Saturday, December 15, 2007 Wingtastic By Jigs Arquiza
THE place isn’t about Paul McCartney’s other band, aviation, engineering or heavy machinery. It’s about food: bar food in particular.
Buffalo wings, they’re called, and at Wingnuts in Paseo, Buffalo wings rule.
They don’t have just one kind though; they offer different flavors of this very popular bar food. Calling its selection “Wingsanity,” proprietor Richard Sharpe shows how, and why, people can go nuts about Buffalo wings.
Of course, you can order your wings plain, seasoned with just salt and pepper, but diners with more adventurous tastes can discover for themselves the various nuances Wingnuts’ Buffalo wings offer.
Buffalo wings are basically North American fare, but Wingnuts gives its patrons a trio of Asian-inspired versions that Westerners will probably also like.
Wingnuts’ curry-flavored wings come lightly dusted with curry powder, giving it a mildly spicy and exotic taste, reminiscent of India or maybe the Far East.
Their sweet Thai chili is again suggestive of typical spicy Asian dishes, with its sweetness accented by the spiciness of the chili flakes. On the other hand, the Japanese-influenced teriyaki wasabi wings combines two contrasting tastes, that of teriyaki sauce and wasabi. The teriyaki sauce gives the Buffalo wings an overall sweet taste while the wasabi gives it a mildly pungent bite. Surprisingly, the two flavors go well together.
Those with more basic preferences can order either the Damn Hot or Smokin’ Barbeque wings. The Damn Hot wings, which are actually based on the original recipe for Buffalo wings, come drenched in a chili-vinegar sauce, with a small platter of blue cheese for dipping. People might find the chili-vinegar and blue cheese combination a bit weird, but it does work beautifully. While New Yorkers, particularly those from the city of Buffalo, where Buffalo wings originated, would probably prefer the “Damn Hot” wings, other North Americans longing for another down-home taste will certainly enjoy Wingnuts’ smokin’ barbeque. The American-style barbeque sauce provides the smoky hickory taste that is characteristic of how Westerners like their barbeque.
Those looking for a New Orleans feel should order the spicy Cajun wings, while customers looking for something that’s not spicy at all should definitely try the honey-garlic wings.
Wingnuts has more to offer than just Buffalo wings, though. Both their home-style fries and home-style potato chips are pretty good, and both are made from scratch.
Potatoes are sliced, and then deep-fried together with leeks for added flavor.
Besides all these, other items such as the smokehouse barbeque-flavored pork chops and chicken cordon bleu are also available. Drinks aren’t a problem either. Wingnuts does have a well-stocked bar, but their bestsellers are actually their “Alco Slushies.” Just think of the fruit slushies you’ve drunk as a kid, add some alcohol and you’ve got the idea. Crowd favorites are lime and strawberry margaritas as well as Wingnuts’ blue Hawaiian.
Though Buffalo wings have always been considered bar food, Wingnuts places no such restriction on how customers want to eat their wings. Whether it’s paired with rice or beer doesn’t matter at all; what matters is customers enjoy their Buffalo wings, and maybe (or is it hopefully?), fall victim to a case of Wingsanity.
