
I was immediately greeted by I guy who I'm pretty sure is the owner (or at the very least, one of the Dough Bros.) because I've seen him in their social media. He was super friendly and made me feel really welcome. I said I had seen that Wednesday was a wing special and he confirmed.
I had seen the menu online and knew I was going with probably two orders of wings. I knew I was getting Hot, but wasn't sure about the second flavour. I went with Salt & Pepper just to give an idea of the wings themselves. Then Dough Bro asked me if I wanted another sauce on the side of the Salt & Pepper - wow! I was like sure and he asked if I wanted 3rd Degree. I was like, the ED Smith sauce (of which I am a #3rdDegreeaddict) and he was like 'ya it's spicier and what I put on everything', so I was like ya! He did say they had a Buffalo, which I was curious about, and maybe should have gotten instead of Hot, but I didn't.
Dough Bro went straight to work getting my wings ready. I could hear them in the deep fryer sizzling, I could hear them hit the metal bowl, then that tossing sound. I was excited. They were packed into a paper lined styrofoam container, then doubled up into a paper bag and stapled. I brought them out to the car where they smelled really good.
I opened up the containers and guess what, the looked really good too!
The wings are sold by the number, 12 wings for $12. Of course I was paying $9 for it being wing day. Also, I got 15 wings in my order. Awesome!
There were no sides with the wings, no dips, no veggies. There were no napkins in the bag, but they were available to grab in restaurant.
The size of the wings were a good medium/medium+ size wing. Some of the drums were really meaty, but most of the flats were just average.
The wings were very crispy: there was a nice crack when you bit into the skin. But the wet wings did absorb the sauce really quickly. The meat itself was not that tender, almost dried out, and it seems like the wings come from frozen. But they were still a good wing overall.
I went with one wet wing and one dry wing, and Dough Bro suggested an extra sauce for the dry wings. So I went with classic Hot, dry Salt & Pepper, with a side of 3rd Degree.
HOT
Classic cayenne based hot sauce. Probably Frank's, but there seemed to be more flavour in the wings. Maybe the wings were marinated?
SALT & PEPPER
The first thing you notice with this wings is the crispy wing itself. Then, the salt really shines through, with the hint of pepper. It's a simple combination, and it works. Make sure you have a drink though!
3RD DEGREE
I mean, this is my go to sauce for making things zingier. It was good, it was spicy. It went well with the Salt & Pepper wings for sure.
FINAL SCORE:
I liked these wings. Crispy, well sauced, flavourful wings. A little dried out, but overall good. And for an all day $9 wing day, that was great too. Plus such friendly service. I've read lots of great things about their pizza too, but haven't tried it. I wish them the best of luck! 9.5/14
The Dough Bros.
250 Centrum Blvd, Orleans Ontario
thedoughbros.ca
