Chicken Wings Meet Upscale Hollywood at Delphine
If you're looking for some chicken wings and a couple beers, Delphine is probably not the first restaurant that comes to mind. Located at the W Hotel in Hollywood, the restaurant seems, with its Art Deco-meets-Provence décor, like an upscale refuge amidst the buskers and tourists. But now Delphine features Wing Nite on Tuesdays. Can a restaurant known more for its Mediterranean specialties and raw bar satisfy dive bar cravings? The happy hour-esque menu features seven varieties of wings, four sides, and a few beers and cocktails. The wings, which range from Thai Red Curry to Ranch Country, are served by the basket for $4.50, making a night out in Hollywood considerably cheaper than it would be at nearby restaurants like Katsuya and Cleo.
After Chef Sascha Lyon revealed that The Apple Pan and The Pantry are two of his favorite Los Angeles eateries, his decision to feature chicken wings at Delphine made more sense. He has an appreciation for the greasy spoon and is doing what he can to put his own take on finger food.
"Tonight is the antithesis of oysters," he said, referring to Delphine's more expensive Mediterranean seafood menu. "I want people to come in here and get their hands dirty. I wanted to stay away from the word 'gourmet'... they're just chicken wings."
While this may be the intention for Delphine's Wing Nite, there are still many signs that point in the opposite direction of the traditional chicken wings experience. For one, Chef Lyon refrains from buying any ingredients for his wings menu that he does not already use in the kitchen. He does this in an effort to continue the restaurant's mission to serve food that is "locally sourced, sustainable, and organic." This makes for a tasty wing, but not one like the wings you ate in college. The truffle cheese chicken wing, which Lyon calls the "obligatory Angeleno flavor," offered in an "ode to Angeleno self-proclaimed foodies," is delicious, and we have to say: also just a bit on the gourmet side.
Still, the honey sriracha wings were our favorite, good enough that we forgot to be embarrassed about massacring chicken parts in an upscale restaurant. So go ahead and let your fingers get saucy - Delphine will provide the moist towelettes.
Delphine Eatery & Bar
6250 Hollywood Blvd.
LA, CA 90028
323-798-1355