Flying High with Wingman!
I'm in a rut. Sometimes life tends to go by agonizingly slow. It is during such long lulls and blank stares into space that this thought crossed my mind.
Comfort food beckons.
I have long heard local foodie lore about this tough-to-find joint tucked somewhere in the back pockets of Makati. Yet, this place is so famous by word-of-mouth (and by blogs, for that matter), that it ranks number one in TripAdvisor. Seriously. For such an unassuming shop, it was making its own legend. And having fallen in addiction to the wings craze, this was soon on top of my list just begging to be checked out. On a perfect warm Saturday noon, with the Makati traffic wanting, we set out in our journey for this critically acclaimed wing joint.
Wingman has long been in seclusion in a warehouse turned commercial space along a side street. The Collective houses a few good restaurants and a slew of other art shops and clothing store. But, I can bet a hundred wings there's only one place here that gets the greatest mileage. Armed with my Ipad map, it was easy finding the place. But it was tougher to grab a parking spot, let alone parallel park! The wings better be good, I thought, as I squeezed my sedan in between a dilapidated police van and a beat-up pedicab.
The bar is the best place to catch up on NBA news. And a few shots.
Let them do the talking.
Wingman opens at 12 noon on a Saturday, and we arrived on the dot. Yet there were already a few customers inside, a testament to the goodness it serves. The place was well-lit with the walls draped in its signature red. A few World War II - Korean War era posters of war planes decorated the walls, in obvious reference to their name. Wingman is also a frequented watering hole, with a small bar offering a collection of liquor. There were a few tables for dining al fresco, but it was rather humid that day. So we picked a bright spot inside, along the window panes, and then settled in to browse the menu. Surprisingly, for a dedicated wing joint, they offered other comfort food items such as big burgers and matching fries!
A crumpled menu is always a good sign.
But we were here for nothing else but the wings. After pondering a bit, we elected to choose the original Buffalo flavor and then tried out a concoction unique to Wingman. But first, we also picked something on the side to complement our main order.
Onion Rings, P130 (+4% service charge)
When the Onion Rings arrived at the table, we were stunned. The rings were huge! The size was reminiscent of the giant rings served at Nolita, although this was way cheaper. Furthermore, the serving amount was beyond that of Nolita. The bread crumbs coating the rings were akin to that of katsu, a bit spiky yet still gentle to the palate. The skin was crispy like no other, while the rings within were kept fresh and moist.
Deep fried to perfection, the onion rings came along with a tangy mayonnaise dip. They serve free refills of the dip, so don't fret. With the amount of this serving, the dip runs out pretty quick. One of the best executed onion rings I have ever had, it was highly addicting. I would have consumed this on my own, yet I was highly anticipating the wings.
Dozen Wings, P330 (+4% service charge)
At first glance, the wings seemed diminutive. There is an unending debate whether serving by the piece or by the pound is better. One thing against serving by the pound is that the bones add to the weight, so you may get less than your buck's worth. On the other hand, going by the piece makes sure you get the right amount, although sometimes, the wings are smaller. At Wingman, the wings did appear smallish compared to what I've previously had. But you get 12 honest pieces, and believe me, we were stuffed by the time we got to eight.
You can split the dozen into two flavors of your liking. And Wingman does have an extensive flavor selection, rivaling that of Buffalo's Wings and Things but still a few paces behind Sunrise Buckets. We always went for the original Buffalo flavor, so as to compare to other wing shops. The level of hotness can be tweaked however, so we opted for Apocalyptic. No waivers needed though.
Original Buffalo, Apocalyptic!
What was striking is that the wings were oozing with sauce. The buffalo sauce was liberally draping these adorable babies, with every nook and cranny accounted for. The tell tale signs of chopped chili and the spunky aroma was screaming HOT all the way. At first bite, it hits you with a little jab. In succession, the pain kicks in. A delicious kind of pain. The sauce was tangy, just like the good old buffalo mix. The skin was crisp but there were portions that were soft, clearly dampened by the overflowing sauce. Nevertheless the meat was juicy, with the flavor seeping into every sinew. A few traces of chopped cilantro offered additional zest to the already flavorful mix.
Who bit my wing??
It was our first time to test the Honey Garlic flavor, and we never regretted it after our first bite. The mild and refreshingly sweet honey blended well with the garlicky taste, offering a contrast as the flavors burst into your mouth. Again, there were no holds barred as the sauce embraced each wing lovingly. It was a relatively novel flavor, but it grew on me as I gobbled up wing after wing.
Honey Garlic
Despite its meager appearance, the wings were surprisingly packed with meat. By my 4th piece, I was nearly full. The ranch dressing comes free with each order, but additional sauces come with a price. Nevertheless, the wings are already gushing with flavor, so we didn't order for more of the dip.
Another happy customer. And a new Wingman convert.
Now I understood all the commotion and hype about Wingman. The flavors were spot-on, and neither did they scrimp on the ingredients. What you see is what you get, and you get every penny's worth. The vibe of the restaurant adds to the overall experience, with a homey feel, like a corner diner or a cozy bar. The menu is expansive, an assurance that one will never grow tired of Wingman. The onion rings alone left me dreamy, and the wings will surely make me come back for more.
One happy man in Wingman.
The only sad part is that Wingman is difficult to reach for people living outside Makati. For those bringing their own cars, it's a test of orientation and map-reading skills. Not to mention, you should have cat-like talents in parallel parking. One might have better chances commuting, but then again, its a long walk from the main jeepney route. Apparently, the place gets packed once the sun goes down, especially on weekends. But that should not be a deterrent from trooping out to Wingman. The wings are worth it.
The good news though, is that they are poised to open two new branches, one in Newport, and another somewhere near C5 in Taguig. Beats me why they always choose a far-off place. Newport? Who goes there anyway. Taguig? Tough to find also. Maybe it's because they want to preserve the sanctity of their legendary image. Although I would prefer a branch nearer the south (greedy me!)
So does Wingman deserve its lofty top spot? That remains to be debated and argued violently by wing lovers. (Stay tuned for my upcoming head-to-head review of wing shops!) Clearly though, it merits all the superlatives and accolades from foodies and even just plain hungry people. With a growing patronage, Wingman will always be flying high.
Jones
Wingman
The Collective
7274 Malugay Street
Makati City
Written by Jones
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