Trading Places

Hello all, I know its been quite a while, but my research in the winging to be had out here in Philly has actually been bearing some fruit.

First up - The Royal Tavern

This place has some wings that are absolutely fantastic. First I have to tell you about the place, now for everyone from Milwaukee I hope this description both offends and illuminates. Imagine a restaurant inhabited by people with a love of single speed bicycles, beards, irony, and both expensive and cheap varieties of beer. Also, imagine a menu consisting of somewhat interesting food items and a daily list of specials with clever ironic names. Let me guess, a little establishment called The Comet comes to mind. Now - and I don't want to blow anyone's mind too hard here - imagine that the food actually arrives in under an hour, and the said ironically named specials are quite tasty. That is The Royal Tavern in a nutshell.

Being in a luxury beer fueled adventurous mood I decided to order the sampler platter consisting of equal portions of the following flavors: buffalo, chipotle barbecue, and mango habanero. Let me tell you, all three flavors are amazing, even the barbecue. These wings come unbreaded and amply sauced without being sloppy. They also come with pickled daikon - an innovative substitute for the common celery garnish, carrots, and a sauce I was quite shocked to find out about. Get this, the brilliant kitchen staff managed to combine the two staple wing dipping sauces into one. These wings came with a Gorgonzola Ranch Sauce. Now I know this could be considered herecy by some wing purists, but seriously, you must try it. Oh and this is for Mr. Alonso, they sell pabst for $2 a bottle here, and its great lurking territory.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5 wings

Royal Tavern
937 East Passyunk Ave
Philadelphia, PA
215-389-6694

www.theroyaltavern.com