Some Super suggestions for your big-game gathering.
Pizza
All of the big boys will be advertising their special deals, but why not put some local pies on your spread to make it even more special? Here are a couple of special places to help:
Raimondo°®¶¹app™s, 2608 W. State Blvd.: The pizzas are all great (try the white pizza with ricotta cheese, sausage, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and parsley, trust me), but a must-have for me would be the bacon-wrapped jalapeno and sausage poppers. They are the best poppers around and reheat beautifully. I also would love to attend a party spread featuring a big tray of its fabulous Cindy°®¶¹app™s Salad with its buttermilk dressing.
Oley°®¶¹app™s Pizza Shoppe, 1427 Coliseum Blvd. N.: Double-crust, cheese-stuffed deliciousness never disappoints. Get a few of the 16-inch pies, called Big 10s because they weigh about 10 pounds when loaded with toppings, and put your guests in a food coma before halftime.
Wings
Wings do not travel well, but if you know a good way to keep their quality, here are the places I would order them from:
Tower Bar & Grill, 2407 W. State Blvd: The Tower°®¶¹app™s method of frying and grilling wings before saucing makes them much better than your standard fried wing. I suggest getting them °®¶¹app“ and any takeout wings for that matter °®¶¹app“ naked with sauces on the side so you can reheat without negatively affecting the saucy exterior.
Buffalo Wings & Ribs, 6439 W. Jefferson Blvd. and 4636 Coldwater Road: Though always a solid option for wings, don°®¶¹app™t hesitate to order some ribs, too, and be aware that those ribs can be sauced with as many varieties as the wings.
Souper Bowl?
If you take part in one of those soup parties on the day of the big game, here are a couple of places that have versions that will fool the rest of the crowd into thinking yours is homemade.
Buffalo Wings and Ribs: Yes, this place again. The best chicken noodle soup in town can be ordered by the quart. Call ahead to reserve it as it is always in demand.
Fort Wayne°®¶¹app™s Famous Coney Island, 131 W. Main: Though this legendary spot won°®¶¹app™t sell its Coney sauce in bulk to go, you can get the chili that way. Not only can you serve it as is, but it also makes for a pretty good hot dog topping. With shredded cheese, onions and other accoutrements, your guests will have great options.
BBQ
Just as the chili option allows for diverse spreads, barbecue can be ordered in bulk at most places. It can also be presented in multiple ways with pulled pork, chicken or even brisket that can be used for sandwiches, tacos, nachos or bowls (with rice, beans and/or mac and cheese). A walking brisket taco made with a bag of Fritos sounds like a great idea.
Lucille°®¶¹app™s, 9011 Lima Road and 7225 Maplecrest Road: Aside from meat trays, smoked and grilled wings can be ordered in bulk and served with multiple sauce options. I would suggest getting a pan of smoked poblano mac and cheese to serve as a base for bowls. The fixins can include house beans or spicy Texas pinto beans and white cheddar corn.
Shigs In Pit, 3 locations in city: Shigs has a full catering menu with package deals that makes it easy. Mac and cheese, beans, meats and many other sides are offered. And if you want to make fewer stops, Shigs also offers hors d°®¶¹app™oeuvres in bulk such as vegetable trays, tortilla pinwheels and even fruit trays.
Dessert
Does anyone even think of sweets when it comes to Super Bowl food? Well, if you do, here are a couple of hand-held options that will score big points:
Nolt°®¶¹app™s Marketplace, 10370 Leo Road: Though it is not open on Sunday, head in on Saturday or even Friday to ensure you can get a few boxes of this Amish store°®¶¹app™s scrumptious little affordable treats. From apple to lemon, all are fabulous with peach being my favorite.
New Haven Bakery, 915 Lincoln Highway, New Haven: Orders can be made ahead of time here for scrumptious cookies (or doughnuts if you roll like me and love doughnuts any time of day). The nutty little Mexican wedding cakes are my go-to and can be ordered by the pound. Since they are coated in powdered sugar, your guests will need some wet wipes afterward, but those should already be laid out for wings, anyway!
Ryan DuVall is a restaurant critic for °®¶¹app. °®¶¹app pays for all meals. Email him at rduvall@jg.net; call at 461-8130. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram @DiningOutDuVall.
