You know when you've walked by an old stand-by eatery and made a mental note to pop in and give it a try? I'd written a mental note or two to try out Wings 'n' Pies in New London - particularly after it moved onto State Street - but it took my visiting husband to finally get me in the door.

More accurately, it was the buffalo chicken wrap ($8.95; comes with fries; upgrade to onion rings for $1) he ordered that really got me in the door. Hubs was in town for a meeting and, having spotted Wings 'n' Pies on the street, plunged right in with a colleague for lunch. I was too busy to join them, but he was good enough to bring back half the wrap for my own lunch. Having sampled far too many middling buffalo chicken wraps and sandwiches, I wasn't prepared for greatness but more for a basic, no-brainer belly-filler.

This wrap was different and entirely delicious. Dressed in a buffalo sauce with perfectly balanced zing, the ample chicken itself was tender and shredded - a great idea for a wrap filling. (I don't enjoy an awkwardly filled, clunky-chunky wrap; wraps are best with beans, salads or other well-chopped fillings.)

One half filled me (and him) easily, but the side of onion rings we also split left us quite stuffed - and happy. These are big rings, coated in a flavorful batter that tasted of panko. They are so tasty, I confess to ordering a plate of them ($4.95) with a Greek salad ($7.95) just the other day to create one of the world's great balanced meals. Had the salad merely been made from the requisite greens, feta, and cucumbers (portions of which were all plentiful), I would've had a worthy nutritional adversary to the onion rings, but loads of tomatoes, a few dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), some slices of spicy meat (salami, we think) and loads of kalamata olives doubled the nutritional punch. Luckily, I'm not a fan of olives or spiced meats; otherwise I would have needed a nap before heading back to the office. I had so much leftover salad, I was able to return the favor to my husband, who enjoyed all of the above. Indeed, there was enough going on in the salad to render the accompanying packets of Newman's Own Greek dressing unnecessary.

On another visit, I discovered my new favorite grinder: the chicken and cheese ($5.95 for the small, 8-inch sandwich and comes with chips and a drink), loaded with both chicken and cheese, as well as peppers and onions, properly chopped (read: small enough to create flavorful harmony with the other components). My server invited me to customize the grinder: Did I want peppers and onions? Mayo or oil? What kind of cheese? It was great to have the options.

Half the sandwich coupled with very good French fries ($3.95) motivated a walk around the block before I returned to my desk. Full belly aside, the sandwich was so outstanding - with great flavoring from the grill - I considered eating the whole thing, but in the interest of health and good wifery, I elected to save the rest for my husband, who also gave it raves.

On to the wings and pies. I confess I'm not big on buffalo wings: they're messy, can be gristle-y, and the bone just puts me off, but since it seems to behoove a person to try wings at a place with that word in the title, my compromise was to sample the buffalo tenders ($5.95 for a half pound with your choice of sauce; have two sauces for another $1). From a list of at least three dozen sauces, I chose honey mustard and found its delicate balance of sweet and pungent notes quite satisfying. The tenders themselves were decent - lightly fried and moderately juicy but not nearly as epiphany-inducing as the chicken wrap and grinder I'd tried. More fervent fans of wings and tenders might adore them.

As for the pies, I brought home a small Fresh Tomato pizza ($13.95), one of a handful of pizzas on the gourmet pizza menu. I was a little put off by the price but was then comforted a bit by the size of the pie, which fed three of us. Of course, a pizza loaded in bacon, fresh garlic and fresh tomatoes tends to inspire healthy appetites. Before a panel of three pizza snobs, this pizza fared well; we liked the thicker, flavorful crust (thinner than a Greek pizza, but thicker than your basic thin-crust pizza), and we loved the topping mix. Bonus: the pie was not sopped in bacon grease. The chef managed to ensure smoky bacon flavor, without compromising texture.

Oddly, a personal pizza (10 inches; $5.95) wasn't quite as satisfying. I ordered mine with red peppers (another $1.50), which nearly distracted me enough from the overly starchy crust. It was an entirely different animal from the regular size pie I'd sampled, but I'm confident the kitchen's expertise will only improve upon the personal pizza. It's a nice option for lunch.

Most of the above will send me back to Wings 'n' Pies, and there are many other items I look forward to sampling (the penne alla vodka and the gyro at the top of the list). Tasty eats aside, Wings 'n' Pies in New London offers an additional incentive to this weary wordsmith: walkability. When I do manage to detach myself from my office chair, the last thing I want to do is DRIVE somewhere for lunch. It's far more satisfying to forage locally and walk off a bit of the meal off on the way back to the office.

It all amounts to my most favorite thing about Wings 'n' Pies: its great variety and location have helped this commuter feel just a little more at home in New London.

m.nadolny@theday.com

Twitter: @TheMDesk

Wings 'n' pies

131 State St., New London(860) 442-4700 or (860) 442-4701www.wingsnpies.comCuisine: Pizza, chicken wings, pasta, salads, sandwiches and more

Atmosphere: Spacious and sunny; includes bar area; a few TVs keep track of news and sports

Service: Wonderful; both servers I dealt with were cordial, efficient pros.

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; breakfast 7:30-10:30 a.m.

Prices: Moderate; a small non-gourmet pizza starts at $8.95; wraps average around $9, grinders at $6 for a small; pasta dishes between $9 and $10.

Handicap access: No steps to gain entry (although parking is on-street, so distance to door from sidewalk dip for access will vary) and interior is very roomy.

Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Discover