Dining Out: Planet Wings, Flights of fun

Eating should be fun, and no place knows that better than Planet Wings, which expanded its orbit from Staten Island to embrace Bay Ridge last year.

“We have four stores in Staten Island and are doing very well,” noted owner Vincent Martella. “We wanted to come into Bay Ridge and so far it’s been a success.”

On the evening of our visit, the eatery easily bore out Martella’s words, with a steady stream of customers occupying the tables and carrying out both the restaurant’s signature wings, original and boneless, in 24 flavors, as well as its array of other enticing edibles, from sandwiches to burgers to cheesesteaks to Tex-Mex to salads.

And, for good reason. We sampled a selection of Planet Wings’ most popular items and enjoyed every bite.

Among the highlights was the Chicken Quesadilla ($6.99), Martella’s favorite, studded with chunks of chicken and rich with cheese. It was hearty and satisfying, perfect comfort food that’s also great party fare.

We also enjoyed the Jalapeño Cheddar Poppers ($4.99), which were crispy on the outside, delightfully oozy on the inside, with the cheese taking the edge off the heat from the peppers. The Beer Battered Onion Rings ($3.99) were perfect, with a crispy crust enrobing the lusciously sweet onion. Equally good were the Seasoned Curly Fries ($2.99), deep-fried and delicious without being greasy.

Needless to say, a parade of wings kept our taste buds on alert. We sampled four different flavors, two original, two boneless, and were beguiled by the sweet, spicy coating on the Leapin’ Lizard, which gets its kick from Thai chili sauce.

Sweet and tart at once, the Cajun wings were everything we could have wished for, as were the BBQ Teriyaki Wings that eschewed heat for sweet, and the seductive Roasted Garlic BBQ Wings that combined so many of our favorite flavors.

What makes these wings so good? The sauces (which are available bottled for aficionados) are certainly part of it, as is the fact that all of Planet Wings chicken is Bell & Evans, organic and never frozen. Both the flavor and the texture of the meat were superior, and that sang through, both when first eaten and when consumed as leftovers.

They are also reasonably prices, ranging from $4.49 for five and $7.49 for 10, up to $62.99 for 100 – perfect for parties, especially with the Big Game coming up next month.

That’s something that Martella is well aware of, noting that game day is “our busiest day of the year,” though the eatery is also hopping whenever a major sports event occurs – from March Madness to the World Series.

For game day, Planet Wings, Martella said, is coming up with a variety of specials that diners “should look out for them in the near future.

“Football and Planet Wings kind of go together,” he stressed.

PLANET WINGS
8612 Fifth Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11209
718-833-WING (9464)
Monday-Thursday: 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 10:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Order on line at www.planetwings.com
Free delivery