For years, I didn’t think anyone could contend with Mullet’s Fish Camp for my favorite wings in St. Pete. Then I tried the crispy, messy, breaded and beautiful creations of Ashley Reed at her food truck The Brunch Munch.
Whether they are the best in town is entirely a matter of preference and style. The only thing her wings have in common with those at Mullet’s is that they’re chicken. Both are amazing, but being poultry-based is where the similarities end. From there, The Brunch Munch wings follow a different path.
Ashley has perfected what I’ve long considered one of the more difficult tasks in chicken wing prep. They are breaded heavily enough to be crunchy on the first bite and fried enough to add crispy skin to that experience, all without sacrificing the juiciness and tenderness of the actual meat on the bone in the process.
Texture goes a long way, but the flavor drives it all home. Ashley has created her own breading for the hand-battered wings. She makes her own marinade, and each wing gets a 24-hour soak at a bare minimum. She seasons the wings with a heavy hand. And all of those wings come topped with a homemade sauce. The honey hot is her most popular, but if you don’t mind a mess, the housemade Hennessy BBQ is a must-try for anyone who loves a traditional sweet-and-smoky barbecue sauce. It’s made with actual Hennessy, though don’t worry, the alcohol gets cooked out…