Chicken Wings

I have a secret that I am going to share, but you must promise not to tell anyone. The best chicken wings in the New Orleans area can be found at Tan Dinh. Just look at these beauties. Here's how they do it. First, the wings are dusted in flour and fried golden brown, which produces a thin but crispy coating. Then as soon as the wings come out of the fryer, they are sprinkled with minced garlic. Lastly, you choose your dipping sauce: a thin lemongrass syrup or (our favorite) a tart mixture of melted butter, salt, lime, and crushed black pepper.

If I were Buffalo, I would be very scared.

You can order the wings either as an appetizer or your main course, but I strongly suggest sharing a plate of them to start the meal. That way you still have room to sample the remainder of Tan Dinh's extensive menu. For a superb version of a classic, try out the extra thick egg rolls, which are the antithesis of the frozen ones found elsewhere. For something new, how about the shrimp paste wrapped around sticks of sugar cane. Get both on top of a bowl of vermicelli, add fish sauce and sambal, and thank me later.

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Tan Dinh - Birdie