Chicken wings
DUNWOODY
Mix and match your sauces here (there are 19 of them) to create a signature wing experience. Most customers pair one of the hot sauces with lemon pepper or ranch, but options and combos are virtually limitless. The secret to a perfect wing? "Knowing when to pull them out of the oil," says manager Rajonne Edwards. "They take about 15 minutes to go from raw to cooked, but beyond that, it's just a feel for knowing when they're going to be too soft or too crispy."
$5.83 for a six-wing combo with fries. 2146 Johnson Ferry Road, Dunwoody, and other locations. 770-455-4233, www.wingranch.com.
KENNESAW
Rick's Hot Wings
They're not battered, just dropped into hot veggie oil and fried au naturale. Lemon pepper is the way to go here, and owner Kenny Patel, whose family works the joint, recommends them wholeheartedly. But the classic mild, medium, hot and "real" hot (as Patel calls them) are also winners. Ten sauce flavors are offered.
$4.99 for five pieces. 3103 Cobb Parkway, Kennesaw. 678-453-4343, rickshotwings.com.
DOWNTOWN
J.R. Crickets
This Atlanta go-to place for original Buffalo, N.Y.-style wings has been open since 1982. If you're a first-timer, manager Chris Carpenter recommends the "Fester," a mixture of lemon pepper with hot, medium or mild sauce. Nine sauce options include teriyaki, barbecue and three-mile island.
$7.87 for 10 wings, with fries or celery. 631 Spring St., Atlanta and other locations. 404-881-1950, www.jrcrickets.com.
PONCEY-HIGHLAND
They make this easy for you. There's only one sauce, a crowd-pleasing medium, but you can ask the kitchen to bump up the heat. It's not on the menu, but they'll also branch out into lemon pepper wings, if you ask. Like everything at Manuel's, it's not fancy, but it works. Served with blue cheese and celery.
$6.95 for 10 pieces, $12.95 for 20. 602 N. Highland Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-525-3447, www.manuelstavern.com.
— Lynn Peisner
