Wingstop – Eris Goes To

[Update: This outlet is permanently closed].

When Wingstop opened its first outlet in Malaysia, I remember being extremely excited, because we don’t have many places serving good buffalo chicken wings here. I even braved evening traffic to Mutiara Damansara just for it – something I would never do under normal circumstances lol. But I guess it was because I set my expectations too high; when I actually got to try them, I was sorely disappointed. You can read the review here.

This time around, I was bumbling around KL after a trip to an art gallery and came across another Wingstop, this one the branch at Nu Sentral. It so happened I was craving for fried chicken, and decided to give them a second chance…

Ordering mechanics were pretty much the same as the last time I went to a Wingstop – self-service via tablets, after which they give you a round buzzer that lights up when your order is ready. Gotta say their service was really good though! A staff member is on hand to explain how to order if it’s your first time.

There are close to a dozen flavours to choose from, and you can also opt for different cuts, such as boneless, tenders or classic. I went for the 8 pc classic with two flavours; Buffalo and Garlic Parmesan. The set also came with a fizzy drink and a side (onion rings).

Verdict: Slightly less disappointing this time around, but still not the best American-style wings I’ve had (that goes to Frankie’s). I know buffalo wings are supposed to be sour because of their vinegar base, but the sourness was a little overwhelming. The parmesan cheese on the other hand was underwhelming, with a thick, hard batter. Not to mention the chicken was greasy. It wasn’t terrible but again, I guess I had high expectations for it and it just didn’t hit the mark. Chicken was greasy as well, couldn’t finish eight pieces. The only thing they did well (again!) was the onion rings, which were tasty and crisp.

All in all, a ‘meh’ experience, although it did fare a little better compared to my first visit. Would I come back again? I know they say three strikes, you’re out, but with WingStop, perhaps two is all there is.

WING STOP (NU SENTRAL BRANCH)

No. L4.11, Nu Sentral, 201, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur

Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM

Everyone who knows me knows that I have an insatiable appetite for fried chicken. MORESO fried chicken wings. So I was super psyched when I heard an American franchise, Wingstop, was finally making its way to Malaysian shores! They’ve been quite aggressive on their social media platforms, posting these amazing, juicy-looking pictures of ayam goreng hmm. I was so excited I decided to drive through bad after-work traffic to The Curve, Mutiara Damansara.

It was a weekday night and the place was empty during dinner service. Waiters were warm and friendly; one of them taught me how to use the self-service iPad. I keyed in my order of six wings done in two flavours (they have ten to choose from), served with a side of onion rings (or fries) , ranch dip and a soft drink. The cashier gave me a round disc which I had to place on my table and would light up once my order was ready.
Waited…

And waited…

And waited some more. Considering the place was really empty, they took really long to get my order done. I had loads of time to take in the decor – warm, with lots of wooden accents and deep wall coats of green and gray. Didn’t want to get annoyed, because I did come all the way here for the food and they did pride themselves in making things ‘fresh to order’ – so I was hoping it would be worth it. After 20 minutes, the waiter who originally greeted me came over to my table and told the kitchen to hurry up lol.

Close to the 30 minute mark, the order finally arrived and it was visually pleasing ! My stomach gave a hearty rumble at the beautiful sight of wings coated in Buffalo sauce, and sprinkled over with Garlic Parmesan. I tucked into the latter first. It was fragrant with garlic and cheese, but I was disappointed once I took a bite. Fragrance seemed to be all it had, as the chicken was tasteless and oily.

OH NO.

I was holding in imaginary tears at this point. My long wait and drive through traffic! Maybe the Buffalo wings would fare better.

WRONG again! It had an overwhelmingly sour taste (yes, I know vinegar is the base but this was too sour), and the flavour was unpleasant. I’ve had American-style wings in Los Angeles (Buffalo Wild Wings – link here), and they definitely didn’t taste like this. At that point I was just really disappointed but I tried my best to finish it anyway because hey, it wasn’t cheap and I don’t like wasting food. Even so, I couldn’t finish all six because it was so greasy, the oil stuck down my throat. This coming from a girl who can polish off like 10 Korean-fried chicken wings in one go.

To their credit, the onion rings and ranch dip was good, but… aren’t you specialising in chicken wings?

Maybe I got there on a bad day and the quality of the food + service time was bad. I really wanted it to be good, and left sorely disappointed. All in all, I’d give them a 9/10 for service, but just a 2/10 for food. Sorry, guys. Better luck next time. I don’t think I would drive all the way to the Curve to have you again – I’ll stick to my 4Fingers.

WINGSTOP @ The Curve

G-51, The Street, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Open daily: 11AM – 10PM.

Tag: Wingstop

Review: Wingstop @ Nu Sentral Kuala Lumpur

American-Style Wings at Wingstop,The Curve, Mutiara Damansara