From Living in LoCo South Riding correspondent Val Cavalheri:

A new restaurant is bringing a saucy punch of New Orleans-style flavors to South Riding. The WOW Café and Wingery is a casual family café with a menu and atmosphere created to attract all kinds of wing lovers.

Manager Nuzhat Ali was sold on opening this type of restaurant as soon as she heard about it. What attracted her most were the ingredients.

John Delaney and Nuzhat Ali stand outside WOW's newest location in South Riding. (Photo by Val Cavalheri)

"All our chicken is fresh and never frozen," Ali said. "Our sauces are homemade and we offer a full menu of wraps, burgers, salads, and of course, wings. All with Louisiana flair."

WOW, an acronym for World of Wings, is a franchise based in New Orleans. Brothers Paul, Scott and Steven Ballard founded the chain out of their search for "Sauce, Sound and Spice."

Entering the restaurant on Riding Plaza Boulevard, the first thing you notice is the number of televisions. In this 1,800-square-foot building, not only does each booth have one, there are also five other hi-definition televisions on walls throughout the restaurant. And not one is tuned to the same station.

John Delaney, another manager, who will soon be opening his own franchise in Frederick, Md., said that this is done on purpose. "We want parents to come and enjoy their meal and be able to relax and not feel like they have to rush off. If that means the kids are engrossed in cartoons, then it's a win-win for everyone," he said.

Come fall, these televisions will be put to good use, when they will serve NFL action along with WOW wings.

Both Ali and Delaney recommend the Wing sampler appetizer, which consists of three pounds of wings served with a selection of five of their 12 signature sauces. It is best served, of course, with a gallon of WOW signature iced tea.

The café also features kid-friendly meals, has a hefty catering menu for any size function, and provides options for vegetarians.

Delaney acknowledged that South Riding residents appear to have taken to the restaurant: "They sure went through a lot of wings."