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Y! MyWebBar Review
Rooster's
Bar offers up a lot more than chicken wings
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
So, has anyone figured out which came first?
The chicken and the egg debate has waged on throughout the years, but when it comes to Bob and Connie Frick's vision right here in Dayton, the answer is actually a rooster.
Extras
Dumpster curly fries with melted cheddar, bacon bites, tomato, green onion, jalapeno with dressing.Rooster's
- WHERE: Three locations around town — call for hours. 3501 N Main St., Dayton; (937) 277-0114. 103 N. Springboro Pike, Miamisburg; (937) 433-4630 [Map]. 257 West Central Ave., Springboro; (937) 748-3017 [Map].
- ROOSTER'S WISDOM: "A hangover is the wrath of grapes." "Change is good, you go fi rst." "Don't take life too seriously — no one gets out alive."
- BEST BETS: Wings, Mac n Cheese Bites, Reuben or Philly Steak Sub and a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat beer to wash it all down.
- MORE INFO: www.roosterswings.com
- MORE: Reader ratings, complete profile
The Fricks opened their first Rooster's in 1988 here in Dayton, expanding into the Columbus area just a few years later.
Known for their chicken wings, the Fricks worked to perfect recipes and sauces during the early years.
With a slogan that reads, "a fun, casual joint," it sounded like a perfect stop for the Lounge Lizards.
Sauntering in late as people tend to do at fun, casual joints, we found a table near the back. Our knowledgeable server quickly greeted us and rattled off the list of beers on draft when we inquired.
Armed with a chilly, frothy companion, we began exploring the substantial Rooster's menu. Our server's suggestions of items not to miss included Wings (five pieces for $3.69, 10 pieces for $7.29 with celery and blue cheese for an extra 69 cents), Mac n Cheese Bites ($4.79), the Philly Steak Sub ($5.99) and Mini Corn Dogs ($3.29).
The Mac n Cheese Bites made us want to cock-a-doodle-doo from the rooftops. Sure, if you really pick it apart there's not much to it — deep-fried macaroni served with a side of sour cream — but what's not to love about that? Sometimes you need a little deep-fried cheese.
As for the rest of our selections, the wings stood up, the Mini Corn Dogs were exactly what they were billed as and the Philly Cheese Steak was robust, served with green peppers, onions, Mozzarella and Provolone cheeses and thick slices of moist beef.
Our second trip saw us making a visit to the Miamisburg location with a packed weekday parking lot greeting us. We entered, located a high-top table and settled in.
Craig ordered a 22-ounce AmberBock draft ($3.25) while Alexis opted for a lovely 22-ounce Sam Adams seasonal Cherry Wheat ($4.25) — a perfect summer treat.
Based on our server's suggestions and our cravings, we went with a large buffet that included Nachos With Cheese ($2.39), Peno Pepper Poppers ($4.59) and more Mac n Cheese Bites. For round two of our order, we requested a Reuben Sub ($5.99), a BBQ Chicken Pizza ($5.99) and more Wings (they're known for them, so it was a must).
Lest you think we pigged out, we'll have you know we pecked like chickens so that we could tell you all that Rooster's has to offer.
Still loved the Mac n Cheese. The Reuben, another hit, featured a marbled rye roll with thick, juicy slices of flavorful corn beef and a satisfying sauce-to-ingredients ratio. The Wings (we went with all drum sticks and would say the extra dollar charge is well worth it) were lukewarm, but flavorful. The BBQ sauce was saccharine with the sweet overpowering the meat. The mild and medium sauces are a good choice for those looking for something that balances well with the flavors from the protein. The pizza was OK, but maybe better to stick with some other options.
The Rooster's space is a comfortable one with light pine paneled walls decorated with neon and signs offering pearls of wisdom that are sure to be conversation starters. A variety of seating options are available including high-top tables, lower tables and a large bar area. Scattered throughout the space are numerous TVs playing different sporting events.
All in all, the Rooster's experience, like others, is greatly enhanced with the addition of a good server. The enthusiasm that we encountered at the North Main location was uncommon in many of our experiences, but desirable in all. It's amazing how a great server can make good food taste even better.
