The Taste Bud: Blind-Sided by The Back Door’s Burner Wings

Burner wings at The Back Door. Delicious, although not quite what I was expecting. Photo by Kevin Gibson

My first-ever visit to The Back Door, the quintessential neighborhood dive in the rear of the Mid-City Mall, was in 1989. It would be the first of many, many such visits over the decades, during which I would eat plenty of the Back Burner Grill fare, from Back Door Bombers (spicy wontons) to wings to the gigantic plate of nachos that are perfect for a large group looking to soak up some of the buzz from their uncommonly strong Back Door cocktails.

But I had never tried the Burner wings, those listed as the hottest on the scale of Buffalo wings on the menu. As in: mild, medium, hot and Burner. There also are other sauces, such as teriyaki, sweet chili and chipotle honey lime, but my obsession with ultra-hot foods prompted me to finally take a step past the standard hot flavor of wings.

I assumed that what I would get would be ten wings, always sizable and well cooked, with a sauce that was just another step up in the Buffalo family. Instead, what my bartender served me was a pile of wings that were topped with some sort of … salsa? It was a bright orange with bits of green and seeds. Lots of seeds. I tasted it and the flavor of habanero slapped me across the lips.

“Is this, like, a habanero slaw?” I asked the bartender, Ansel. He confirmed that it was basically just minced habanero and jalapeno peppers atop hot-level wings. Another bite, and I fully believed him. The heat wasn’t searing — at least not at first — but it was present, mixed in with the fresh, bright flavors of the peppers.

In addition to the … slaw/salsa/pico/whatever it is, there was about an eighth of an inch of juice at the bottom of the basket of wings, with the chicken essentially soaking in it. Absorbing it. These already “hot” wings were lounging in a heat bath, getting gradually spicier as I ate.

I got through about three wings uneventfully, but after getting a few bites of chicken with not only the hot Buffalo sauce but also big doses of the habanero relish — that’s the word I was looking for: relish! — the habaneros, not to mention all those sneaky-hot seeds, began to creep up on my palate and establish a stronghold. My head started to sweat. My eyes began to water slightly. My lips sizzled, and a capsaicin-fueled fire began to build in the back of my throat and tongue. Off in the distance, I think I heard the color purple.

Because I’m me, I rolled the next wing in the spicy juice, then scooped up the relish that had fallen off in the process, and took another bite. Wow. Delicious, for sure. But wow. Still, I pressed on, and when I finished off wing number six, I decided I had better call it a meal. I do believe I could have finished all ten in that sitting, but my buddy Greg and I were on our way to see “The Flash” after our wings. I decided to pull back to better enjoy the movie and also to hopefully to minimize the inevitable next-day ring sting. (Note regarding the latter: It didn’t work.)

Ansel seemed to wear a slight smirk as I asked him for a to-go box for the remainder of my wings and relish. As I moved my leftovers into the Styrofoam container, I told Greg, who had perhaps more wisely opted for the garlic barbecue wings, “I just want to eat this relish with tortilla chips.” He agreed with my logic.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. And two days later as I write this, the leftovers are still in my refrigerator, awaiting my return. I plan to wrap them in aluminum foil and warm the whole concoction in the oven to finish off those last four wings. But I plan this knowing full well that those wings have been soaking up the juice from the habaneros and jalapenos for 48 hours and counting. Oh boy.

Nevertheless, it was a great experience. If you’re a pepperhead, I heartily recommend giving The Back Door’s burner wings a try. If not, well, stick with the mild wings. You’ll be much happier.