Eat This Now: The “Naked” Wings at Slater’s 50/50

There was news a few months ago that all locations of Slater’s 50/50—the OC-bred burger chain that famously offered a half-bacon-half-beef patty and became a darling of TV shows that features that sort of thing—were being sold. Some, like me, took it to mean that they would close permanently. But when I went to the original Anaheim Hills location to investigate, it was as if nothing had happened. The restaurant was as busy as I’d ever seen it. In fact, when I asked our waitress about the sale, she said that although there was indeed a change in ownership, everything remains the same.

Since the signature 50/50 burger wasn’t going anywhere, I decided to try something different for my lunch: the “Deconstructed Guacamole” and the wings. I should’ve known that a guacamole “deconstructed” really only meant I was going to get a plate of sliced avocado—something I couldn’t scoop up with a chip until I put in a little elbow grease to mash and combine it with the drenching of salad dressing.

The wings, on the other hand, actually benefitted from being “deconstructed.” That is, I asked for it to not be sauced, which turned out to be a good decision. It was fried fresh, served hot, and didn’t need any the embellishment or the distraction of the Buffalo Lime or the Thai Sriracha. Crisp, lightly battered, and juicy, they were the best example of restraint in a restaurant not really known for it.

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