Wing Ferno - Gardena

Man, I had high hopes for this one. A specialty shop slinging all sorts of wings, with trays that looked like they were guaranteed to make your game day.

Well, they do have all sorts wings with plenty of flavors, but that’s where it ends. Our forty-pack of four flavors falls rather flat.

The Louisiana Rub, for starters, is more like a Louisiana sprinkle. The fry on the wings are nice and crispy, but otherwise it’s just a little bit of seasoned salt on top. 

The Garlic Parmesan wings are plain wings in a lake of sauce. The sauce itself is so creamy and so pungently, unapologetically garlic, and for those who love the stuff, it tastes like a dream. But pouring the sauce on top instead of tossing the wings in it leaves a soggy mess. Eat the wings anyway and use the leftover sauce to dip both sides of veggies and fries. 

The other two flavors are at least made correctly, coated evenly with a layer of Honey Sriracha or Sweet Thai Chili. Both are sweet, sriracha is spicier, Thai chili has a bit of that Asian sweet n’ sour. A bit too similar but both are good enough.

The super crispy fries on the side are satisfying, and the wing sauces are alright, but the main event just doesn’t feel eventful. These wings are alright enough to order once but not good enough to order again.

bb.q chicken - Lomita

Wings n' things, come for the wings. 

Gangnum Style is the coolest-sounding, and the black pepper sauce has some swag. 

Galbi is sweet and saucy, Spicy Galbi is smoky and sweet.

Soy Garlic is simple, but don't count this one out. There's a stiff whiff of garlic, and the sauce is balanced well. 

The BB Wings look benign, but they do have a serious kick. They don't quite equal the Wings of Fire, but all the spice here is easily tolerable, even for the weak. 

What you get won't look like the pictures on their website, but the taste is far more appealing. All their sauces tend to be sweet, but don't worry, the savory is hardly missed. Forget you, Colonel Sanders, this should be the only kind of KFC!

The Growler Guys - Reno, NV

You had me at beer. 60 rotating taps of beer and a few fancy sodas, many local and most from not too far, someone had their priorities straight when they built this taproom. 

A tasting flight is the best way to try, though they're happy to let you taste before you buy. I tried the Deschutes Squeezy Rider IPA to start, and it was love. This bright bash of citrus from Bend, Oregon is one of the freshest, most memorable IPA's I've had to date. 

Imbib is in the Reno scene, and their Cutthroat Cream Ale should be in every scene. It's a cream soda but beer, and it's brilliant. 

High Water makes a Cucumber Kolsch so refreshing you could put it on your eyelids at the spa. It's ice-cold and cuke-loaded all the way from Lodi. 

Save some beer to wash down dinner. They're all about the bar bites, and you'd do well to order their wings. Both the Sweet Chili and Classic Buffalo have some zing to them, but neither is too hot to handle, and they'd almost make you lick your fingers but maybe don't because covid.

Great service. The guys at the bar are passionate about their beer, and they care about the product they sell. The outdoor area lets you seat and eat in the sunset, though I can't say the strip mall has the best view. Still, this place is everything you'd want from a casual watering hole with a serious selection. 

Kokio Chicken - Harbor City

Beer and wings, wings and beer. Is there anything better? 

A: Korean wings and beer. Korean wings and beer are so much better. Kokio offers a Half n’ Half for variety, and the sweet n’ sticky Honey Bee Wings are a must. Garlic Wings are good as well, a little sticky, a little garlicky, a little smooth and just a little creamy. 

Waffle Fries are a fun side, though not necessary with all the chicken. Plus your comped container of lightly pickled daikon is more refreshing anyway. 

I’m sorry to say that take-out doesn’t travel well from Harbor City to Torrance, but I can tell that Kokio has potential. The wing sauces are good, and the quality of the chicken is decent, but dine-in or to-go at a shorter distance would be preferable. I’ll definitely sample some more after this lockdown is all done, though still wouldn’t stop me from ordering next time I’m wanting wings. 

Pok Pok Wing - Las Vegas, NV

Drunk on beer and buzzed on cigars, swaying and screaming our lungs out at Florida Georgia Line as they light up the stage...okay, fine, that last one was just me...we stumble, starving, to Pok Pok Wing.

Last year the decadent Cosmo spawned a delightfully affordable selection of street food, this Andy Ricker legend leading the way. 

There’s a Khao Man Som Tam to start: coconut rice topped with shredded pork reminiscent of Chinese pork sung, delightfully dehydrated and singing a song of savory and sweet. The side of papaya salad is a bright splash of spice and juice, a fruit that acts like a vegatable in the only salad I’ll ever enjoy. 

Ike's Famous Vietnamese Wings, half a dozen winged wonders that gave Pok Pok its place on the culinary list of legends. The meat is tender, and the sugar complements the flashy fish sauce and finishes like a smooth, sticky, fishy caramel. I’ve never had wings like this, and I will never forget having wings like this. 

The Ju Pa Bao could be a dessert. This little sandwich is like meat candy, A fluffy sweetbread Macanese-style bun sandwiching a bone-in pork loin fried in its own fat. They sneak a little sweetness into this one as well, and it amps up the savor. 

I think Andy Ricker was one of the earlier pioneers of street food. Pok Pok was so novel and captivating that it held the attention of the world’s most resistant and indifferent population for years: New Yorkers. It is only fitting for Pok Pok to make a splash in Vegas next, where ethnic food is as rare as affordable food that is edible. All I know is, I’ll be going for the wings every time I’m in Vegas, no matter how far I have to walk to get there.