It’s a Wing Thing!
(Wings from the LookOut Tavern, OakBluffs)
(Wings from Sharky’s Cantina, OakBluffs photo cred: vineyard square hotel and suites)
So many restaurants tend to boast about having the best this, or the best that. One of the many “bests” that restaurants claim to have are tender, flavorful, crispy wings!
While on the vineyard, I made it a small mission to determine which restaurant that I visited actually had the best wings on the island.
In order to determine the quality of wings there are 3 factors to consider: (scale of 0-5)
1. Crunch
2. Flavor
3. Tenderness
Truly amazing wings should have an even combination of all three factors.
First stop on the wing expedition was at Sharky’s Cantina in Oakbluffs. If you couldn’t tell by the name, Sharky’s is a mexican restaurant with an island feel.
After ordering a margarita, we decided to get an order of wings for the table.
1. Crunch- 4:
These wings had a great crispy bite to them. Not too hard where it’s tough to chew. It had just the right amount of flaky, crunchy skin.
2. Flavor-3:
The flavor was upstaged by the crunch, but that doesn’t mean the wings lacked in this department. Although subtle, I still couldn’t resist licking my fingers after every bite
3. Tenderness-3:
Again, the tenderness was upstaged by the crunch, however the crunchiness didn’t cause the meat to become tough.
Aside from the delicious sushi (review on that coming in another post) the Lookout Tavern, in OakBluffs, had delicious wings that were bursting at the seams with flavor. For my entree my eyes quickly zoomed in on the MV Food Guy wings.
1. Crunch-2:
I absolutely love these wings, however the crunch factor wasn’t as crispy as the wings at Sharky’s. I figured that with these wings, the crunch wasn’t the star, the star was in the flavor and tenderness
2. Flavor-5:
As I said above, these wings were bursting at the seams with flavor. I was not practicing table etiquette while biting into the juicy meat, they were so good! Forget the wet naps, finger-lickin delicious explains this dish.
3. Tenderness-4:
Juicy, melt in your mouth, fall off the bone goodness. I think that best sums it up!
Known for their fresh and local seafood dishes, I’m not too sure many people automatically visit The Shanty, located in Edgartown, for their wings; however, after tasting them, I don’t see why they wouldn’t.
If you combined the wings from Sharky’s and Lookout, then you have the birth of The Shanty wings
1. Crunch-4:
The evenness of the flavor and tenderness of these wings gave them a soft crunchiness. The crunch of the skin did not outshine any of the other components.
2.Flavor-4:
Too many times wings can either be drenched in too much sauce, or barely have any sauce at all. Worst than that, the chicken itself can be so unseasoned that the meal is just un-enjoyable.
The Shanty wings tasted well seasoned as well as evenly balanced in their sauce.
3. Tenderness-4:
Not too mushy, these wings had the right amount of tenderness. Just like the wings at the LookOut, the meat was juicy, melt in your mouth goodness. However, with these wings, the sauce and the crunchiness complimented the tenderness, allowing you to get the same enjoyable bite each time.
So, whether you’re looking for crunchy wings, wings full of flavor, wings that boast tender meat under all the sauce, or a combination of all three, I would recommend these three restaurants on island. You be the judge!
