Engine No. 9
Sriracha Crusted Hot Wings – 10 Jumbo Wings marinated then golden fried and tossed with Sriracha and Voodoo Hot Sauce
Crispy Duck Wings – 6 Tender Drummettes fried crispy served with Sesame Garlic and Wing Dipping Sauce
Having just watched the Buckeyes defeat the Team from Up North it was onward to St. Pete’s that my buddy and I drove; a Florida upset of Seminoles not in the cards but a seat at the bar of Engine No. 9 providing a perfect vantage of the proceedings while two plates of wings served as an admirable pre-dinner snack.
Technically a hockey bar, with Esposito jerseys framed along the wall, but clearly a place for football on Rivalry Weekend it was to a smiling bartender that we were greeted on arrival and with my friend opting for two bottles of beer while I stuck to water it was with some regret that we passed on some of South Florida’s most interesting sounding burgers, particularly as dinner at Z Grille left us both feeling quite flat.
Said by some to be some of the city’s best bar snack, and trumpeted by my friend to be ‘not that hot,’ it was with a plate of 10 nicely brined chicken wings that the tasting began and although Sriracha has become quite overrated in recent times it would be difficult to deny that the acidic tang and restrained spice was an upgrade on more Tabasco-laden flavors, particularly with a helping of bleu cheese studded ranch alongside to further cool things off.
Onward to more interesting things, it was at my behest that a half-dozen confit style duck legs arrived and featuring a significant uptick in crispiness atop supple, pink flesh the subtle gamey flavor of the fowl was allowed to shine – a great show of confidence for a dish so often marred by sweetness, though a duo of sauces were provided in sidecars for those who prefer such things.
http://www.no9burgers.com
