Owner Christian Ciscle's been trying to get me to come into his Lower Haight wings shop for a minute. I was always like “Christian (full disclosure: Ciscle took me on board as counterperson back in the days when he managed SoMa's Little Skillet to-go window), they're wings. I don't eat meat."
But then I went, and now I have to apologize because: Wing Wings' deep-fried oyster mushrooms. <!--break-->
When do you get to eat a whole tray of oyster mushrooms? And for $5? It's improbable, really. Wing Wings' side of them occupies a hefty paper tray. They're crispy and just salty enough on the outside, juicy on the inside. Dunk them in some ranch dressing or Wing Wing remoulade and you're good to go. I nearly took down the whole thing, but I had a friend there to fight me for the bottom of the tray (thank god).
They don't really have anything to do with each other, but if you stop by for the oyster mushrooms you can also pick up a brown sugar-black pepper biscuit what that Ciscle has been baking since the Little Skillet days. Call it dessert if you're a label person.
Pairing suggestion: Wing Wings, limeade, and some headphones at nearby Rookie Ricardo's LP listening stations
Of course, there's no veggie entrees per se at Wing Wings – normally. But tomorrow, Tue/8, the counter shop will host a pop-up dinner by chef-about-town Dontaye Ball of Good Foods Catering, who has lent his culinary chops to everywhere from the kitchens at Google to Delfina and the Presidio Social Club.
Ball's entrees will include, yes, pork belly and beef meatloaf ($15) and slow-braised chicken in a white wine-thyme gravy with cornbread dressing ($14), but also blackened tofu with roasted veggies and mashed yams ($12). Check out the evening's menu here.
A full vegetarian belly -- at a wings shop. Will wonders never cease?
Good Foods Catering's "Soulful Food" pop-up dinner
Tue/8 6-9 p.m., check Good Foods website for prices
Wing Wings
422 Haight, SF