Restaurant Review: Back to Grills

Spicy, savoury, crispy and drizzled in different sauces, chicken wings are always a crowd-pleaser at any get-togethers. A homegrown international grill concept in Oud Metha, Back To Grills takes its diners on a multi-sensory journey with its specially baked chicken wings. The brand is a family-owned business conceptualised by Anish Mathew, George Ninan and Annu George who are chefs from the globally renowned Institute of Hotel Management in Kovalam. The flagship brand has been in existence for just over a year and has truly carved a niche. It’s during this short time they conceived the Baked Wings brand Desi Wings.

These Indian inspired baked-not-fried speciality chicken wings come in 10 distinctive Indian flavours. With the range going from mild to spicy, it's marinated for 24 hours to ensure an authentic and tasty grill experience. I went through the menu and was spoilt for choices. Delicious, juicy and tender, the 10 best flavours of wings were Sumac Wings, Ginger Soy Chilli Wings, Fiery Sriracha Wings, Cream Cheese Garlic Wings, Pepper Chilli Wings, Pickled Paprika Wings, Mango Peri Wings, Smoked Biryani Wings, Tamarind Chilli Wings and Honey Mustard Wings. Some of their wings are first baked and then tossed in the sauces while the rest are given a dry rub and then baked. We sampled three servings of each; each had a unique taste.

The Sumac Wings had a dry rub of sumac, yoghurt and fresh beet. This gave it a citrusy and tangy taste. The Ginger Soy Chilli Wings, marinated with fresh ginger, green chillies and soy, were lip-smacking. The spiciest of the lot, the fiery Sriracha Wings, were baked with spicy hot chilli sauce. The Cream Cheese Garlic Wings turned out to be my absolute favourite. They were marinated with cream cheese, Greek yoghurt, a hint of garlic, baked and then topped with roasted garlic and coriander. If you are looking for some typical South Indian taste, the Pepper Chilli Wings is a must-try. These peppery curry leaves flavoured hot wings have a typical Kerala touch to it. Another spicy wing was the Pickled Paprika Wings which is marinated in homemade pickle flavour. Another favourite, the Mango Peri Wings has a spicy desi twist tossed with peri peri sauce and raw mango slices. We all love our biryani, then why not get that flavour in our wings. You get the perfect flavour of biryani with fried onions and dried nuts in their Smoked Biryani Wings. Wings tossed in tangy tamarind, sticky molasses and spicy red chillies resulted in another lip-tingling Tamarind Chilli Wings. With our stomachs full, we couldn’t help but try the last one. The Honey Mustard Wings were baked and tossed in honey mustard sauce and topped with a dash of lime and roasted chilli flakes. Juicy, tender and delicious, I licked my fingers off after finishing each of the chicken wings.

Taste (4/5): All the wings baked for guilt-free dining options are available in individual meals, combo options and in family packs. A definite must try for everyone who loves chicken wings and Indian flavours. You can adjust the spice levels according to your tastes.

Ambience (4/5): This restaurant oozes a cozy, young, energetic and lively vibe with indoor and outdoor seating areas.

Service (4/5): The service was pretty prompt and perfect, the owners gave us the utmost attention when we wanted to know details about each wing served.

Presentation (4/5): The food presentation was very neat, professional and good enough to engage a diner’s senses and draw them into the experience. Plastic gloves were also served to eat the wings.

Value for money (4/5): A dinner for two here could cost you Dh70 approximately. A box of six wings with a side and a beverage would cost Dh30. A box of 18 wings with a side and a beverage would cost Dh99. While family packs come with 24 wings (Dh110), 32 wings (Dh142), 40 wings (Dh170), 60 wings (Dh199) with sides and beverages. This is also a great place to order wings from for home parties.

• Dubai