Patio 62.5 out of 5 stars9648 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa. No appetizers or dessert; entrees: $8-$15; wines by the glass: $5-$7. 813-510-3732; patio6wingbarandgrill.com.
"What do you think about craft chicken wings?" asks my editor on the other end of the cell. I think that perhaps I should get a Q-tip. Clearly I haven't heard correctly.
"Whaaaat?" is my perplexed reply. Evidently, I'd missed the next big thing.
"Yeah, there's a new place in Westchase."
Fine, I'm down with anything artisanal. All I need now is a wingman.
But not the kind I first learned about in Top Gun. I need an obsessive on my tasting team, someone for whom Hooters and Wing House, et al are regular hangouts. Luckily, I remember a ravenous, chicken-worshipping friend who actually gave up wings for Lent — and, believe me, it was a saintly sacrifice.
So, I gather my posse and descend on Patio 6. It's a pleasant space with an ample (mostly covered) patio that includes tables under gazebo-like structures in each corner for extra character. The inside is dominated by a huge red wall that picks up the trim on the handsome black booths. There are high tops and comfortable bar stools with tall backrests as well. Black is also the official color of the uniforms worn by the service staff, who are easily identifiable in their T-shirts; there are lots of them. The trouble is, they don't seem to know what to do or how to work as a team. They strike me as a swarm of bees with lots of movement but not much coordinated effort.
Although the atmosphere is super casual, guests still want to be greeted, and they want help interpreting the menu. Servers need careful training; P6 seems laissez-faire. There's no silverware with which to eat items that are not finger food. We need to flag someone down, as our server is nowhere to be seen. When we finally get a neat paper napkin-wrapped bundle, there's no fork. I'm longing for a traffic-cone-orange flag. It's needed if you want your water refilled.
A drink menu of beer, wine and soda features no prices. "Just tell me what you want and I'll find out," offers our server.
Perhaps it did not occur to the management that price and value are factors in one's choice. This does not inspire confidence. It's nice, however, to see them highlighting Lobetia, Spanish estate-grown, organic, biodynamic wines.
The menu offers eight kinds of fries, plus onion rings, except we're told there are no onion rings available. It also lists burgers, salads, wraps and crab cakes. Oops, no crab cakes — they must be at the beach with the onion rings. Sorry about that.
But WINGS. My-oh-my do they have wings. Seven kinds of signature wings and 36 specialty wings, though several are variations on a theme: lemon pepper, garlic Parmesan, maple bourbon, honey mustard and the odd-sounding (but ultimately satisfying) cheesecake variations. Just append spicy, ranch and more to the combos above. You get the idea.
It's also important not to oversell your lineup. If the wings are indeed "prepared by world famous cooks," as the website claims, I'd like to know details. It strains credulity to think that chefs of that stature are in the kitchen making wings and burgers. Notice their claim is not "world class" cooks or recipes. The savory garlic-Parm wings soar, and the sweet, surprising salted caramel cheesecake ones are just luscious. That said, nothing else about the food or service meets that standard. And, at $1.49 per wing, they cost at least 50 percent more than stalwarts in the market.
On weekends, P6 fires up the grill on the patio with a supplemental menu offering brisket, pulled pork, ribs and sausage. We try the three-meat sampler, skipping the brisket. The homemade barbecue sauce is very good, indeed. It's got a tomato base with a great hit of vinegar, providing a wonderful presence on the palate. Unfortunately, my plate (despite wonderful smoke) is overdone. The pulled pork is dry, and the sausage is black and shriveled. The ribs are better, but still don't hold a candle to the wings.
The burgers come from noted meat purveyor Pat LaFrieda. Our mushroom Swiss burger has sautéed 'shrooms and white onion that are nicely caramelized. The toasted bun is loaded with garlic butter and has lots of flavor. While it's a good effort, the wings are still the star, and the fries are soggy. I've spent too much ink ranting about fries, so that's all I'll say. At least they're available.
The Summer 6 salad tops fresh mixed greens with applewood-smoked bacon, one strawberry, a few blueberries, pecans, some crumbled blue cheese, and a balanced raspberry vinaigrette on the side. The dressing is good; the bar and grill seem to have nailed sauces. But at $15, it's pricey.
Our dishes arrive at the table at odd intervals. First, the barbecue and salad, then the burger, and finally the wings. It is paced less like a meal than a series of bar-food snacks.
If P6's goal of "making people happy through food" is to be realized, it's time to elevate the whole operation to match the quality of the wings.
Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system.
This article appears in Jul 21-28, 2016.