Living a Normal Life with Diabetes is Possible at Kennedy Health
TYPE 1 DIABETES
This type of diabetes occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
TYPE 2 DIABETES
Type 2 diabetes is primarily caused by insulin resistance, where the body's cells become less responsive to insulin.
Diabetes Treatment in Elsmere, DE
Of all the things the human body is compared to, plants may mimic its processes the best. For plants to thrive, they require a precise balance of sunlight, nutrients, and water. Any imbalance can weaken the plant and cause it to wither. Even when plants have the perfect balance of nutrients, external factors can still hinder their growth. For instance, pesticides in the roots can limit nutrient distribution and impact the plant's health.
Similarly, our bodies rely on proper nutrients to function optimally. When your body doesn't get the nutrients it needs, such as sugar molecules, cells lack the energy needed for proper function and health. This is evident in diabetics and pre-diabetics, where metabolic breakdown inhibits the production of cellular energy, leading to insufficient energy for healing.
If you're reading this page and have diabetes, have you ever wondered why you feel tired all the time and why wounds take so long to heal? It's due to the lack of cellular energy (ATP) your body requires. Your cells go into a starvation mode of sorts, limiting their ability to heal, repair, and regenerate. This can result in common diabetic complications such as neuropathy, retinopathy, and kidney disease.
At Kennedy Health, our team of doctors and experts is committed to treating diabetes - both Type 1 and Type 2. Unlike other clinics, however, we take a unique approach to diabetes treatment by correcting the root cause of the disease.
Kennedy Health: Your Partner for Comprehensive Diabetes Management in Elsmere, DE
Kennedy Health is proud to be your partner in comprehensive diabetes care. Our focus goes beyond traditional diabetes treatments, aiming to provide you with holistic treatments that restore your health and enhance your quality of life.
Our patients have experienced remarkable improvements in their diabetes symptoms, including:
- Diminished Neuropathy
- Restored Erectile Dysfunction
- Prevented Amputations
- Controlled Weight
- Restored Energy
- Improved Mood
- Better Sleep
- Accelerated Wound Healing
- Controlled Blood Sugar
- Reduced Fatty Liver
- Much More
What Makes Kennedy Health a Unique Diabetes Clinic in Elsmere, DE?
The Road to Recovery Starts with a Consultation
In the course of your consultation, which usually spans 30 to 60 minutes, our committed medical team will examine your records, medical background, and physical condition. If needed, we might ask for recent blood work. This data is essential for developing your personalized care plan. During this initial consultation, we'll answer all your questions and address any concerns you have. That way, you're confident and well-informed about diabetes treatment from Kennedy Health.
Collaboration with Your Doctor
At Kennedy Health, we never try to fill the important role that your primary care physician fills. Instead, our approach complements your doctor's expertise by working in tandem to co-manage your diabetes care plan. In fact, we prioritize collaboration with your doctor, encompassing treatment, testing, and sharing clinical results. Our unique treatment plans use insulin as a hormone instead of a drug, which distinguishes us from traditional providers. When necessary, we're more than willing to consult with your doctor and provide them with comprehensive information about our approach.
Personalized Diabetes Care Plans
We understand that each patient's insulin resistance and carbohydrate metabolism is unique. That's why we begin our care plans with a consultation to determine medical necessity. Once that's established, your personalized plan will usually involve an "Induction Phase" with weekly infusions that decrease gradually as you make progress over about 90 days. The "Maintenance Phase" focuses on optimizing metabolism and increasing the time between treatments. As you continue to make progress, the time between visits gets longer, and visit duration decreases, making it easier and more convenient to maintain your wellbeing.
The Physiological Insulin Resensitization Treatment Plan
Our groundbreaking approach is known as Physiological Insulin Resensitization. This multi-patented approach involves administering insulin as a hormone rather than a mere drug. This innovative method addresses the root cause of diabetes - metabolic failure. By mimicking the body's natural physiology, we effectively reduce insulin resistance, aiding blood sugar in entering cells for energy conversion. This increased cellular energy facilitates the growth, repair, and regeneration of damaged tissues and organs. This approach has shown the potential to stabilize and even reverse complications associated with diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
If you're in search of a comprehensive treatment for diabetes in Elsmere, DE that goes beyond conventional methods, Kennedy Health can help. A new life free of neuropathy and other diabetes-related symptoms starts with a call to our office to schedule a consultation. You can rely on our expertise, commitment, and innovative approach as we guide you toward restored health, enhanced wellbeing, and a better quality of life.
Understanding the Types of Diabetes
Getting a diabetes diagnosis means that your body is having difficulty managing blood glucose (sugar) levels due to ineffective insulin production and distribution by the pancreas. After you eat, your body breaks down food into glucose, which your cells use for energy. The insulin your body makes helps to transport the glucose from your blood into your cells. If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, your body may not produce enough insulin, may be unable to use insulin effectively, or may have both issues, causing blood glucose levels to increase higher than normal. When blood glucose levels are higher than normal, it's referred to as hyperglycemia.
Now that you understand the basics of diabetes, let's take a closer look at the types of diabetes that can manifest in your body.
Pre-Diabetes
Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. It's associated with an increased risk of complications such as stroke and heart attack, as well as a higher likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes. It's estimated that approximately 37% of adult Americans have pre-diabetes. Making lifestyle changes such as weight loss, adopting a healthier diet, and increasing physical activity may help in preventing or delaying a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes can manifest at any age but is generally first identified in young individuals. It affects approximately 5% of people in the U.S. and is less prevalent than Type 2 diabetes. In Type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system targets and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. As a result of the pancreas being unable to produce sufficient insulin, the standard treatment for Type 1 involves regular insulin injections, often multiple times a day.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition that develops when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood glucose levels. Treatment for Type 2 diabetes typically involves lifestyle modifications, oral medication, and insulin. As the condition progresses, some individuals may find that dietary and exercise changes are no longer sufficient to manage blood glucose levels, necessitating the addition of medications (oral and/or insulin) to their treatment plan.
Living a Normal Life with Diabetes is Possible at Kennedy Health
When you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, your life changes. That's especially true for people suffering from Type 2 diabetes. These patients can experience harmful and debilitating symptoms such as neuropathy, depression, and fatigue. Fortunately, with our revolutionary diabetes treatment in Elsmere, DE, diabetics of all ages have a true shot at potentially stabilizing and, in some cases, eliminating diabetes complications.
Our goal is to target metabolic dysfunction - the principal cause of diabetes - rather than just improving your symptoms.
We do so by creating personalized care plans for every one of our diabetes patients, which focus on:
- Patient Education
- Wellness and Nutrition
- Hormone Optimization
- Weight Management
- Physiological Insulin Resensitization
Getting Smart on Food Can Improve Your Diabetes
If there's one thing that people with diabetes can agree on, it's that figuring out what to eat with diabetes can be challenging. The truth is that all foods raise blood sugar, but some foods cause less of a spike in blood sugar than others. Foods like avocados, berries, dark leafy greens, eggs, fish, whole grains, nuts, and seeds will have a milder impact on blood sugar compared to starchy vegetables, fruit juice, and refined carbohydrates. Opting for fresh fruit with natural sugars over fruit juice, which is often processed to remove fiber and may contain added sugars, is a better choice for managing blood sugar levels.
Unsure what to eat if you have diabetes? We've come up with the following list to give you some options that won't spike your blood sugar. Because as your diabetes doctor in Elsmere, DE state, we believe that properly managing diabetes involves more than treating symptoms. Education and healthy living are crucial.
Berries
Berries are known to have lower sugar content and higher nutrient levels compared to many other fruits. They are low in carbohydrates and high in fiber and antioxidants, which are believed to have a positive effect on blood sugar levels and oxidative stress. Blackberries, in particular, are recognized as a low-carb, high-fiber fruit that is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium. If fresh berries aren't available near you, frozen berries from the grocery store can be a suitable alternative. Before you dig in, be sure to check the nutrition label to avoid added sugars and chemicals.
Avocados
Avocados have a naturally low carbohydrate content and are an excellent source of healthy omega-3 fats and fiber. The beneficial fats and fiber found in avocados can improve sensitivity to insulin and slow down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, effectively helping to regulate blood sugar levels. This multipurpose fruit can be utilized in various ways: in guacamole, salads, sushi, on toast, or as a topping for eggs.
Eggs
Eggs are a highly versatile food that is low in carbs and high in protein. With that said, some individuals may have concerns about the cholesterol content in eggs. Managing cholesterol is important if you have diabetes, as both diabetes and high cholesterol are risk factors for heart disease. Nonetheless, studies indicate that eggs can be a component of a healthy diet for most people, including those with diabetes.
Eggs have a minimal impact on blood cholesterol levels when consumed as part of a heart-healthy diet that is low in saturated fat. Additionally, the protein in eggs helps you feel full without causing spikes in blood sugar levels. If you're planning on including more eggs in your diet, consider incorporating simple boiled eggs, egg salad, or well-seasoned scrambled eggs into your meals.
Leafy Greens
Your parents probably made you eat your veggies - especially your greens - when you were younger, and for good reason. Kale, broccoli, collard greens, and spinach are leafy greens with high nutritional value and are low in carbohydrates, sodium, and cholesterol. These veggies also provide vitamins A, C, and K. If you find it hard to stomach raw greens in salads or by themselves, you can add greens to soups, smoothies, scrambled eggs, and even pasta sauces.
Fish
If you're looking to cut out red meat from your diet, substituting it with fish is a great way to do so. Fish is also high in omega-3 fatty acids and is very high in protein. This combo can help regulate your blood sugar levels and help make you feel full after eating. Plus, the extra protein and fatty acids found in fish like salmon can boost insulin resistance without impacting your blood glucose levels.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is an excellent source of protein, which effectively regulates blood sugar and hunger cues. It's also a rich source of probiotics that can improve insulin sensitivity and gut health. As an added bonus, the calcium and vitamin D in yogurt actively support metabolic health, bone health, and blood glucose management. If you're hankering for something sweet, opt for frozen yogurt with fruit and wholesome ingredients.
Kennedy Health Pro Tip: If you're serious about sticking to a healthy diet but can't shake the urge to splurge, it's OK. You can allow yourself a little leeway. The key to not overdoing it is to swap your splurge ingredients with healthier options that won't spike your blood glucose levels. For instance, if you love carnitas, swap shredded pork and tortillas for shredded chicken and iceberg lettuce wraps. If you must have steak and mashed potatoes for dinner, swap a 6oz. portion of meat for 3 ounces and replace the potatoes with mashed cauliflower instead.
Healthy Eating is Only Part of the Equation
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and find your glucose levels spiking because of poor food choices, Kennedy Health can help. When you visit our diabetes treatment center in Elsmere, DE for care, you'll receive a personalized care plan that includes tips and guidance on healthy eating. When combined with advanced diabetes treatments like Physiological Insulin Resensitization, you have the potential to stabilize and even reverse complications associated with diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
Reclaim Your Life with Help from a Kennedy Health Diabetes Specialist in Elsmere, DE
Did you know that as of May 2024, the CDC estimates that 11.6% of Americans - or 38.4 million people - have diabetes? That equates to about 14.7% of all adults. Those statistics are alarming and mean that if you don't have diabetes, someone you know probably does. At Kennedy Health, our mission is to help diabetes patients manage their disease in a healthy, effective manner. We don't accomplish that mission by treating the symptoms of diabetes.
Instead, our diabetes doctors offer comprehensive care and innovative treatments for the disease and its associated complications. We supplement that care with education, compassion, and healthy living, so that you can further improve your health through lifestyle changes.
Latest News in Elsmere, DE
How this Elsmere-area bakery has cemented itself in family celebrations, Three Kings' Day
José Ignacio Castañeda Perezhttps://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2022/01/05/three-kings-day-elsmere-bakery-supporting-hispanic-traditions-delaware/9028991002/
Shelves of freshly baked Mexican breads, pastries and confections stood showcased within a well-worn wooden cabinet inside Pasteles Rojas Bakery, a cozy, family-run shop cradled by a busy intersection along Kirkwood Highway near Elsmere.Four glass doors exhibited the multicolored conchas, a traditional Mexican sweet bread roll resembling a seashell, that ranged from rows of pastel pinks and yellow...
Shelves of freshly baked Mexican breads, pastries and confections stood showcased within a well-worn wooden cabinet inside Pasteles Rojas Bakery, a cozy, family-run shop cradled by a busy intersection along Kirkwood Highway near Elsmere.
Four glass doors exhibited the multicolored conchas, a traditional Mexican sweet bread roll resembling a seashell, that ranged from rows of pastel pinks and yellows to warm browns and whites.
As a slow yet steady stream of customers made their way inside from the cold, a welcome wisp of warm, sugary air greeted them. Upon entry, they grabbed a plastic tray and a pair of metal tongs before crouching and peering through the various rows and shelves of the cabinet, only to return to the counter with a generous mound of carefully chosen confections.
The true baked gem of the shop, however, sat in a large, burnt orange room at the farthest end of the building, awaiting its day of celebration on Día de los Reyes, or Three Kings’ Day. The gem, a traditional Rosca de Reyes, or Kings' Cake, is a staple of the Jan. 6 holiday celebration across Latin America, Spain and Hispanic communities throughout the U.S.
When the holiday nears, the bakery – which doubles as a specialized cake shop – begins to receive orders early for the royal ring-shaped loaf as it does each year, helping to uphold the holiday tradition among Delaware’s Hispanic community.
Since its opening in 2015, the relatively young bakery has become renowned throughout the tri-state area for its cakes and baked goods, becoming a staple of celebrations and gatherings across the community.
From birthdays and quinceañeras to Kings’ Day celebrations, the shop has aided patrons in celebrating the hallmarks and traditions of their lives, ultimately becoming part of them itself.
Baby in the cake
Three Kings’ Day, which for many also marks the end of the holiday season on the 12th day of Christmas, celebrates the adoration of baby Jesus by the three kings, wise men or Magi. The three kings traveled across the desert while following a star for 12 days until they reached Bethlehem, where they presented Jesus with gifts.
While traditions may vary depending on where they are celebrated, it is common for children to leave their shoes by the door or under the Christmas tree for the kings to leave presents for them. Many families also leave carrots, grass and other treats for the horse, camel and elephant upon which the kings ride.
Children will write letters to the kings in the days before the celebration and oftentimes, the letters will be attached to helium balloons before being released into the sky.
On the night of the celebration, families traditionally gather and share the coveted Rosca de Reyes cake that is topped with candied fruit and powdered sugar, meant to resemble a king’s crown. The rosca, which means “wreath,” is typically accompanied by hot chocolate or atole, a hot traditional Mexican drink derived from corn.
A small, white plastic figurine of baby Jesus is baked into the bread and hidden for whoever finds it – that person is expected to host a party with tamales on Feb. 2, Día de la Candelaria. Depending on the size of the cake, there could be multiple figurines hidden.
In Mexico City, thousands gather every year to eat a mile-long Rosca de Reyes on the eve of the holiday. The celebration has drawn more than 200,000 people in past years.
“The essence of the Rosca de Reyes is, more than anything, to come together as a family and share a good moment,” said Isaac Rojas, manager of Pasteles Rojas Bakery. “More than anything, it’s that. Sharing, laughing and enjoying – that is the true essence of this”.
A realized dream
The demand for the Rosca de Reyes has become so high that Rojas and his team must begin preparing them days before. That's because on Jan. 6, their parking lot brims with cars full of people eager to get one before the night’s celebration.
Even on days without a celebration, loyal patrons travel from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and nearby cities in northern Delaware to retrieve ornate cakes and trays full of conchas.
The now-thriving locale, however, was born inside a house as a nighttime baking hobby.
In 2010, in the evenings after coming home from work, Rojas began to bake and decorate cakes in his home. He eventually began making small cakes for celebrations of close friends and family while maintaining his restaurant job and taking English courses at the same time.
Soon, his clientele expanded out of his close circle and strangers began calling him asking for his cakes. As he advertised his creations on Facebook, Rojas soon gained a following of dedicated clients who booked him for each of their special occasions.
“There came a time when it was no longer only relatives and cousins," Rojas said. "People who I didn’t even know began to call me."
He was asked to make a cake for a quinceañera and, soon after, a wedding.
Tasked with pleasing and feeding upwards of 200 people with his homemade cakes, Rojas realized something had changed.
Then about six years ago, after receiving numerous suggestions from clients to open his own bakery, Rojas decided to open the establishment alongside his two older brothers. Rojas’ brothers were bakers in Mexico and brought a combined 20 years of experience with them.
Rojas, the youngest of seven children, had none.
“I had no idea about this,” Rojas said before breaking into a chuckle.
With the help of a few baking and decorating courses and on-the-ground experience, Rojas helped the bakery gain traction within the community, citing support from social media and the family’s signature tres leches cake recipe, brought with them from Mexico.
The tres leches cake, or three milks cake, is still one of the things customers cite when asked about what makes the bakery special to them. The cake maintains its signature moistness with each bite, not leaving pockets of dryness throughout.
Marcos Gonzalez, a longtime customer of the bakery, recently retrieved one of the shop’s signature tres leches cakes for his son’s birthday. Gonzalez, who lives in New Castle and has been a customer of the shop since they opened, drives to Elsmere two to three times a week to get their baked goods.
In the first few years since the bakery opened, it was run and operated solely by family. Today, it has expanded to employ others, but many of the employees are still close family friends or in-laws, helping maintain the sense of the original family-run establishment.
While the building may have changed from a house to a storefront, many of those original clients continue to frequent Rojas’ business. Rojas has even kept the original Facebook page that announced his home business, only updating it with the bakery’s new location.
“It’s a joy to see that and to have realized the dream that I once had,” Rojas said.
For Yaneli Lozano, a Wilmington resident, the draw of the bakery extends far beyond their cakes.
“For me, what’s special about them is how they treat you outside of the business,” Lozano said.
Lozano has been a client of the bakery since they opened and acknowledged the role that Rojas and his team have played in her life during birthday celebrations and quinceañeras.
“It feels like family because without them we wouldn’t have a cake to celebrate a birthday," she said. "They put in all of their hard work so that everything is beautiful.”
In the end, being able to be a part of people’s joys and celebrations, even in a small way, is the most gratifying aspect of the endeavor for Rojas. His late nights, early mornings and hard work are all validated in these small moments of happiness that are supported by his creations.
“Seeing them enjoy the moment – yes, it’s hard work and even sleepless nights, but in the end that is truly what’s important about this,” Rojas said.
On a recent morning, a couple dozen trays of freshly baked goods were wheeled into the front room of the store, ready to replenish the stock inside of the wooden cabinet. A few of the Rosca de Reyes' remained in the back room, awaiting their retrieval by ready-to-celebrate clients.
Come the holiday, the space will become crowded with people as they prepare to gather with family, enjoy the wreath-shaped cake and create memories that the bakery will take part in – even in just a small way.
Pasteles Rojas Bakery can be found at 2110 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19805. The bakery is open from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.
Contact the reporter at [email protected] or connect with him on Twitter @joseicastaneda.
Hot chicken sandwich war: Which is better? Wilmington's Nanu's or Elsmere's Hangry Joe's?
Ryan Cormierhttps://www.delawareonline.com/story/life/food/2025/02/04/wilmington-area-hot-chicken-fans-are-clucking-as-new-chains-move-in/77992424007/
Sometimes in Wilmington, it has felt like the Nashville-style hot chicken craze had passed by Delaware's biggest city.There have been few options for quality hot chicken sandwiches even as the nationwide trend grows and fast-casual restaurants dedicated to heat have sprouted all around, including Philadelphia-based chain Asad's Hot Chicken and the national ...
Sometimes in Wilmington, it has felt like the Nashville-style hot chicken craze had passed by Delaware's biggest city.
There have been few options for quality hot chicken sandwiches even as the nationwide trend grows and fast-casual restaurants dedicated to heat have sprouted all around, including Philadelphia-based chain Asad's Hot Chicken and the national Dave's Hot Chicken franchises.
Well, that came to a screeching halt recently as two hot chicken chains planted their beaks in the ground, opening on the same road only 2 miles away from each other.
First came Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken & Wings (1112 Kirkwood Highway, Elsmere), an established Virginia-based chain, which has been up and running for nearly four years, expanding at a rapid pace ever since. (A second location also opened at 50 U.S. 13 in Dover, both in November.)
A month after Hangry Joe made his fiery debut, Nanu's Hot Chicken (414 N. Union St., Wilmington) began serving their own spice-seasoned chicken as the upstart Philadelphia-based chain opened its debut (and still only) location in Delaware, 1½ years since first launching.
Imran Rashid, who started and owns the Nanu's chain with brothers Haroon and Ikram, said they decided to expand into Delaware because they saw an opening – the same thing Hangry Joe's undoubtedly saw, only beating them to the punch by a month due to a delay in their grand opening.
With a hot chicken war fired up on the Union Street/Kirkwood Highway corridor, we decided to put them to the test and pick a winner.
The shops
Nanu's: First opened in July 2023 in Philadelphia on Cottman Avenue, they now have 10 locations – six in Philadelphia and one in Bensalem, along with one each in New Jersey and New York. Wilmington is their most recent opening.
Hangry Joe's: Initially launched in May 2021 in Ashland, Virginia, by partners Derek Cha and Mike Kim, they have nearly 130 locations in 22 states, along with one in Washington, D.C., and another in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. There are 39 in their home state of Virginia alone.
The menus
Nanu's: Only combo meals coming with french fries are listed on the main menu, but you can order just an entrée like we ended up doing. The combo headliners are the chicken sandwich ($9.89), chicken tenders with a waffle ($11.89-$13.89), two-sandwich meal ($13.89) and one chicken tender and one chicken sandwich ($12.89).
An order of loaded waffle fries topped with chopped tenders, cheese, coleslaw and pickles is also up for grabs ($12.89), along with the similar loaded french fries ($11.89) and shrimp loaded fries ($13.89). A chicken tender wrap ($10.89), chicken wings ($11.89), vegetarian "cauli tenders" ($13.89-$14.89) and a shrimp wrap ($13.89) round out the main menu.
The sides include regular, cheese and waffle fries ($3.99-$4.99), coleslaw ($3.50), macaroni and cheese ($3.99) and waffle bread ($2.99). You also can order a single chicken sandwich ($7.49) or a single chicken sandwich with waffles instead of a bun ($7.49), along with a single shrimp wrap ($8.99), single chicken tender wrap ($7.49), single chicken tender ($4.49) or single chicken wing ($1.99).
Hangry Joe's: The "Mega Sando" with one large chicken breast ($9.99) and "Sando" with two chicken tenders ($7.20) anchor the menu, which also includes chicken tenders ($9.99), chicken wraps ($9.99), chicken bites ($7.20-$9.99), chicken and waffles ($13.35) and Korean chicken nuggets ($11.15). Wings come in orders of six ($9.45) to 50 ($61.95).
Also among the entrées: a "Messy Sando," a version of the "Mega Sando" drenched in spicy smoke barbecue sauce ($10.75), Hangry chicken salad ($12.35), loaded fries ($12.35) and loaded macaroni and cheese ($13.35).
Combo meals of the entrees are available with waffle fries and a drink. Sides include waffle fries, fried okra, rice, "cider slaw," waffles and macaroni and cheese ($2.99-$3.75)
The heat
Nanu's: All entrées can be ordered with regular hot sauce or hot-honey style. And you also can pick your heat level for the sauce ranging from none and mild and medium to hot, extra hot and, um, even a flavor called reaper.
Hangry Joe's: All of their main meals are available with no seasoning, no heat or mild. And if you want some spice, there's medium, hot and purposefully scary "angry hot," which requires you to sign a waiver and is nonrefundable.
The sandwich
Nanu's: We ordered our chicken sandwich regular style, but extra hot. With no tables at the takeout counter, we opened it after a short drive home. The sandwich with its glistening brioche bun was half wrapped in paper like Shake Shack and In-N-Out do with their hamburgers for easier (and neater) eating. The juicy, bigger-than-the-bun chicken breast was encased in a deep-fried crunchy coating, clearly fresh out of the fryer as evidenced by the dark red oil drops leaking out after a few bites. It was topped with cheese, coleslaw, pickles and sauce, all of which melded together for a legit hot chicken sandwich experience. The extra hot sauce had a nice kick, but as heat-lovers, we won't fear the reaper next time. The hot sauce taste was so good, we didn't even use the extra cup of creamy Nanu's special sauce that came with the sandwich. It shined on its own.
Hangry Joe's: We went with the "Mega Sando" for their full chicken sandwich experience: an 8-ounce seasoned chicken breast topped with a large mound of cider slaw, pickles and Hangry sauce on a brioche bun. The hefty sandwich also came half-wrapped, but there was no oil found on this one. The outer coating was eerily dry and lacked any real crunch, although the chicken breast was appropriately juicy. We ordered it hot – and, boy, was it. It leaves your brow sweating and your lips tinging. We were scared off of ever trying their "angry hot" flavor with its waiver. Even though the breading was minimal and dry, a quick dip in the extra cup of extra hot Hangry Joe's sauce (butter, vinegar, sugar, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder) made up for it.
Cost
Nanu's: $7.49, although the menu on the wall mistakenly lists it as $6.99.
Hangry Joe's: $9.99
Pros & cons
Nanu's: As for the pros, we ordered at lunchtime and got our sandwich really quick, taking only three minutes. We also love that a waffle comes standard with the combo meal of chicken tenders and french fries. It's a nice touch.
In terms of a con, you cannot eat at the tiny shop, which does not have any seating and is takeout only.
Hangry Joe's: The biggest con was the more than 10-minute wait for our sandwich, even though we visited first thing after opening at 11 a.m. and were the only people there. To be fair, there is a warning we saw on our way out. A sign sits near the cash register, "Every order is made fresh. We make sure it's worth it." It also notes that "rush hours" wait time is 15 to 20 minutes with a wait of eight to 15 minutes for non-"rush hours."
Pros include the ability to order ahead online to avoid that wait, along with a self-ordering kiosk to avoid an in-store line. The gleaming dining room is bright with up-tempo music, making any wait as pleasurable as possible. Their colorful mural, which features their flaming mascot Hangry Joe, includes nice touches, mentioning that Elsmere is their first Delaware location with a "HOTCHCKN" Delaware license plate and a Riverfront Wilmington sign.
The winner
This was a tough decision. The "Mega Sando" from Hangry Joe's is a substantial sandwich and we must note that we ordered the larger version while Nanu's offers only one standard size.
The Hangry Joe's sandwich offered a bigger chicken breast and more heat, while Nanu's had a much better-fried breading and the addition of cheese, which added a nice layer of creaminess. We loved the big crunch of Nanu's. Both use a somewhat stiff brioche bun, and here's to hoping the brioche bun fad dies soon.
Pound for pound, we have to say we liked the upstart Nanu's better than Hangry Joe's by a smidge. That said, we'd happily pay a little more for a thicker chicken breast at Nanu's. Perhaps they should offer a larger-sized sandwich like Hangry Joe's. Next time, we'll order a side chicken tender to beef up the sandwich and maybe try waffles as a bun to bypass the brioche.
Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal at [email protected] or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier) and X (@ryancormier).
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