I don't know how to start or where to start...I am still speechless to say the least... trying to absorb what just happened. Ok, I will get straight to the chase and right into the details of things. Let me start by saying that I was a happier customer at Lord of the Wings before they decided to change things around. During my last visit to Lord of the Wings, I gave the place 80/100, I couldn't help but express my admiration for this innovative concept that serves the best wings in town and 'back then' great burgers. My recent experience was way different...
The Lord of the Wings is a an original Lebanese concept. Starting with the concept idea up to the development of the space, the menu... we should be proud. Lord of the Wings is an upscale of an American diner without imitating any other concept out there. Their idea was innovative and their food was even great... Hence, the reason I am shocked after trying their new menu.
... and I quote, in April 2012: Lord of the Wings, in addition to its signature wings concept, where you have the choice to choose between more than 13 different flavors and three different types of wings has delicious mouthwatering and exquisite burgers. I order them every time I go. The special thing about it as well is that you build up your own burger choosing the bread, the type of cheese, the side salads the sauces, the meat and more. You end up eating what you feel like eating and not how the chef see it.
Together with three of my close friends, food aficionados and fans of Lord of the Wings, we went for an early dinner in their Gemmayze branch. My friends know the NoGarlicNoOnions rules: Order one or two items from every section on the menu - this way so we can fairly judge.
Attached to the well known clipboard, is a new menu. The Lord of the Wings has changed their simple yet creative menu into a full fledged diner menu with more items. I still like the idea of the menu stuck to a clipboard. Read, choose, tick and order. But unfortunately, the new menu launched three weeks ago still requires work.
The place described:
- A long corridor shaped restaurant with an open kitchen at its very end
- White shimmer tiles cover the floor
- Wooden tables fill in the space on both sides of the alley
- Green leather sofas, signature characteristic of the place since the restaurant first opened
- Four different placemats cover all the tables. A new addition to the setup with the menu items featured on them
- A mirror displayed on the right wall makes the place look bigger
- Light wooden panels cover the left wall. But they lack character
- A bar to the right serves drinks and draft refreshments
- A glass chandelier in the middle of the restaurant is the signature decorative item adding the needed style
- An open kitchen at the end lets you know that everything is freshly prepared
The menu:
- Individual and shareable appetizers
- Go for greens
- Wings
- The sauceology index (15 signature sauces)
- Better burgers
- Sastifying platters
- Desserts
The wings flavors are: Spirachi, Buffalo Hot & Spicy, Korean BBQ, Buffalo Mild, Citrus Pepper, Sweet Chili, Buffalo Hot, Buffalo Suicide, BBQ Classic, BBQ Smoky, BBQ Honey, Honey Mustard, Teriyaki, Garlic Parmesan and Garlic Garlic.
We ordered:
- Traditional Poutine 12,000L.L (straight from Quebec, hand-cut-skin-on-fries, topped with gravy and premium cheese) Adequately fried frozen fries are covered with yellow cheese and a reasonable quantity of gravy which allows you to feel the crunchiness of the fries and enjoy the gravy at the same time. I enjoyed the commercial aspect of this plate. It is tasty and unique at the same time. I enjoyed it
- All Natural Quinoa 16,500L.L (The tricolor super gain salad with cherry tomato, avocado, cranberry, cucumber, red onion and mint, in a subtle orange lemon dressing healthy never tasted that good) Let's start. The presentation is not mouthwatering while the taste requires improvement on all levels. The quinoa is overcooked with an unpleasant borghol texture and filled with a strong lemony sauce like the tabbouleh mix, while the crunch of the cucumbers spoil the whole experience. Not only that... To top things off, you will have to you battle with the dried cranberries while trying to remove them of your teeth
- Traditional Wings (succulent to the bone, never breaded! Just tossed in your favorite sauce and bursting in flavor!) Wings are the best thing I had tonight. Served with cucumbers and carrots, fresh, perfectly cooked, juicy, beautifully presented, generous and accompanied by unique tasty sauces no one else masters in town. Bravo!
- The American Burger 16,500L.L (on all-time favorite! Angus patty, American cheese, crisp iceberg, tomato, red onion, dill pickles and he be purged spread) Come on! Where did the tasty burger I used to have disappear? Everything is disproportionate in this burger. The thick crunchy and tomato slice is thicker than the meat, the huge slice of onion overpowers all other flavors, the lettuce, non crispy bacon and the thin over cooked meat that squeezes under your teeth like steak while the bun blocks all your tastebuds. The meat only occupies 10% of the ingredients and that is not good... at all. I think that the picture describes my feelings exactly!
- Big Bite Burger 22,500L.L (for those with a serious appetite! 2 Angus patties, sunny side up egg, grilled bacon, mayo spread all between two grilled cheese sandwiches) Trying to be innovative, this burger is served in a square shaped bread. The meat is over cooked and dry making it tasteless. Every bite is an over dose of cheddar cheese filled in a spongy bread, accompanied with a thin commercial dry piece of grey patty. You ask yourself: "Is that a cheddar cheese eggs burger or what? And to make things even worse, the eggs have a strong oily prominent and unpleasant flavor that covers all the other ingredients... Not convinced with this one
- The Club Sandwich 20,590L.L (the most popular sandwich since the 1800's! Grilled chicken salad, sunny side up egg, dressed with bacon, melted cheddar and tomato. Served with your choice of one side) All you see and all you taste are the eggs. Strong, thick, oily yellowish eggs... It should be named the eggs club. As for the chicken, it has an unpleasant chewy feel to it. I would personally remove the thick envelop around the bread that nobody usually eats
- Coleslaw Salad: It's warm and very sticky due to the excess amount of mayonnaise it contains. NO!
- The French fries are tasty, crunchy, non oily and fresh. Two thumbs up!
I personally was shocked with the food I had tonight; I stick to my guns when I say at Lord of the Wings it should be wings and nothing else...
Sadly the burgers were much better, the club sandwich has to be reconsidered and the salad was not one of the best I've had. I heard that they are using premium Angus Beef here... Are they really? Where? I certainly didn't feel it.
I was expecting much more and this is why the tone of dismay. It might be my personal opinion... Try it and let me know.
The bad:
- The plastic cups are too unpleasant to drink in. If you're using porcelain plates, why not use glass cups
- Service can be better and waiters can be more interactive
The good:
- The wings are really great
- The prices are reasonable
- I loved the thermometer on the menu with the 15 different flavors and their spiciness intensity
- The fries, skinny on fries and skin on fries are both tasty
- Poutine, even though different from the original Quebecois one, is nice
- I liked the presentation of the plates with the knife used as a structural support in the middle
