The Half Shell
688 S Mendenhall Rd
Memphis, TN 38117
(901) 682-3966

Half Shell gets major points for serving a full menu at hours when other restaurants in the area are no longer open. Monday through Saturday you can order anything you desire until 2am. On Sundays the kitchen closes at 1am. This how I ended up at the Half Shell in the first place. Where else am I going to get hot wings in east Memphis at 11:30 on Sunday night?

This was my first visit to Half Shell and I have to say I was pretty impressed with the variety of items on the menu. Oysters, salads, sandwiches, and entrees galore. Something for everyone… even late. I already had my mouth set for hot wings (go figure) so that’s what I ordered. For $8.25 you get 12 wings, half flats and half drummies, served with celery and home-made dressing.

The wing pieces were disappointingly small. The flavor was good and the heat was mild. I prefer wing sauce that is a bit hotter. The blue cheese dressing was really great, and for me, it actually made the mediocre wings a bit more enjoyable. I would visit Half Shell again but I would order some thing other than wings. A salad with home-made blue cheese dressing, perhaps

Rating: **

Broadway Pizza House
2581 Broad Ave
Memphis, TN 38112
(901) 454-7930

I visited Broadway Pizza House during the New Face for a New Broad event a while back. There is a movement going on to transform the formally shabby block on Broad Avenue into a cool, artsy area and that’s what this event was all about.  I was hungry and lucky for me Broadway Pizza House was open and serving hot wings.  This restaurant is not new and it has a loyal following of customers who love their pizza.

I ordered 4 whole wings, hot, for the reasonable price of &4.99. The wings come with fries which I knew I would not eat so I asked for extra blue cheese dressing instead.  I was a little disappointed that the wings did not come with celery and when I asked I was told that they didn’t have any in the restaurant.

The server warned me that the hot wings would be very hot.  ”Do you like hot wings,” she asked.  While I waited for my order to arrive the owner stopped by my table and talked for a while.  He as very kind and told me a bit of history about the place.  He also warned me that the wings would be hot.  ”Are you sure you don’t want the Honey Hot, the hot wings are very hot.”  I told him that I thought I could handle it.  ”Let me get you some more water,” was his reply.
The wings were solid.  They were not too hot and after all of the fuss I was kinda surprised.  Maybe they unintentionally prepared them less hot than usual.I could tell that there was a pinch of sugar in the sauce because they were ever so slightly sticky.  The owner and server both seemed shocked that I finished the four wings with out breaking a sweat.  Funny!  Sorry I don’t have a picture of these wings.

Rating: ***  Solid.  I would order these wings again.