Where’s the Buffalo: My First Time With Bon Chon

Posted by Stefanie Gans / Friday, April 20th, 2012

“It’s like rock candy,” Jolleen finally blurted out. She’d been struggling to explain exactly what makes Bon Chon such a winner. Why it’s so much different than other chicken wings. Why we should happily wait almost 45 minutes for one order. She smiled and tossed her long hair behind her shoulder and laughed. We sat at the bar and waited. 

Jolleen, Lorin and I passed the time gawking at other customers’ orders, discussing whether or not we should have ordered French fries and how exactly I can stimulate hair growth. I’m getting married this year and girl needs some long bridal locks.Our stomachs were fairly satisfied though from our first dinner: large bowls of soup from Lighthouse Tofu, dense with clouds of tofu and meaty mushrooms.   

The wings arrived, a mix of hot and soy garlic, wings and drumsticks. A a little bowl of pickled, cubed radishes, crunchy, a little sweet, a little salty and perfectly necessary between bites of a hot, hot wing. 

My teeth snapped through the thick crust before tearing through the soft meat. I liked the idea of my wings battered like an onion ring. Plus, it made for a not particularly saucy or messy affair, as wing eating normally promises. I stopped after two wings though. Something was missing.

Bon Chon is a novelty. It builds expectations with delayed gratification. It fulfills its promise as a different kind of wing. It’s good. It’s really good.

But I’d still rather leave with my face painted in Buffalo sauce. 

Photo: Stefanie Gans

There’s a Better Way to Eat Buffalo Wings?

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, February 4th, 2011

That’s right; there is a better, more efficient way to eat wings (the flat wings, not the drumsticks). You just have to know the technique that will leave you with a boneless wing, with no meat wasted. No more trying to suck or pull out the meat between the bones that are hard to reach. This Sunday as you are watching the Super Bowl and chomping on some wings (see below for some places you can order from), be sure to try this method! I, personally, have been eating them wrong my whole life! I will be sure to try this the next time I eat wings.

Chef John of Food Wishes blog shows you how to strip the bones off the meat, rather than the meat off the bones, that will leave you with a boneless buffalo chicken wing-ready to be dunked (in sauce) and devoured.

Buffalo Wing University
10312 Willard Way
Fairfax, VA
703-273-6336

Wings To Go
7678-C Richmond Highway
Alexandria, VA
703-660-8547

Buffalo Wing Factory and Pub
Multiple locations

Ashburn:
43761 Parkhurst Plaza #100
703-729-4200

Chantilly:
13067 Lee Jackson
703-263-0202

Reston:
2260-D Hunters Woods Place
703-390-9105

Sterling:
22034 Shaw Road
703-406-0505

First Down Sports Bar & Grill
4213 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA
703-465-8888

-Rebecca Kim

Wing Bowl Takes Flight

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, January 28th, 2010

(Image: 106.7 The Fan)

Calling all closet competitive eaters: 106.7 The Fan and Hard Times Cafe are seeking “The King of the Wing“–a saucy moniker to be conferred on he/she who can mow through the most chicken wings in 10 minutes.

“The response has been great,” a 106.7 spokesperson said of the cheeky, wing stripping-displays hosted to date.

The contest calls for putting through to the “Wing Bowl 2010″ the top four finishers from each “wing off”–tentatively capped at 28 competitors–while shaking things up by selecting a pair of wild cards from the pool of online-only applicants.

There have been five qualifying rounds so far, with Ryan “Iron Ryan” Smith leading the pack by disposing of an impressive 68 wings during the Germantown chowfest.

The next preliminary round takes place tonight (6-8 p.m.) at the College Park shop, and the final qualifier is set for next Tuesday (Feb 2; 6-8 p.m.) at their Fairfax location. If you do decide to give the title a go, make sure to bring a hearty appetite and show up early, because only the first 20 registrants are allowed to compete.

Meanwhile, the finals will take place from 6-10 p.m. on Feb 5 at the Springfield store. Whoever claims the Wing King crown will also receive $2,500, while second place gets a refurbished Golden Tee machine (why?) and third gets to dry their tears with $500.

Gentlemen, start your heartburn!

–Warren