In politics, the oversimplified labels we apply to parties and people often involve the concepts of the "left wing" and the "right wing." This duality dates to the French Revolution, when defenders and opponents of the monarchy sat on opposite sides in the National Assembly. Of course, there are less controversial situations in which left and right wings exist, including airplanes and chickens. It's the latter that is at the heart of Left Wing, a stall in the H Mart food court that specializes in Korean-style chicken wings, as well as other preparations of fried poultry.
soy garlic wings with cabbage slaw
Left Wing is actually found to the right as one enters the food court inside the Mesa H Mart store. It's the first stall on that side as one passes a K-pop shop adjoining the crowded, bustling dining hall. H Mart itself is diagonally across from the Sycamore/Main light rail station at the crossroads of the Mesa Asian District. Semi-hidden bike racks are found near the west entrance to H Mart. As with all tenants here, the menu is displayed overhead, orders are placed at the counter, and a number is called via an automated system when the food is ready for pickup.
sweet and spicy with pickled radish
The essence of the menu is, of course, wings, and they're offered in both bone-in and boneless varieties with four different flavor profiles. The first, famous original, is a straightforward crispy Korean style breading with containers of salt and gochujang served on the side. The three others add sesame seeds and sauces. Honey garlic is sweet and mild while the sweet and spicy option maintains a balance between its elements with neither overpowering the other. Soy chili garlic adds layers of umami and heat to create the most flavorful of all the choices here.
honey garlic with mac salad
The wings are offered in small, medium, and large sizes. The small will be sufficient for most people if paired with a side; however, the medium and large offer the opportunity to mix two or three flavors in one serving. The most obvious side, the fries, are fairly forgettable. Alternative starches include plain white rice or a solid macaroni salad. For more vegetable-based sides, the slaw is simply shredded cabbage with a drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise. The pickled radishes are cubes of white tubers with a slight tang. Neither is spectacular, but both work in context.
potato tornado
Both chicken and sides are offered in additional formats. Boneless fried chicken appears in a Nashville chicken sandwich that is advertised as spicy but turns out disappointingly mild. A better choice is a quartet of bao with chicken tenders tucked inside supple rice buns with pickled radish and gochujang. An item described as a "rice bowl" is actually a generous platter featuring boneless bites of any of the four chicken varieties with sides of steamed white rice and cabbage slaw. Fried chicken burritos and nachos add a slight Southwestern influence to the menu.
fried chicken bao
Large dishes that can function as shared sides or appetizers include a potato tornado, a creation that seems straight out of state fair territory. A potato is cut into a helix that is salted, fried, and served on a stick.It's big enough to feed a family, making one wonder if it was really cut from a single potato or if some sort of legerdemain has occurred. Another larger-than-life choice is the cheese corn, a big dish containing a combination of two foods not inherent in Korean cuisine but readily embraced there: kernels of canned corn and melted mozzarella.
rice bowl
Additional dishes include jalapeño poppers and fried cheese sticks, two heavy, indulgent treats that seem consistent with the theme of state fair Korean food. A similar appeal is found in skewers of cylindrical rice cakes and sausage. Beyond those choices, there isn't much else to Left Wing. No desserts are found on the menu, but frozen treats are available from Snow Time two doors down and the Paris Baguette bakery near the front offers plenty of pastry choices. Likewise, beverages are limited to canned soda and bottles of water in a refrigerated case.
cheese corn
Seating is at tightly packed tables throughout the food court, and sometimes sharing space with others is necessary. That's appropriate since we all have to coexist regardless of political affiliations, and fried chicken is one way to transcend regional and national boundaries. Different places may have their own versions of the dish, but the satisfying crunch surrounding a layer of most poultry doesn't seem to stop at arbitrary borders. As paradoxical as it may sound, when visiting the H Mart food court in Mesa, turn right in the food court for some left wings.
1919 W. Main St., Mesa AZ 85201
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