Starving Students 'wing it' this week
Starving Students try Cannon's Cross and the Fire House Grill.
Low on funds and high on hunger, the Starving Students decided to opt for a cheap meal this week. They hit wing nights at Cannon's Cross, situated at 15 Riverside Dr., and Fire House Lounge, situated next to Smitty's at 1318 Regent St.
Jackie's verdict:
If there's one thing students love, it's cheap food. It doesn't really matter if it's good, as long as it's cheap. Mr. Noodles, Kraft Dinner, Hot Pockets. Need I say more?
Once in a while, though, cheapness is combined with great taste. This creation is so craving-worthy, that it spawns a weekly ritual - an almost ceremonious gathering where we worship the food itself.
I'm talking about wing night. It's a social staple in many students' lives. And the cheaper the wings, the better.
They come in sixes, sometimes in tens. They come greased up with BBQ, honey garlic, teriyaki, mild, medium and hot sauce. And then of course, for the dangerous souls, there's the favourite tongue blistering wings that make you sweat (and swear a little, too).
Matt and I decided to embrace the chicken-loving ritual and hit two different wing nights in Fredericton. Our first stop was at Cannon's Cross on the northside (where Wednesday night is wing night). I ordered 10 mild wings (at 45 cents a pop, it only cost me $4.50.) Not bad for supper.
The wings were good. They were messy (as per usual). But they were meaty enough that I didn't need to order a couple more to keep me full for a while.
Cannon's Cross also had a special on its Coors and Molson Canadian draft, so I had a Canadian for only $2.21 plus tax.
A few days later, we ventured over to try the wings on special at the Fire House Lounge, adjacent to Smitty's on Regent St. In fact, wings are on special everyday (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday at 30 cents; Thursday at 35 cents and Friday at 40 cents). I didn't know what to expect. I had been to Smitty's, but never to the Fire House, so I wasn't sure how it would compare. I was pleasantly surprised. I bought 12 BBQ wings ($3.60), and loved every minute of it. I'm not sure if they had any specials on beer - they didn't say - so I bought a glass of Pumphouse blueberry beer ($5).
It was a tough call on whose wings were better. They were both good. The price was better at the Fire House, and when you're a Starving Student, price is often the deciding factor. But, the atmosphere is better at Cannon's Cross, because you're not overlooking the parking lot of the mall. But really, to each his own.
I give the Fire House Lounge 9/10 on their wing night. Cannon's Cross gets 8/10. And both are highly recommended by this Starving Student.
Matt's verdict:
Ever notice how only a portion of the wings you get on a plate of wings are actually wings? In fact, I'd say that the best wings aren't the real wings, but rather the other wings that don't look like wings but pass as wings. They just seem meatier. Still, it makes you wonder what part of the chicken these non-wing wings actually come from.
They look like mini-legs more than wings, unless they're a part of the wing that I don't really know much about. My belief is that people who assemble the groupings of wings basically just 'wing it'.
And, for those of you who felt a sudden twinging at my developing an entire paragraph just to end on a remarkably dumb pun -- never fear! You'll soon be awing at the swinging wingding that formed our recent lawings.
As indicated above, our adventure this week revolves around those shamelessly dark places of the world we call pubs (or bars, or taverns, or local watering holes, whatever term you fancy). With the onset of summer, we decided we would aim our youthfully famished taste buds at the local wing night trade.
Of course, the only true way to review wing nights within an area is to enjoy more than one and compare. Initially, we thought about going to at least three wing nights, but circumstances changed our minds. In the end, we decided to visit two spots only -- Cannon's Cross and the Fire House Lounge.
I should probably clarify what type of circumstances prompted us to change our plans. You see, wings are not exactly the most complex dish. They generally come pre-battered and ready to be tossed in the fryer. Add a little sauce, toss em in a basket, et voila -- you've got yourself a wing night. With that said, a difference in the quality of wings from one place to the next tends to be rather minimal. Though, I wouldn't say that the wings at Cannon's Cross were exactly the same as those at the Fire House, they were not so very far off as to warrant any form of lengthy description.
Thankfully, there's something that seems perhaps particularly important where wing nights are concerned -- ambiance.
When I picture a wing night, I picture a group of old friends sitting around, ordering a few drinks and talking until their posteriors get too sore remain any longer on the wooden pub seats.
If they're male, which, let's face it, they probably are, then this frolicking might also suffer from unfortunate displays of macho-ness. There's always that one guy who believes that devouring half the population of the nearest poultry farm is a spectacular idea. That is, as long as all his friends watch him do it.
With that said, Cannon's Cross was definitely my favourite with regards to wing night ambiance. The Fire House Lounge is an OK place, but it doesn't have the sheer dionysian feel of a place like Cannon's Cross. Mind you, this would certainly depend on what you're personally looking for. "The Cross" is what you might consider a typical shadowy pub dive -- the type of place that basks in an aura of abandon and mystery. The Fire House, on the other hand, is rather more reminiscent of Cheers (without Norm and Cliff, which would have easily merited a 10 on 10 rating!)
At the Fire House, everybody may quite possibly know your name, whereas, at the Cross, not knowing everyone's name is really part of the charm.
As far as the actual food goes, both the offered sauce options and the wings themselves were largely similar. However, I would advise you to ask for your "sauce on the side" lest you end up with something more akin to wing soup, as I did on our first stop. It should definitely be noted, however, that the Fire House Lounge had the better price at 30 cents per wing (I took 24 for $7.20 total) compared to 45 cents per wing at Cannon's Cross (where I got 20 for $9). Also, Cannon's Cross is on the north side, while the Fire House can easily be reached by bus (support public transportation).
Both are strong points in favour of the Fire House, but I still feel the need to tip my hat furthest to the Cross. Overall, I give the Fire House Lounge 6/10 and Cannon's Cross 8/10, but I would suggest you try them both out and decide for yourself.
Cheers.
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