Biryani Cart’s Juicy Wings Are Different… and Pretty Damn Good

The Biryani Cart empire on 46th btw. 6+7th got a little bigger this week with the launch of Juicy Wings, a cart specializing in chicken wings. The new cart is situated on the north side of 46th, across from Meru’s other two carts. This week’s cold weather, and major snowfall, is not ideal for a brand new cart, but those who have braved the elements have been treated to an interesting new option in mobile dining. Get a look at all four kinds of wings after the jump.

The wings all come 6 to an order and they have to be just one flavor – no mix-and-match. Each order comes with a side of celery and lettuce. This can be switched out for rice, a house salad or bread for an extra $1. I’m not sure why the Tripple X cost more than all the rest, but I’m fairly certain when I got them I was charged $5.

I tried all four flavors of wings (and a cheesesteak) over the the first two days of Juicy Wings’ operation. The wings were all very impressive considering they came from a cart, and a brand new cart at that. The wings are a little small in stature but they’re also very meaty, and in each order there was at least one huge wing. The wings are fried and their skin stops well short of being crisp, but it’s nicely browned and I didn’t have any that had that nasty boiled chicken feel that can come from too little frying and too much time sitting. The cart’s name is quite appropriate as the wings are very juicy, so much so that if that’s not how you like your wings it could be a big turn off. The flavors and preparation of the wings are what I would expect from a sit down restaurant- one that makes good and unique wings.

All the wings are cooked and then covered with the selected sauce. The wasabi wings come with a creamy sauce, and they have a balance of sweet and spicy that leans toward sweet. The wasabi flavor is pushed to the back, but they taste good and can be enjoyed by people who don’t like intense horseradish flavor.

The Tripple X wings are topped with a green sauce and were probably the least coated in sauce. They’re considerably hot, but the traditional Buffalo flavor is replaced with one dominated by Indian spices. If you like drier wings (and can handle some heat), these might be the way to go.

I don’t normally order BBQ wings because I dread the thought of totally replacing spicy with sweet. These wings are slightly smoky, with just a hint if spice, and not much sweetness. That’s about all I can ask of BBQ wings. If you’re looking for wings soaked in super-sweet BBQ sauce, these aren’t going to do it for you (none of Juicy Wings offerings will really), but if you want a milder wing without a creamy sauce, this is your best option. Also, on the second day both orders came topped with some crunchy, fried onions.

The sriracha wings are a lot like the wasabi ones. The heat of the sriracha is muffled down to a whisper by the creamy sauce, but the trademark flavor is there, if not prominent.

I enjoyed all of the flavors, especially since they all had some spicy element to them, even if it is mild (too often “mild” chicken wings would be better described as bland). The Tripple X is probably my favorite because I like hot wings and it might be the most unique flavor. Wasabi and sriracha are both good because they mix familiar and distinct flavors with a creamy, cooling element. And the Texas Ranch wings are one of the better BBQ wings I can remember trying.

I think the wings offer a decent value. It’s comparable to what you would pay in a restaurant for a similar amount of food and here you don’t have to worry about tax or tip. At the same time, one order isn’t going to entirely fill up most Midtown Lunch’ers. They might be best enjoyed as a side dish shared with coworkers. One way or another, you’re going to want something else to eat. That’s where Juicy Wings other offerings come in.

The deep fried shish kebabs aren’t ready yet, but will be served “soon.” So I settle for the cheesesteak. Long, thin slices of meat (not a whole lot of it), American cheese, onions, peppers, lettuce and tomatoes. It doesn’t much resemble the cheesesteaks in Philadelphia and it’s a little bland and ordinary, but at $4 it’s a nice way to top off some wings and stay under the $10 mark.

I’m very impressed by what Juicy Wings is serving up so far, and I hope they are able to keep it up once demand is higher. I don’t know of any other carts that serve sauce-covered wings like these, and I don’t think you can get better wings in Midtown period without going to a sit-down restaurant and paying considerably more.

The + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

  • The wings are meaty and well cooked, even though they’re from a cart
  • The 4 varieties are all good, and all a little different from what you’re likely to get other places
  • It’s a good facsimile of sit-down quality and style food that you can buy on the street
  • The cheesesteak is super cheap
  • I like my wings juicy!

The – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

  • One order of wings will not fill you up and wings don’t make a very “complete” lunch
  • Carts should stick to street meat. If I want food that is like it’s from an actual restaurant, I’ll go to an actual restaurant.
  • I don’t care if the cheesesteak is only $4, I’d rather pay more and get something better.

Juicy Wings, 46th btw. 6+7th, North side of the street

3 Comments

  • Just back from there. Got the BBQ. They are actually spicier than I thought. The one issue I have is they take a while to prepare. In weather like this, I imagine getting them up to temp takes longer. Very tasty though.

  • Send Mama over … we need her to do some recon, confirm the viscous white spoogey substance is indeed mayo

  • User has not uploaded an avatar

    I’ve been there three times since this post, and each time they’ve told me “no wings today, go to the cart next door.” Even though they keep the sign up.

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