Campus Culinary Landmark Lost…and a history lesson
Posted by CMH Gourmand on April 15, 2007
The first BW-3 opened on the OSU campus in 1982. It closed last year.
I have never been a big fan on their wings – but BW-3 wimpy wings are great way to deliver sauce. The campus BW-3 was a source of many of my college and early 20’s post college memories. It was often the initial meeting place for the evening. I also remember the employees talking about parties in the upstairs hot tub after closing for the night. It was near The Out R Inn – which is one of the few remaining pre Campus Partners bars. I recall heckling Shucking Bubba Deluxe and watching a guy named Pat perform his famous churning the butter dance.
A new improved campus location opens at the corner of Lane and High Street on June 25th 2007, so I am sure they will make all of their money back in one football season.
So here is little serving of BW-3 History with a very long URL –
Here is a good recipe and more information on the history of Buffalo Chicken wings.
What does BW-3 stand for? Buffalo (the city in New York) Wild Wings and Weck. So what the heck is weck? Weck is short for a kummelweck bun, which is essentially a kaiser roll, sprinkled with caraway seeds and course salt. In the very early days BW-3 had beef on weck sandwiches. Outside of a small section of New York – no one has even heard of these sandwiches.
And now some sandwich history, Buffalo gave us more than wings.
Here are some old Beef on Weck Notes from my friend Cliff – (Cliff Notes)– in case you ever hit the greater Buffalo area on a quest for weck.
In no particular order…
Schwabl’s – Really good, I’ve only had the Beef on weck…I’d like to try
some of the other stuff on the menu…old restaurant…old school.
Bar Bill – The rave in the very small village of East Aurora…it’s a 30-40
minute drive from the mainland, a very good sandwich, but if you need a fix
there are equally good sandwiches with a shorter drive…the only reason I
had ever been there was because my grandparents lived out there.
Swiston’s – Been there a few times….consistency isn’t always there. Their
best efforts top the charts, but I’ve had an occasional average sandwich
there…one recent complaint someone told me about was too much fat on the
sandwich…I’m torn about that comment.
Anderson’s – Original location on Sheridan Drive has expanded into I believe
8 locations in WNY. Still a decent quality sandwich, but would only be my
first choice if I was going to top it off with some of Anderson’s frozen
custard.
Anacone Inn – I haven’t been here in some 15 years, the neighborhood has
gone way downhill, I’d like to give this one a shot again, but I would want
to bring a posse along. BTW, they had a really good sandwich.
Charlie the Butcher – Strangely, this is probably one of the most talked
about Beef on Weckers, but I hadn’t tried it until this past summer…I was
not impressed…Beef was a bit dry and not piled on very high….will
probably try one more time just to confirm an unsupervised rookie didn’t
make my sandwich. (Update -Cliff tried again in 2007 – and has removed from his list)
Brunner’s Tavern – One of my favorites, mostly because of location, quality,
atmosphere…I always run into friendly faces. The big draw on Saturdays is
actually the Brunner’s Steak Sandwich, which they actually took off the menu
this past summer when the beef prices became prohibitively high and the
owners didn’t feel right charging $16.95 for a sandwich just to break even.
Even at that price popular demand won out and the Steak Sandwich was
re-introduced…I believe over Thanksgiving the price was down to 12.95.
The Steak Sandwich is great….highly underrated is the beef on
weck….usually only served on the weekends and only one big roast is served
per day…when it’s gone it’s gone….it’s not a heaping sandwich but good
size, if you’re really hungry you’ll want two. The meat is always done
perfect (bloody) and the chef (bartender) takes his sweet time making the
sandwich because he is slicing the meat off ever so thin right in front of
your eyes…it’s almost as fun watching as it is eating…and it melts in
your mouth.
Jolly Jug – This hole in the wall is notable because it serves a decent Beef
on Weck until 4am, I don’t know anywhere else that does. My guess is there
may only be 1000 people that know about this place, 500 people that have
been inside, 250 people that would admit they have been inside, and 100
people who have thought to eat there….I only knew because an alcoholic
took me there.
Eckl’s – Noted Snowbelt restaurant, been there once. Would certainly go
again, another place that’s a bit of a hike.
Metzger’s –
Very good. A high quality roll can put a Beef on Weck into the upper echelon...
Two new places Cliff plans to try summer of 2007 ….Steve’s Pig and Ox Roast in Lackawanna and Franks’ Bar in Lancaster.
CMH Gourmand - Eating in Columbus & Ohio 
Livette said
Nice blog!
Rosie said
I lived in a rooming house with a guy who worked at the South Campus BW3 when I went to college at OSU. He used to tell me how the owners would get drunk then make up their blazin’ hot sauce with whatever they could lay their hands on…and it was definitely hotter than it is today.
I miss the weck. It was my favorite thing to eat there along with their buffalo breath chili. OMG was the chili hot too…While I am glad for the founders that the restaurants did so well, it is still sad to see just how souless the chain has gotten over the year. I usually go to Gallo’s Tap room for my wings now. Nicer people, big screen sports and some great beers on tap…plus they cook everything fresh in an open kitchen – even their mayo is homemade. yummmmmm.
Columbus Foodie said
On a related note, if anyone tries their hand at making weck, they do have weck rolls at the Andersons in Dublin.
tr said
old post, but i just found it. and it’s sad to say but the old BW3’s location is now demolished. lots of good times were had there, and now the place is gone.