Regularly conceived as the most sensational type of bar food, chicken wings have adapted to the fancies of countless taste buds. There are now Japanese wings with soy sauce, Thai wings with cilantro, vegan wings, boneless wings and, of course, eternally classic barbecue wings. Here is a list of finger-lickin’ goodness.
Blue Smoke
This swanky, Murray Hill restaurant’s wings are the epitome of glamour and class. The Chipotle Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip ($10.50), the only kind offered at Blue Smoke, is first brined in apple cider then coated with a dry rub. Afterwards they are smoked over applewood, deep fried and glazed with a sweet honey barbecue sauce. The meat is tender and full; the dip is wholesome and rich.
116 E. 27th St., between Lexington Avenue and Park Avenue South.
Tebaya
We’ve heard of famous Korean, soy sauce-glazed fried wings, but seldom do we hear of Japanese wing delicacies. Tebaya serves up a refreshing styrofoam plateful of sesame and black pepper-coated Teba Chicken Wings (10 pieces for $8.69), which are fried twice in soy oil to remove the unwanted fatty bits but keep the collagen intact. The juicy wings are then covered with the owner’s special, garlic-flavored sauce called Teba Sauce.
144 W. 19th St., between Sixth and Seventh Avenues
Georgia’s Eastside BBQ
This Lower East Side gem houses fantastic ribs, but is also known for its char-grilled buffalo wings. Perfect for those who want to try something a little healthier, without any additional glazes or sauces, the Sampson wings ($5.00) are pleasantly robust and ingeniously original.
192 Orchard St., between Houston and Stanton streets
Danji
Don’t just turn to BonChon Chicken when you’re in the mood for something Korean and fried. Danji offers its wings in two ways: a spicy Thai-style or Korean Fire Chicken-style wings ($10). The Korean Fire Chicken wings are served with a garlic, soy, honey and sesame glaze, and they are
deliciously fulfilling.
346 W. 52nd St., between Eighth and Ninth Avenues
Wildwood BBQ
Wildwood puts an alternative interpretation of wings on the table that is suited for those who don’t like to get messy. They have one of the best boneless wings in the city ($10.50). Battered in buttermilk, they come in three flavors: chipotle BBQ, dry rub or Frank’s Red Hot sauce. All wings are served with blue cheese dressing and celery. Try all three flavors or, if you’re feeling daring, go for the spiciest of the three.
225 Park Ave. S., at 18th Street
A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday, Sept. 25 print edition. Angel Chang is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].