On Tuesday, whilst on our way to the Mad Miss Mimic launch, Ro and I had dinner at Whelan’s Gate. The main floor is tiny (though the upstairs is much bigger), but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in taste.
Don’t let the short menu fool you: the food was, in a word, delicious.
We had two different types of chicken wings:
This one, which I ordered, is the South Carolina BBQ Wings, featuring mustard scotch bonnet sauce. It was lightly breaded and had a kick to it (courtesy of the scotch bonnet peppers). It was crispy and the batter wasn’t overwhelming. I also liked that it was full wings – with the weird pointy tip – and not just half a wing (or small drumstick), like you would normally get.
Ro got the Hunters Whole Wings which were coated in herbed barbecue sauce, spicy ranch, and parmesan. Again, the coating was light yet flavourful, and the addition of the parmesan kicked it up a notch.
We got the crispy fried cauliflower on the side; the bottom of the dish is full of blue cheese mayo and it was a tangy delight.
We tried Brickworks Cider, which was the only cider they had on tap. It’s a (relatively) local dry cider and, while it has the colour of straight apple juice, it was surprisingly good. The Brickworks website describes it as a “UK style cider”, and, as someone who drinks her fair share of UK-based ciders, I definitely agree.
We were the only ones in the pub at that time (it was before 6pm on a Tuesday, so we weren’t shocked by the lack of people), and the waitress was super nice and very accommodating. Plus they had a solid playlist, which added to the casual atmosphere.
Final verdict: Very satisfied! Those were some of the best chicken wings I’ve ever had (both types!) and the cauliflower was an excellent side. The portions were also bigger than expected and everything was very fresh (and possibly local? I can’t remember). If we weren’t on our way to an actual event, we probably would have stayed longer (and had a few more drinks – their cocktails sound fascinating). It’s a bit out of the way – it’s just off the subway line, but pretty much in the middle of nowhere – and it’d probably be worth the trek once in a while.
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