It’s World Cup season! A boom time for pubs and bars as soccer fans throng watering holes to cheer for their favourite teams.
Besides beer and football, let tasty pub grub be the draw as well! After all, we all know it’s best not to drink on an empty tummy. Here’s where you can find the tastiest fried chicken wings to go with your booze.
9 Emerald Hill Road
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 5pm-2am, Fri, Sat & eve of PH: 5pm-3am
Price: Fried chicken wings, $9.00 for half portion (4 mid-joints and 3 wing sticks)
Rating: 5/5
We received numerous raving recommendations on Ice Cold Beer’s fried chicken wings. Skeptically, we checked them out to see if it was sober fact or just drunken gibberish.
Wow, our sources were right! Ice Cold Beer’s chicken wings scored on every aspect. Well-marinated and intensely flavourful, they had this distinctive fragrance that was simply unforgettable.
Amazingly, these wings were nearly grease-less. The skin was evenly coated and beautifully golden, staying crisp right till the end. No wonder we spied a basket of these beauties on nearly every table. Without a doubt, Ice Cold Beer’s wings are the champions in this lineup!
45 Armenian Street
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 6pm-1am, Fri-Sat: 6pm-2.30am
Price: Timbre Fried Chicken Wings, $8.00++ for 5 wings
Rating: 4/5
With taut and crispy skin, Timbre’s signature wings were a close version of Ice Cold Beer’s excellent rendition. They were also addictively tasty. We loved their subtle charred smokiness, which reminded us of barbequed wings.
While it’s one of our top picks, Timbre’s wings lost points as they weren’t as meaty as Ice Cold Beer’s. Though sufficiently juicy, the meat was slightly over-fried.
However, they made up for it with a coriander-spiked Thai chilli dip. Perfumed with the delicate scent of coriander, this luscious dip made these wings soar.
21 Cuscaden Road, #B1-11 Ming Arcade
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 3pm-1am, Fri-Sat: 3pm-3am
Price: Patio Wings, $6.00 for 3 wings
Rating: 4/5
At first glance, Cuscaden Patio’s wings looked a tad dry and over-fried. However, appearances were deceiving as we discovered the meat was delightfully tender and succulent.
The wings here weren’t as well-marinated as Ice Cold Beer’s version, because the seasoning was more on the skin. Coated lightly and evenly in seasoned flour, there was a hint of chilli powder that gave it a gentle kick.
Somehow, the wings here go especially well with cold beer or fizzy Coke. To nitpick, the wings were slightly on the oily side. Served with garlic lime chilli (similar to chicken rice chilli), the dip could have been more tangy to give it more piquancy.
15 Duxton Hill
Opening hours: Mon-Thu: 11am-1am, Fri: 11am-2am, Sat: 4pm-2am; closed Sun & PH
Price: Toucan Wings, $13.80 for 8 wing sticks
Rating: 3.5/5
Toucan’s wings reminded us of a famous fast-food chain’s fried chicken, only this was like a more refined version. Using only wing sticks, these mini drumsticks were handy to grab and munch. They were also meaty and surprisingly tender.
Coated in a crunchy biscuit-like crust, the wings were alluring salty with lovely overtones of pepper and spices. The meat tasted fresh and nicely seasoned.
On the downside, these must be one of the priciest fried wings around. Much as we enjoyed them, we’re not sure if we want to shell out the same amount again for fried chicken wings.
11 Upper Wilkie Road, Emily Hill
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 6pm-9pm, Fri-Sat: 6pm-1am; closed on Mon
Price: Parmesan Wings, $8.00++ for 8 mid-joints
Rating: 3/5
As far as pub grub goes, this must be one of the most chi-chi chicken wings we’ve seen. Only mid-joints are used because, according to the folks at Wild Oats, it’s the best part of the wing.
Indeed, they were right. The mid-joints boasted immensely smooth and juicy flesh. Unfortunately, we have to flash a yellow card for its thick, flour batter. The crispy crust was fun to munch on at first, but gradually, it got rather heavy.
Apart from a light sprinkle of salt, there wasn’t much flavour. The parmesan gave the coating a mild creamy scent, but not much taste. Neither did the recommended gorgonzola sauce help to lift the overall blandness. Perhaps we should have gone for the chicken rice-style chilli sauce instead.
