Wing shops are practically a dime a dozen these days, and the large majority of them are chains. We do have a taste for good wings, however, so when we found a new, small, family-owned spot, it beckoned.
Located in a strip of shops on Page Boulevard between Woodson and Ashby Roads, O! Wing Plus is sparkling inside, and offers a menu that goes quite a ways beyond the expected, another thing that sparked our curiosity.
Not only are the wings large, fresh and crunchy, there are eight flavors of sauce from which to choose. In descending order of heat, they are Beast Mode, Hot Mama!, Thai Chili-Lime, O’s Original, Buffalo, Honey Mustard, Garlic Parmesan, O’s Teriyaki and Bee-Bee Q. All that we tasted carried a hit of sweetness, sometimes gentle, sometimes strong.
Despite the fact that we generally prefer them un-battered, these crispy critters are winners in our book. The batter is light, crisp, totally un-greasy and a perfect complement for the juicy, meaty chicken. The beast mode is indeed fiercely hot, and the Thai chili-lime the classic Thai trio of hot-sweet-salty, but far less inflammatory unless you nibble from the fresh jalapeno rings that serve as a garnish. Teriyaki is pleasant and familiar.
Beyond the wings and some pot-stickers that were pleasantly light but without great flavor, we dabbled in fried chicken and wraps. Because the Song family is Korean, we had hoped for Korean fried chicken, the double-fried variety that’s creating such a commotion on both coasts. Nope. But it’s good fried chicken, with a light, crisp batter and cooked to order so that it is moist and flavorful, and well-worth the wait. We preferred the potato salad, a mayo-sauced version with potatoes that hadn’t cooked to mush, to the coleslaw, which was nice but unremarkable. What we really loved was the macaroni and cheese. Yes, the macaroni is vastly overcooked by contemporary standards, but the sauce is creamy and extremely cheesy, comfort food that stood up to what Mom dished out from her cast-iron skillet on winter nights. And, oh, yes, the fried rice, far less greasy and lighter than what’s usually dished out in storefronts.
The wraps are large and surprisingly tidy, the romaine shredded nicely and the wrap tight rather than sloppy. Of the beef options, we preferred the short ribs to the bulgoki. While the bulgoki was tender, its characteristic seasoning got lost in the trimmings. The short ribs, on the other hand, were a little beefier, the meat pieces a little thicker and displaying more flavor. We also ended up with a chicken wrap, strips of fried boneless white meat with some teriyaki sauce. It was good, but not as good as the short ribs.
Our sole negative on O! Wings Plus is that our orders have been incorrect on each visit. The staff has been extremely gracious about correcting things, but we’d advise checking carryout before you leave. Otherwise, it’s a neat little spot with some delicious things to munch on.
O! Wings Plus
10094 Page Blvd., Overland
314-395-0180
Lunch & Dinner Mon.-Sat.
Credit cards: Yes
Wheelchair access: Yes
Smoking: No
Entrees: $6-$9
