Review: Woodbury’s Best Chicken Wings

Chicken wings have been a mainstay appetizer for decades. In some dive bars, you’ll find the tender chickies piled en masse in great vats, preserved under heat lamps for the locals to load up on. At finer establishments, you’ll see wings gussied up, garnished and served with myriad dipping sauces. However they make their appearance, chicken wings are gobbled up fast-and-furious style. And it’s not always the prettiest sight to behold (all those diners with stained shirts, besotted visages and greasy fingers). Yet folks chowing on a slew of chicken wings tend to be the happiest crew around, entering gastronomical nirvana at the mere dunk of a tender wing into ranch.Considering the average Joe’s deep love for chicken wings, Woodbury Magazine set out on a chicken-wing challenge. Our mission was to uncover a bevy of neighborhood eateries that specialize in making these super-fly foodstuffs. We found a mouthful. From classic buffalo wings to Jamaican-jerk and Italian-style wings with special spice rubs—these little tasties are more than finger-lickin’ good. So tie on your bib, pack your wet wipes, and make tracks to satisfy that hankering for sauce-soused chicken wings.Szechuan WingsSunsets After a long day at work, the temptation to collapse on a couch is strong indeed. But wait—is there a basket of juicy chicken wings perched on the arm of your couch? Negatory. Better steer towards a plush booth at Sunsets instead. Here, you can order a platter of Szechuan wings ($9.50), dripping with soy sauce, garlic and hoisin. A staff favorite is the new Cajun-style BBQ wings ($9.50). To create this fresh concoction, the wings are powdered with a dry rub featuring piquant spices, then fried and served with a bold Cajun sauce for dipping ($4.99 at happy hour). The platters come with 8 to 12 wings, enough to make a meal on, really. If you’re totally jones-ing for wings, one order should suffice, but if you’ve got a gaggle of coworkers in tow, better get a few orders to satisfy the rumbling bellies. 700 Commons Drive; 651.735.1997 Mango Habanero WingsBuffalo Wild Wings No chicken-wing roundup would be complete without a nod to B-Dubs. Walk into this joint with its game-blasting big screens, high energy and intoxicating aromas, and you’ll feel a deep, primal contentment set in. Grab some wood with your pals, take a gander at a menu and make a few quick decisions: traditional bone-in or boneless? Sauce and seasoning selection? Spice level? You know what you like best, but we’ll go ahead and make a couple of suggestions. Try the mango-habanero-dredged wings, and you’ll feel two sensations: fiery heat and delectable sweet. Another tasty flavor for those wings is the honey BBQ ($9.99) with its sticky sweetness and smoky bite. Prices vary. 834 Third St. N., Oakdale; 651.734.9464 Drunken WingsRay J’s Did you know that Ray J’s is home to the best wings in the Twin Cities? That’s the mighty claim at least. We had Ray J’s put its meat where its mouth is, and we’ve got to say, true to its boastful word, this eatery dishes out one heck of a chicken wing basket. We’re suckers for the drunken wings ($7.50 for a half order with five wings; $12.50 for a full order with 10). These little guys are coated with a house-made sweet and spicy sauce that promises to intoxicate. Another winner is the platter of Asian sesame wings ($7.50 for a half order; $12.50 for a full). They’re soused in a rich soy chili sauce then sprinkled with a happy confetti of sliced green onions. 9854 Norma Lane; 651.714.2035 Italian Chicken WingsCarmine’s When you think of Italian fare, your brain doesn’t typically tilt toward chicken tenders or wings. But maybe it should. Carmine’s offers a really nice version of chicken wings done Italian-style. The Italian chicken wings ($12) include 10 jumbo-sized morsels that are slathered in sweet butter, tossed with roasted garlic and Italian herbs then deep-fried. Plated with red marinara sauce for dipping, these wings are über-delicioso. The eatery also serves up classic buffalo chicken wings ($12), tossed with cayenne pepper and hot sauce, deep-fried, and garnished with blue cheese crumbles, plus green onions. 9900 Valley Creek Road; 651.730.4500 Jamaican Jerk-style WingsO’Malley’s Irish Pub Meeting up for a frothy pint is a deal sufficiently sweetened if there’s a basket brimming with delectable chicken wings thrown in, too. On this front, O’Malley’s doesn’t disappoint. When you go, belly up to the bar for a tasty elixir, then demand an order of Jamaican jerk-style chicken wings ($8.99). The jerk’s spiciness will only bully you if you let it; it actually offers a sweet burn with its robust combination of allspice, pepper, nutmeg, thyme, garlic and salt. If you’re looking for something a bit more familiar, aim for the buffalo-style wings ($8.99) or the teriyaki-flavored ($8.99). Wings are served with your choice of blue cheese or ranch dressing. 1775 Radio Drive.; 651.578.7007 Oyster WingsTinucci’s Tinucci’s is kind of a big deal for chicken lovers. In fact, it’s pretty much the mecca of the metro when it comes to scoring near-perfect poultry. Last year, the place sold more than 30,000 chickens, and you can bet the proverbial farm that a big chunk of those chicken sales comprised—yes, you guessed it—chicken wings. Tinucci’s recommends that you try its oyster wings, coated with a luscious, shimmering oriental sauce. Then of course there are the tried-and-true buffalo wings with a piquant barbecue sauce for extra ka-pow flavor. So find out what all the raves are about; swing into Tinucci’s deli to pick up an order of chicken wings for tonight (15 wings $10.50, 25 wings $17.50, 35 wings $24.50, 50 wings $35). 396 21st St., Newport; 651.459.3211 Teriyaki WingsWild Bill’s It’s time you quit peering over the booth partition to ogle fellow diners’ appetizers. Those chicken wings could easily find their way to your table, too—just order a few. At Wild Bill’s you’ll want more than “a few” though. Crispy-crunchy on the outside, and juicy-tender on the inside, these wings are a snack you should order by the basketful. You can get ‘em with or without the bone (six bone-in wings $5.99, eight boneless wings $7.99, 12 bone-in and boneless wings $9.99). The sauce selection for these delectable darlings is impressive indeed. Hemming and hawing over the 17 dipping-sauce options could paralyze you with indecision. We’ll make it easy: Try the teriyaki, the Cajun ranch, and the chipotle BBQ sauces. Now your booth neighbors will be spying on your delicious snacks. 546 Commons Drive; 651.357.1050