Meaty Monday: Ale Emporium excellence
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Wings don't get much better than this. Photo: Justin L. Mack/Axios
As I continue my quest to devour some of Indy's best buffalo wings on the road to the Kendrick Lamar concert — err, Super Bowl LIX — I had to swing by a spot with a vaunted wing reputation that extends far beyond the Circle City.
Wings of the week: Ale Emporium.
What I ordered: Traditional bone-in coated with Ale Emporium's "wild" sauce, which is their equivalent to hot buffalo.
- I added a side of ranch, blue cheese and their (fantastic) tater tots to round out the meal.
My take: 4.5 out of 5 flats. Basically the perfect buffalo wing, but not quite.
- Big and juicy are the first words that come to mind.
- The only knock against them was the sauce. Fantastic flavor from start to finish, but lacking punch.
- I'm a stickler when it comes to spicy food, and while it may say "wild" on the menu, it was mild in my mouth.
Yes, but: If you can't take the heat, feel free to round up my score.
Zoom in: As good as those wings were, they're not the wings that have kept Ale Emporium devotees flying through the doors for more than 40 years.
- Their signature sauces are the four varieties of "Herman" sauces, all described as including a secret blend of pepper, spaces and the Ale's secret sauce.
- The "Hermaican" sauce which takes that combo and adds Caribbean jerk seasoning is my personal favorite.
Real cost per wing: A snack order gets you six wings for $12, making each wing $2 each.
If you go: 8617 Allisonville Road is the original location. Ale Emporium also has locations in Fishers and Greenwood.
- The Indianapolis location is open 11am-midnight Monday-Thursday; 11am-1am Friday-Saturday; and 11am-11pm Sunday.
- The kitchen closes one hour before closing every day except Sunday.