It is the moment of truth.
Only two competitors remain. The final round of voting has begun. Your vote this week will finally decide one of the most important questions of our time: Which restaurant serves the best wings in Delaware?
Since mid-March, we've put this question to the readers of Delaware Online/The News Journal in a single-elimination, bracketed tournament: Delaware Wing Madness has pitted wing against wing, tavern against restaurant all across the state. Thousands voted. And finally, from a field of 32 strong contenders, the field is down to two. Who will be the one wing to rule them all?
Is it Kid Shelleen's, or is it 2 Fat Guys?
Both are famous for their wings and ther burgers, and both are beloved decades-old institutions. And, well, the owners of the two restaurants also have known each other for years. So consider it a friendly, but dead-serious wingsport.
Having a hard time deciding? Voting begins today, but it doesn't finish until Saturday morning. You have plenty of time to visit Kid's and 2 Fat Guys before casting your wing ballot.
Scroll to the bottom, and click into the brackets, to cast your vote.
Delaware wing championship: Kid Shelleen's vs. 2 Fat Guys
Without ado, here are your competitors.
Kid Shelleen's Charcoal House and Saloon
1801 W. 14th St., Wilmington,302-658-4600;1812 Marsh Road, Brandywine Hundred, 302-308-3560, harryshospitalitygroup.com/kid-shelleens.
Kid Shelleen's has been serving wings since before many in Delaware had even encountered a hot wing. In 1989, Buffalo wings were still mostly just wings in Buffalo, New York.
To learn the craft of wings, owner Xavier Teixido, who also owns Harry's Savoy Grill, had to take a reconnaissance trip to Western New York during an Eagles away game, tasting every wing he could find. And when he returned to Delaware, he returned with secret wing knowledge.
Ever since, the wings at Kid Shelleen's have been some of the most beloved and distinctive in the state: large, tender, impossibly saucy and crispy. The wings are lightly dusted with seasoned flour, then fried not once but twice for maximum crackle before being tossed in the house hot sauce or flavors that rotate by the week.
The sauces may change, Teixido told us last week. "But the key is that texture," he said.
2 Fat Guys American Grill
701 Ace Memorial Drive, Hockessin,302-235-0333;2fatguys.net.
"If our wings aren't number one, I'll sell my restaurant," joked Jeff Cook in our previous round of competition. So far, so good.
Delaware food truck guide:
Cook is co-owner of Hockessin favorite 2 Fat Guys alongside partner Tom Craft. And for 20 years, they've been serving their trademark wings and burgers, with wildly inventive wing sauces that range from classic Buffalo-style hot sauce to poached-pear BBQ or a cult-favorite peanut butter and jelly.
Each 2 Fat Guys wing arrives lightly dusted with a 16-seasoning flour and cornstarch mixture for maximum crispiness and maximum flavor. The wing is roasted, then fried to a crackling texture that lets the sauce stick glisteningly to each wing without being over-sauced.
The rest of the story is the chicken itself, Cook said. The chicken is all fresh and local, Perdue or Mountaire. The wings and drums are medium-to-large, for the best ratio of meat to crispy surface area. Then you slather on that hot or mild or trademark Triple Play sauce, and "that's the magic."
Who will be Delaware Wing Champion?
All that's left to do is vote.
Will it be Wilmington or Hockessin? Kid Shelleen's or 2 Fat Guys? Who wins bragging rights as the best wing in Delaware — as determined only by you, the people of Delaware?
Simply click on the bracket below, then click on the wings you'd like to vote for.
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To hinder bots and hackers and the types of people who like to vote over and over, we ask voters to fill out a form identifying themselves — but feel free to opt out using the checkbox at the bottom of the form, if you don't want to receive any communications from us.
[Note that the wing brackets may not appear properly for users of the Delaware Online phone app: Instead, visit bit.ly/DEbestwings on your phone's Safari or Chrome browser.]
Delaware Wing Madness championship voting starts Wednesday, April 17, at 7 a.m., and goes until Saturday at 9 a.m. Let the best wing win!
Matthew Korfhage is business and development reporter in the Delaware region covering all the things that touch land and money.. A longtime food writer, he also tends to turn up with stories about tacos, oysters, beer and wings. Send tips and insults tomkorfhage@gannett.com.
