Baked, gluten-free chicken wings and carrot fries at Love Baked Wings on Melrose

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The “LBW infamous” chicken wings from Love Baked Wings on Melrose Avenue.

(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

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From left, the baked carrot fries, baked boneless cihcken wings with Parmesan rosemary rub and the LBW infamous wings from Love Baked Wings on Melrose Avenue.

(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

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The rib wings covered in ranch rub at Love Baked Wings on Melrose Avenue.

(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

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A tray full of baked wings and carrot fries at Love Baked Wings, a new restaurant on Melrose Avenue.

(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

By Jenn HarrisColumnist

Oct. 2, 2015 9:50 AM PT

That new, well-lighted storefront at the corner of Melrose and Fuller avenues isn’t a tattoo shop, despite its glowing sign of an arrow through a heart. It’s a restaurant called Love Baked Wings, run by attractive men with Australian accents. And on the menu: lot’s and lot’s of baked chicken wings.

For die-hard wing fans, chicken wings are not meant to be healthful. They are fried, eaten by the bucketful, in front of a game, and preferably covered in hot sauce. At Love Baked Wings, this is not the case.

The signature wings are baked, the boneless chicken wings are baked, and there’s even something called vegan chickpea “wings,” which also happen to be baked. And the fries? They’re baked too — and made out of carrots.

And did we mention it’s all gluten-free?

You can order your wings covered in the “LBW infamous,” a five-pepper spice rub that’s most similar to your traditional hot wing; the sesame ginger, made with gluten-free tamari soy glaze; burning jerk, a mix of 22 spices; garlic Parmesan; and rosemary, which includes sauteed garlic, rosemary and grated Parmesan cheese; and ranch rub — which is similar to that time you licked the seasoning off your Cool Ranch Doritos.

These wings are an easy substitute for traditional hot wings, and the boneless wings are dredged in gluten-free flour, giving them a nice crust. The carrot fries, also dusted in gluten-free flour, end up with a pretty crisp coating.

If you’re eating chicken wings, dipping sauces are a must. Here they include housemade jalapeño ranch, blue cheese and sour cream sweet chile sauce.

The restaurant also serves twice-baked pork rib “wings,” coated in your choice of rub, and a small selection of sides, salads and sandwiches (not gluten-free). There’s kale salad, quick-pickled cucumbers and baked potato wedges for those who insist on potato fries.

7350 Melrose Ave., Suite A, Los Angeles, (323) 424-4300, www.lovebakedwings.com.

To avoid disaster, always make sure there is enough blue cheese. Follow me on Twitter @Jenn_Harris_

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