Tortuga x HOGWings' Hot Wings Challenge

It was a chill Friday night in Poblacion brought to us by Tortuga, HOGWings by House of Griddle, and Jimlong’s Chili. I gotta say, it was a very collaborative effort – the relaxing vibe from Tortuga and DJ Ryle Alcantara, the superb food by HOGWings, and the wild excitement brought by Jimlong’s Chili and Dee Jae Pa’este made it a night worthy of celebration.

Tortuga is a new hangout place in Poblacion. It’s easy to miss—it’s on the second floor of Señor Pollo—but it doesn’t mean you should skip going here. Entering Tortuga is like being at a tropical island in a bar where the walls are colorful and the people are just looking for a fun time. I also love that the place is airconditioned and that they have clean restrooms which are hard to find in Poblacion!

Tortuga also has a unique range of cocktails and they partnered with HOGWings by House of Griddle for combos that are far from ordinary:

Smoked bbq wings with Española

Korean soy wings with Cocomo

Honey sriracha wings with Sneaky Tiki

Salted egg wings with your choice of local beer

Garlic parmesan wings with Guava Lava

What made the night even more special was the Hot Wings Challenge. Contestants had to eat six pieces of HOGWings’ spiciest wings—flavored by the Carolina Reaper a.k.a. the world’s hottest pepper—within two minutes. The winner not only gets the wings for free but also wins a bucket of beer from Tortuga, goodies from Jimlong’s Chili, and a signed painting from Dee Jae Pa’este! Lose the game and, well, lose your bragging rights and pay for the wings.

Spot the milk! The guy at the left won *slow clap*

The contestants with Dee Jae Pa'este and the owners of HOGWings, Tortuga, and Jimlong's Chili

Jimlong’s Chili played a big part of the festive Friday night. The owners (a very humble Filipino couple who harvest chili in Bukidnon and make their sauces at home in Valenzuela) went around the bar giving people a free taste of their spicy fish crackers which are also flavored with Carolina Reaper. Fun fact: chili powder is MUCH spicier than chili sauce, so the crackers were out of this world. I kid you not—you will cry and sweat after eating even just a tiny bite! It was fun watching people try to impress their friends, saying that it’s not spicy at all while struggling to keep a straight face haha so if you don’t believe me or if you want to challenge your friends (or enemies!), get yourself a pack from Jimlong’s Chili!

Don't be fooled! Ask my friends if they're still my friends after I made them eat this lol

Jimlong’s Chili also offers a wide range of hot sauces, the hottest of which is the Demogorgon (hello from the Upside Down, Stranger Things fans!). The Demogorgon is made of dehydrated Carolina Reaper. Dehydrating peppers makes the sauces a lot spicier so imagine just how hot the Demogorgon is!

Hot hot hot hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOGWings is a mainstay at Mercato BGC so if you want to experience the wild fun of eating (or making other people eat) their spiciest wings, head on over to their stall!

Tortuga is located at 2F Lokal Hostel, Ebro Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City. For reservations, call +639473631066.

Jimlong's Chili is now on Shopee! Check out their products here.

TL;DR: Go to HOGWings now and bring your friends!