Cheese and caramel popcorn-flavored chicken wings, because why not?

The appeal of deep-fried chicken wings is so undeniable, it feels odd to walk into a restaurant and not find even a variation of this sometimes-snack, sometimes-viand, often-ordered item on the menu.

In fact, a number of establishments feature this as their primary attraction, usually cooked Buffalo-style and served with your choice of dip. These restaurants typically offer this dish in different flavors as well, with the usual suspects being the well-liked flavors: barbecue, honey garlic, hot and spicy, and lemon pepper.

A fowl experience

But as with any other dish, you can only have the same variation so many times before you feel like swearing off it.

Birdhouse launches its wings with six flavors

So when I caught wind that Birdhouse, a locally owned chicken joint at Uptown Place Mall in BGC, finally added Jumbo Wings (available in 6’s and 12’s, priced at PHP 199 and PHP 395 respectively) to their menu — in some strange new flavors — I had to try them.

Since it opened its doors in 2016, Birdhouse has been serving deep-fried chicken thighs, tenders, skin, and sandwiches, but not wings. 

‘Round the cluck

Aside from the common Pepper Cream (peppery and, well, creamy), Smokehouse BBQ (sweet, but with nary a hint of spiciness), and K-Bomb (crunchy Buffalo-style wings, but with the spiciness level of 11) variants, Birdhouse also offers wings in flavors you wouldn’t normally see in other wing joints: Roasted Garlic Parmesan, Bacon Mac & Cheese, and Cheese & Caramel Popcorn.

Roasted garlic paramesan flavored wings

The Roasted Garlic Parmesan wing is my favorite among the bunch, with its soft meat, tasty skin, and hint of spice that almost takes it right into peppery territory.

The Bacon Mac & Cheese variant is exactly as tasty and indulgent as it sounds. It’s like eating a bowl of macaroni and cheese, but with juicy chicken meat and crispy bacon bits thrown into the mix.

The bacon mac n/ cheese is as indulgent as you imagine it to be

Finally, the Cheese & Caramel Popcorn flavor stands out as the strangest variant. And for some reason, it works! It’s a delightfully weird combo: Wings bathed in caramel sauce, sprinkled with cheese powder, and decorated with popcorn bits.

It wouldn’t be surprising for you to want another helping of these sweet-salty wings, or think of grabbing a bunch before you head to the cinema.

Perhaps the strangest of the flavors: cheese and caramel popcorn-flavored wings

If you’re after a unique and budget-friendly chicken experience — or curious if popcorn can really put the “win” in “chicken wings” —  it's hard to go wrong with Birdhouse’s Jumbo Wings. — LA, GMA News

Food Hall, on L4 of Uptown Place Mall, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.