Tag: Wings

Iowa Eats: Dog House Lounge; Dubuque, IA

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The age old foodie question that elicits many responses…who has the best (insert food) around? Well, today, I’m going to try to give you, the reader, some insight on the food question of who has the best WINGS around?

It seems that every restaurant these days has wings on the menu, and there are some very good ones, some not so good, and some terrible. My top wings list is still being compiled as I write this, there are some places that I do frequent that has excellent wings; Big Grove Solon, Old Neighborhood Pub, Club 76, Tornados, and a few more, but the latest and definitely a Top 5 contender takes us to Dubuque, Iowa and the Dog House Lounge.

The Dog House Lounge (1646 Asbury Rd.) has been opened since 1971 and has just changed up their menu. Known for their “carmichael” sandwich, (seasoned beef patty with Swiss and American cheese, similar to a burger), the Dog House has really amped their wing game. Many made in house flavors with different levels of heat and also some dry rub options as well, the Dog House has to be Dubuque’s destination for wings and maybe even be an Iowa destination for wings. On one occasion I was flanked by a friend of mine and my brother, both astute in the way of the wing, and all three of us were left waiting for the next time we can meet up and hammer some more wings! Onto the wings:

WING SAUCE #1 Raspberry Jalapeno – there was one worry with this wing and that was if it was going to be too sweet….far from it, jalapeno and raspberry compliment each other very well and a bit of spice and sweet were the perfect balance. The crispiness of the wings cannot be understated, perfectly cooked, nothing worse than a rubbery, mushy wing, Dog House has mastered the crunch and crispness of their wings. I would be hard pressed not to order the raspberry jalapeno wings on every visit. Terrific wing!

WING SAUCE #2 Hot Yaki -Asian flavors work so well in pretty much any protein and especially with wings. The sugar content makes for a sticky and super crunchy texture, not to mention absolute umami deliciousness. This was a very enjoyable wing, especially if you’re craving Asian flavors.

WING SAUCE #3 Tropical Habanero – I wanted to get lit up a bit with this one, although the flavors were superb, they weren’t has hot as I anticipated…which is ok…the habanero was subtle on the back of the tongue and once again the sweet and heat played perfectly. Another great textured wing. Let’s not forget to mention the house made blue cheese, absolutely delicious!

OVERALL: The Dog House is one of the best spots in Iowa for wings, no question about it. The rest of the menu items looked delicious as well, but wings will always be the staple. A Top 5 wing candidate for sure and I can’t wait to get back! I would love to hear your thoughts on Dog House or even recommendations on where to get some excellent wings! If you’re in or around Dubuque, make sure to check this place out! Cheers!

Iowa Eats: Sacred Cow Tavern; Cedar Rapids, IA

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It’s always fun when you are traveling through a big town or city and see a random restaurant/bar/tavern pop up on a neighborhood corner far seemingly far removed from the chains that have taken over main drag USA. Heading down a street in the Oak Hill Jackson neighborhood in downtown Cedar Rapids and seeing a lovely sign of a cow with a halo over its head was a welcomed sight! Sacred Cow Tavern was calling my name and I couldn’t wait to answer!

Opened in October of 2022 as a the brainchild of the FNF restaurant group, this restaurant has quite a history, including being a church a few different times! This restaurant group is known for a wide range of food items that can satisfy any diet and they’ve done an amazing job incorporating vegan/vegetarian dishes to be part of their main menu as well. Appetizers, smash burgers, sandwiches, wings, salads and much more with a wonderfully revamped image of those dishes and executed perfectly as well as their vegan/vegetarian options that are more than just a black bean burger, this menu is packed with flavor.

The ambiance upon walking in gives you complete comfort, a homey vibe and a place where you don’t necessarily want to leave. First point of order….BEER…..need to check out the beer menu. Although Sacred Cow does not have any tap beer, they do offer a variety of cans from local breweries plus a fully stocked bar for mixers and wine. I went light, a Backpocket 319 lager, knowing that I was going to be putting some food away.

It was restaurant week and so, like many other local establishments, Sacred Cow had a few specials that they were advertising. One special was Elote Chicken Wings. If you’re not familiar with elote, it’s a popular Mexican street dish of corn on the cob slathered in mayo/cream sauce dusted with chili powder and cilantro. Sacred Cow took the sauce dimension, added some grilled corn and cilantro to their extremely crispy chicken wings and final result were some of the best and most creative wings I’ve had! Hoping these find their way to the menu!

The other special item for “Restaurant Week” was a walking taco smashburger. I’m a lover all of kinds of burgers and smashburgers are always hard to pass up, add walking taco ingredients to it and I’m sold. A smashed patty, perfectly cooked, topped with cheese, doritos, a cilantro lime crema and lettuce was more than a mouthful in every bite! Excellent burger, something I would order again.

Overall, this is a place I hope to be a patron of for a long time to come and I hope many more neighborhood bars begin popping up in our area. Sacred Cow Tavern is definitely a welcoming place for any and all! Cheers!