By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
East Coast Wings & Grill, which opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Salisbury, has a heat index for its buffalo-styled chicken wings.
The nine increasing steps in temperature include virgin, mild, medium, hot, X-hot, volcanic, lava flow and magma.
By the time you get to magma, “you’re getting blisters,” the East Coast menu says.
But there’s actually a level of heat above magma called the “ECW Insanity.”
This super-hot wing ó there’s only one ó comes in its own special package for $1.29.
The patrons brave enough to tackle the insanity wing earn a place (photograph included) on the restaurant’s “Wall of Flame.” Many don’t get past the first bite.
While “America’s best wings” are the bread and butter behind the new franchise restaurant ó No. 13 in the chain ó East Coast Wings & Grill also serves up buffalo fingers, buffalo shrimp, quesadillas, burgers, sandwiches, ribs, salads, wraps, other specialties, desserts and beverages.
The restaurant will have a full bar, including domestic and imported beers.
East Coast Wings is easy to find. It’s located in the store space next to Lowe’s Home Improvement in the Innes Street Market at 221 Faith Road. The spot used to be home for the Dollar Tree, which moved across the vast parking lot to where Pier 1 Imports once was.
The restaurant seats up to 145, employs about 30 and is open every day.
Brandon Hiatt, Scott Hudson and Michael Burkhart are the partners behind this Salisbury franchise. Hiatt, 25, is a West Rowan High graduate and former IHOP employee, while Hudson and Burkhart are brothers-in-law who live in Davidson County.
Burkhart also has owned an East Coast Wings & Grill restaurant in Archdale for four years. The chain itself, founded in 1995, is based in Winston-Salem.
Hiatt says the restaurant will offer a family-oriented atmosphere with generous food portions at competitive prices.
“What we have to offer can feed the whole family for a great bargain,” he says.
In April, East Coast Wings & Grill will be offering a $4.99 lunch special, which will include an entree, drink and side. The price will increase to $5.99 in May.
Work on the restaurant began in late December.
East Coast has 75 different flavors of buffalo wings and shrimp and some 675 plate combinations.
The patrons taking on the Insanity wing must be at least 18 years old and are required to sign a disclaimer, acknowledging that they have all of their senses before biting into the hot wing.
Chances are they won’t have all their senses afterwards.
The folks in the kitchen who prepare the Insanity wings apparently wear industrial gloves when the sauce is applied.
“It is certainly hot,” says Karyn Burkhart, wife of one of the owners.
East Coast Wings & Grill, located in the Innes Street Market at 211 Faith Road, will be open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon-9 p.m. Sunday.