IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
I wanted to go to International Wings Factory for a while, after seeing a mouth watering photo from my friend Malini, The Restaurant Fairy, on Instagram. I love wings, a dish that I discovered in France, at...Pizza Hut! Ok, not sure this is a good reference, but, at the time, it was the only place where I could get wings. Since then, I think I caught up on years of not knowing and most importantly indulging in what I consider a guilty pleasure. So I was thrilled to discover the jewel that Chef Deepak Ballaney, a Culinary Institute of America alumni, opened 4 years ago. This passionate entrepreneur has truly created a casual joint that will satisfy wing lovers, serving them an unusual taste. I admit that I was so pleased to try it that I forgot the reason why this place is unique: yes, it serves buffalo wings, and good ones I should say, but Chef Ballaney created a variety of sauces adapting a classic Americana dish to various countries, offering sauces like beurre blanc (France), Mexi Q (Mexico) or Tandoori masala (India).
Chef Deepak Ballaney at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
This is a small place. You first order at the counter, and then, they will bring you your order at the table.
Counter and dining area at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
Decor at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
At the International Wings Factory, you will get your hands dirty and it is probably the kind of place where licking your fingers would not be considered impolite...The wings are served in buckets, smothered in some delicious sauce.
Bucket of wings at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
I first tried the chicken wings, with the traditional buffalo sauce that was mild. I enjoyed dipping the wings in the ranch or blue cheese sauce. They came very hot, served right away and I admit that they were fantastic: the chicken was perfectly cooked and moist, and the sauce terrific. The skin was also slightly crispy.
Buffalo chicken wings at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
Buffalo chicken wings at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
I also went for the colossal chicken drumsticks, but admit that, with the term colossal in the name, I was expecting something more spectacular. The drumsticks were big, but definitely not colossal. However, they were also very good, perfectly cooked, completely smothered in that delightful sauce.
Chicken drumsticks at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
Chicken drumsticks at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
I was also looking forward to trying their chicken liver that was also fried and that I dipped in a chipotle mayo sauce. I was a bit disappointed as the liver was a bit dry inside. If they would have been cut into smaller pieces and fried, I think it would have been a killer.
Fried chicken livers at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
What definitely caught my attention though was one of the sides: the sriracha hinted cheese fries: this was succulent. First of all, there was a lot of cheese that smothered these delicious crispy fries. But then, you could get a slight hint of sriracha.
Sriracha hinted cheesy fries at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
Sriracha hinted cheesy fries at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
Then, Chef Ballaney offered his mac and moz, a take on mac and cheese that is perfect if you want to indulge even more on cheese, but I admit not as spectacular as the cheesy fries above.
Mac and Moz at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
Mac and Moz at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
He even offered his decadent panko crusted brownie that was very good, but I admit that at this point I was full. I have to say that just the idea of a deep fried brownie made me anyway salivate and I really loved the crispy crust on it.
Panko crusted brownie at IWF - International Wings Factory on the Upper East Side
This was a delicious meal and I was glad I was able to meet with Chef Deepak Ballaney who is the kind of owner who cares about what he is serving to his patrons, making sure they leave happy his restaurant. It is a small shop in a changing neighborhood and I hope Chef Ballaney will open more of those in the city. And yes, the next time I go, I will pay more attention to the menu; Because I will go back!
Enjoy (I did)!
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