Taste the hottest pepper in the world at HOGwings

Saying that living in BGC can be expensive is an understatement. I am always on a quest to look for food that is affordable and near my place. What better way to find good affordable food in BGC but by going to Mercato?

A food park is not complete without chicken wings. HOGWings by House of Griddle is a chicken wing haven brought to us by the same people behind, yes, House of Griddle formerly located at The Yard. HOGwings first started as a pop-up at Mercato Centrale McKinley West and just this August, they’re also now located at Mercato Centrale BGC. You might think that they’re just a typical business selling chicken wings, but fam. They sell the spiciest chicken wings in the world (ok maybe that’s an overstatement) in collaboration with the Philippine Hot Sauce Club (which means they help support local farmers from Bukidnon!).


I was able to talk to Chef JV Bautista, one of the owners, and you can see just how passionate he is about cooking (and about spices). He said HOGwings only sells all natural chicken wings with no artificial flavors and no preservatives. This is one of the many reasons why they’re an official Let’s Eat Pare vendor. Intense, pare!

The warriors with Chef JV Bautista

Ok, I have a confession to make…I had one small bite of a Carolina Reaper-flavored buffalo wing. It was enough to tick “taste the hottest pepper in the world” off my bucket list (even if it wasn’t on my bucket list in the first place lol). Carolina Reaper is said to be the world's hottest pepper—it's 200x hotter than jalapeño! Pro-tip: Don’t drink liquid to eliminate the spiciness! There’s an ice cream vendor at Mercato. Find him first before trying the Carolina Reaper wings :P

The Carolina Reaper. Look at how innocent this meal looks. It's a silent killer, I tell you.

For the less adventurous but still hungry for good food, of course they also offer non-spicy chicken wings. Their Korean soy would have to be my favorite; it’s the right mix of sweet and savory. They also have the classics garlic parmesan, cheesy bacon, and the very popular salted egg, among others.

Clockwise from top: honey sriracha and Korean soy, salted egg and salt and pepper, salted egg and  garlic parmesan, hickory smoked BBQ and cheesy bacon (forgive the dirty table; it's a food park!)

#Afford!

HOGwings also has a hot wings challenge! Finish six Carolina Reaper wings in three minutes and you get them for free (otherwise, you not only leave with numb lips and tongue but you also have to pay for what caused you pain!). Finishers will be added to the HOGwings Hall of Shame alongside actor Matthias Rhoads.

Go on then, challenge your friends and see who’s the bravest of all. Make sure to take videos for the ‘Gram!

You can find HOGwings at Mercato Centrale BGC on Wednesdays through Saturdays from 6pm-3am, and at Mercato Centrale McKinley West on Wednesdays through Fridays at 5pm-2am. What’s more is they’re available on Honestbee! Just search for House of Griddle on the app and you can have HOGwings right at your doorstep. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram or contact them at +639175681003 for bulk orders.