I got to Buffalo Wild Wings before noon for the first time before noon today. I finally got my butt up, showered almost right away, then drove to Clay County to shop at Price Chopper. I took the long way back to Barry Road, going I-35 south to I-29 north. I stopped for gas at the 7-11 on NE Antioch, and did my good deed for the day by helping a gentleman figure out how to get the gas pump in his tank, which did not have a gas cap. It was one of those “easy fuel” tanks where you just insert the pump. 

I have decided I will not eat wings during Lent. I do not like “boneless” wings (an oxymoron); the only time I eat them is when they are half-price at Buffalo Wild Wings. No more. Why the hell did I fool with boneless so long? They’re nothing more than glorified chicken nuggets in sauce. If I want them that bad, I can go to McDonald’s and then use a bottle of B-Dubs sauce. 

Besides, I’ve got other options for fried chicken in Kansas City. Popeye’s is across Barry Road from B-Dubs (albeit it’s always crowded), and now Zaxby’s is open in Liberty in front of Price Chopper. 

I’ve tired of the traditional wings too. You can only cycle through the sauces so many times. Also, there are some I refuse to eat: Sweet BBQ, Teryaki, Honey Mustard,  Honey BBQ, Wild, Mango Habanero and Blazin are all out for me. 

Last week in Salina I got a combination I had never ordered before: Mild and Hot BBQ. I’ll only order BBQ flavored sauces when I’m not in Kansas City, and only hot BBQ is decent. 

I have never understood why so many people order honey BBQ in Kansas City. If I wanted BBQ, I am not going to Buffalo Wild Wings in Kansas City. Not with Arthur Bryant’s, Gates, Jack Stack and Joe’s all there. 

Sweet BBQ sounds like a kiddie sauce. Teryaki? Only if I’m eating sushi or ahi tuna. Honey Mustard? Great on fried chicken, not on wings. Wild and Blazin are way, way, way too hot. Hot is the farthest I’ll go on the traditional buffalo-flavored sauces. 

Mango Habanero sounds disgusting, and it really is. I tried it once four years ago and I said never, ever again. NEVER. 

My sauce rankings (at least among those I eat): 

1. Medium; 2. Spicy Garlic; 3. Thai Curry; 4. Hot; 5. Mild; 6. Parmesan Garlic; 7. Asian Zing; 8. Hot BBQ

All of those sauces pale in comparison to the wings I ate at Ivar’s in Baton Rouge. Ivar’s sauce was perfect: not too hot, not too mild. It was somewhere between medium and hot at Buffalo Wild Wings. PERFECT. Lovely orange color. I could eat 50 of those in one sitting if I were really hungry. 

The other thing I miss at Ivar’s is the oyster po-boy (The Pearl). What I wouldn’t give for one right now. 

Today was easy to avoid wings due to it being a Friday; I ordered popcorn shrimp. Yesterday I had the southwest Philly (pico and queso with chopped steak). 

Buffalo Wild Wings has what they call a “Bayou Po-Boy” with shrimp. Three major problems: (1) it’s popcorn shrimp, and the po-boys in New Orleans are made with larger shrimp; (2) the bread isn’t authentic French bread, but instead a hoagie roll; and (3) it has coleslaw. I don’t like coleslaw, and NOBODY in New Orleans puts coleslaw on a po-boy, at least sane people. Last I checked, a dressed po-boy in New Orleans is lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard and mayo. No coleslaw! 

Minsky’s got really interesting by the end of my evening last night. A husband of one of the employees showed up with another couple, and the two men were going back and forth, using the F word or some form of it every fourth word it seemed like. I glanced back at them once, but mostly I was turned away from them, looking at the screen while playing trivia. 

If I go tonight, no Italian sausage on my pizza or calzone, but that’s no big deal. There are more than enough good veggies to be enjoyed. And they have shrimp alfredo pizza and calzone too. I’m probably going there after Robb and Dawn leave B-Dubs today.  

Laptop held up last night and this morning. Knock on wood and fingers crossed. 

Norton’s boys play in Russell tonight. I feel bad if anyone from the Cox family shows up and I’m not there, but Peggy told me it’s fine. Maybe I’ll go to Hutchinson next week if the Bluejays qualify for the Class 3A state tournament. In the past I covered the basketball sub-state tournaments, but no more. I don’t miss it. Less trouble. 

I’m now the lone customer at the bar. Been there before 😂