My husband and I are HUGE chicken wing fans. Any time we eat out, we always check out whatever type of wings the restaurant may have... asian, carribean, breaded, naked, twice-fried, mexican... you get the idea. The more unique the flavor, the better. We also really love food trucks, dives, and small, locally owned places being run by someone with passion. So, when we were planning our trip to St Augustine, and I stumbled upon Wingin It in Yelp, we couldn't wait to try it!!
The menu and reviews for Wingin It were top-notch. We appreciate when a place does a few things really well, verses doing many things just "okay", so their simple menu excited us. Their location is off the beaten path, but absolutely amazing once you get there. The truck is tucked in a dirt lot, right on the water, with a shaded outdoor dining area. It is, by far, the best truck dining area we've ever experienced. We did have difficulty trying to figure out their location and their schedule. I ended up emailing the owner to get this info. That was a little strange. Would have been nice to just see it on their site, social media, or something instead of having to email and wait for a response (took a while).
The gentleman running the truck was amazing. What a cool guy, with a great personality. We could have hung out with him for the day! So friendly, helpful, outgoing, and happy!
We ordered twenty wings flash-fried - extra crispy (half datil dry rub and half kickin' garlic) and a side of old bay fries. The wings were prepared fresh, so there was a bit of a wait, which we didn't mind at all. About half a dozen other customers came by during our visit, one shared that she eats there every day for lunch!
We received our order, and they looked phenomenal!! The garlic wings were in one container, smothered with a tangy, slightly spicy sauce with fresh garlic. The sauce almost had a Buffalo flavor, plus a boost of garlic. The second container had the dry wings and the fries. The dry rub was tasty, with a little sweetness. We got blue cheese with them, which was fresh and chunky. We also got a side of kickin' blue cheese to try, which was delicious - especially on the dry wings!
The preparation of the wings is where my husband and I didn't agree; I will share both of our thoughts. We shared the meal, so our opinions are on both types of wings, and the fries.
My husband found the preparation to be spot-on. Crispy, piping hot, couldn't ask for better. The meat fell off the bones, and the skin was just right. I found the wings to not be cooked well enough (especially having asked for extra crispy). There was some crispiness on the outside of some, but the skin and fat was still rubbery / chewy / soft. After about four wings, I couldn't eat any more... but he loved them enough to eat the remainder. So, for preparation, it's about preference. If you're sensitive to wiggly, wet skin, you may feel as I did, but if you're okay with a little chew, then you'll probably be fine! We both agreed the fries were undercooked, with not as much old bay as we had hoped.
Overall, we give Wingin It four stars for superior customer service, a fantastic atmosphere, and a very tasty selection of sauces. They lost one star from us for difficulty in figuring out where they were and what their schedule was, undercooked fries, and the wings not being prepared extra crispy.
If you're in St Augustine, you should definitely stop by for a great lunch!! read more