TGI Fry-Day: Nagoya Teba (Chicken Wings) at Hinomaru Ramen

[Photograph: Max Falkowitz]

I think we're at a point in New York's chicken wing zeitgeist where can start talking about noodle shop fried chicken as a category unto itself, just like buffalo wings (cf Chuko, Hide-Chan). Expand your thinking to boneless chicken and you get to add Jin's, Tabata's, and plenty more.

So here we are at Hinomaru Ramen in Astoria. Truth be told I haven't had enough of the ramen to comment on it in a meaningful way, but these chicken wings sure have me happy. Nagoya Teba ($6) come six to a plate, fried to a deep crisp and tossed with a slightly sweet glaze. Though the chicken meat is on the mild side, the skin is anything but. It's burnished dark and salted well, and that glaze carries a serious black pepper kick. Nostril-clearing fried fare—this is a good thing.

Hinomaru Ramen

33-18 Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria, NY 11105 (map) 718-777-0228
hinomaruramen.com

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