1264 Getwell Rd
Memphis, TN 38111
(901) 743-5545
As I continued my search around Memphis for the ultimate hot wing establishment, my finger clicked on several links that spoke of Ching's Hot Wings off of Getwell. This place is apparently very popular, although they don't have a website and aren't much for advertising. I was hesitant for a while about driving out there because it's out of the way for me and not in the best area of town. I finally sucked it up and went, determined that the best food is always found off of the beaten path. As it turned out, I was correct, but only to a certain degree.
I ventured there on a Tuesday evening, around 7:30, and almost called my order in beforehand. At first glance of the packed parking lot, I started to wish I did. The outside of the place was very unique. Each window was completely covered by blown up pictures of customers over the years, happily indulging in their plates of wings. I couldn't wait to be the next person with a wing sauce-covered smile from ear to ear. When I walked in, I was taken back by the amount of frying oil smoke that filled the tiny sitting area. They apparently cook more food than their vents can handle in the kitchen, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it was rather distracting for anyone dining in who had never been there before. There were about 25-30 people in the dining area that was no larger than my living room at home. Tables and seats took up every square inch possible. Several flat screen TVs lined the walls with nothing but basketball on. Instead of rooting for the hometown Grizzlies who were playing that night, this crowd was more entertained by watching the Miami Heat game.
I reviewed the menu that consisted of nothing outside the normal fried food found in wing joints. There were several options of seasonings and sauces but my eyes were focused on what every menu always puts at the bottom of the sauce list: the hottest of the hot. Ching's calls this their "suicide" sauce. Their wings were available to order in a variety of numbers, either whole or what they call "party" wings (drummies and wings). I wasn't able to mingle with the ladies working the register due to the amount of people coming and going but they were extremely friendly and professional to every customer. I placed my order for a 10 piece of party wings, coated in suicide sauce. I found one last empty seat and waited for what I predicted to be at least 20 minutes, due to the amount of business that night.
To my surprise, my name was called within 10 minutes. I debated on eating the wings there but the crowd and smoke lead me to taking them out the door with me. They were still warm by the time I got home, so I got busy right away. My first impression was the overall size of the wings. These were not your skimpy chain-style wings and they were coated heavily with sauce. I then noticed the crispiness which they clearly have perfected over the years. So many places fail with the frying times of hot wings, ruining the entire meal. Ching's clearly does not. I then began to critique the sauce. Basically, I wasn't blown away with the flavor. They tasted very average to me, with just a little bit more kick than the rest. After my 10 piece was consumed, I noticed I used at least a dozen napkins to wipe my fingers and sweat off my head. The perspiration ended moments later and I dried myself off one last time. My tongue was slightly numb even 30 minutes after my meal so it became evident to me then that this sauce was actually pretty warm. Although I lived through the Ching's suicide experience, I do warn anyone with a weak tongue to beware before they place their order. To conclude, I overall believe that Ching's Hot Wings are above average compared to other local establishments and if you're in the area, I recommend seeing what the hype is all about for yourself!
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