A favorite traditional wing spot in Garland has jumped on the post-virus bandwagon with a new outlet specializing in wings to-go. Wing City Wings & Sports Bar, an indie mom-and-pop which has been doing wings and other things on the north edge of Garland for eight years, has debuted a new takeout offshoot, Wing City Wings To Go, based at Revolving Kitchen in Garland.

They're serving wings and some signature extras including a French dip sandwich and a clever variation on chicken tenders. You can order online, or walkup, or call 972-905-5557 for call-in orders.

The menu includes wings in various combinations; chicken tenders; and "chicken chunks," like bite-size chicken tenders, with a lot more crunchy crust to the bite.

They also do a pair of sandwiches you don't ordinarily see at a wing place: a Philly cheesesteak with peppers and onions, and their famous French dip sandwich, with top sirloin steak on a sub roll and au jus on the side, each $6.49.

"That's an old sandwich, it came from the East Coast," says founder/owner Robi Minies. "That came from a bar I used to have in the '90s with my buddy. I have a long history in the restaurant and bar business, that grew out of my experience in the music industry. I was a tour manager with musicians for almost 30 years. I also worked with mentors such as DJ Kidd Kraddick and Keith Black, who owned one of biggest nightclubs in Dallas, Iguana Mirage, where I learned the nightclub and bar business."

As a tour manager, Minies traveled the world more than once, and was ready to transition into restaurants full-time. He and his wife, Tracy, who works full-time as a nurse, opened Wing City in 2013.

"We grew it slowly, but the pandemic scared everybody and our to-go business picked up tremendously," he says.

They also offer something you don't see too often outside of the Hooters chain: breaded wings.

"We do two styles of wings," Minies says. "Classic, like Wingstop, and a breaded wing like Hooters. I went to my mother for that. We started with a naked wing, and I got my mom's chicken frying recipe and put it on the wings. That recipe is originally my grandfather's, so it's over 50 years old."

Sides include onion rings, fried okra, and French fries, which they get frozen — "but it's the seasoning that matters, and that's what makes our fries good," he says.

"Wings are not hard to do but the restaurant business is based on great food, customer service, and a clean atmosphere," he says.