Spicy hot crawl suggestions

[Bob Dobalina]

I recently learned that my generally staid friend is a hot sauce/spicy food freak after he doused his dim sum with three helpings of hot sauce at Hei La Moon and complained that it was not nearly enough.

A visit to the next Hell Night at ECG is clearly warranted. But, like the recent appetizer crawl thread, would you care to suggest similar ideas for hot and/or spicy food?

I can't wait to read your responses.

[Dr.Jimbob]

Sichuan Garden has two spicy chicken dishes -- one is called Chengdu spicy chicken (Chengdu la-zi ji) and the other is called Chongqing spicy chicken (Chongqing la-zi ji). They're named for two major cities in Sichuan province, but I've given up trying to figure out what the differences are, as I don't see a pattern from restaurant to restaurant. Ask them for the lethally hot, spicy, spicy chicken. (I think it's the Chengdu one, but I have to ask myself when I'm there.) One of the most lethal things that I've had outside of Changsha, which is in Hunan province and where everything is blistering.

Would pick Sichuan Garden over Chilli Garden, Zoe's or Anise any day, and twice on Sundays if you're looking for serious heat.

[9lives]

Michael B mentions that chicken dish at SG upthread...wow!

Here's a pic of the Napa Cabbage and Beef...Wenjun Prawns too.

http://flickr.com/photos/61246842@N00...

[Blumie]

That picture literally got me salivating. I know where I'm having dinner tomorrow night!

[Sgt Snackers]

Anise in Kendall Square does Sichuan and they do it right - they can make the food over-the-top spicy with a healthy dose of Sichuan peppercorn to boot.

[Bostonbob3]

I'd say that India Quality is one of the very few Indian places that makes its vindaloo to my "heat" standards without being pressed to do it.

That said, if you tell them to make it extra, extra spicy (or as I usually say, "tell the chefs to kill me") you will get a delicious fireball of vindaloo.

[pepperboy]

Chicken w/ Three Kinds of Pepper at Chili Garden in Medford Sq.

Papaya Salad at Phien's Kitchen in Lowell.

[horrible]

Closer to the city, Rod Dee's Papaya Salad is pretty fierce too.

The hottest indian food that I've ever had was at Punjab in Arlington. Very tasty, but wow!

[pepperboy]

Do you recall what dish you ordered at Punjab?

[BJK]

I've eaten at Punjab a half dozen times, and they are NOT afraid to bring the heat. No special requests required. They'll ask how spicy you like anything you order, and right on the menu the options are mild, medium, hot or very hot, or something along those lines. Even medium has some kick. I LOVE spicy food, but in the interest of my dining companions, I haven't ordered anything "very hot" since my first or second visit.

BK

[MichaelB]

Definitely agree with the Mary Chung's dan-dan noodle rec., and would add that their suan la chow show are pretty fierce as well.

Over in Brookline: Sichuan Garden definitely brings the heat. The braised beef filets with napa and roasted chili are sneaky hot, and they do the exact same prep. with fish filets. They also have a chicken dish that is frankly incendiary -- looking at the online menu I think it's the stir-fried chicken with spicy capsicum. It's COVERED in dried hot peppers, and plenty of their heat works its way into the chicken. Lots of others as well -- they have plenty of dishes written in red ink, but it's the ones marked "with roasted chili" or "with spicy capsicum" that will make you cry.

Also, Dok Bua and Khao Sarn will both honor requests for "pet pet" or "pet ma:." I forget whether the duck larb at Dok Bua is especially hot but I do recall that it is fantastic. And the pad kee mao at Kaho Sarn has some serious heat as well.

[gini]

The crispy duck pet pet at Dok Bua is my favorite dish on the menu and hot enough to numb your mouth if you're not careful. Delicious.

[9lives]

we had the beef with napa last week at SG..wow

got a great pic of it..but unable to post it

[yumyum]

Second the Sichuan Garden rec. That chicken is inedible (to me) but spice hounds Looooove it. The fish filets in that roasted chili oil are great too.

Along the same lines is the Cumin lamb at Zoe's in Somerville. *Almost* too spicy for me, but in a good way. I order the scallion pie and lots of rice to cool my mouth down.

There is a dish at Floating Rock, called "chili pork" or something like that which is even hotter than the Tiger's tears.

[MC Slim JB]

Allston Rock City:

Rangoli – lamb vindaloo
Buk Kyung II -- kimchi tchigae
Reef Café – makanek plate
Aneka Rasa – hot and spicy crab

I'm sure this could be stretched out with a few other places nearby.

[another_adam]

Although I prefer Rangoli or India Quality for most things and definitely second those recs, Rani in brookline has a spicy peppers dish (Mirchi ka salan) that draws me there when I want something really head-sweatingly spicy. (Actually, I thought I recalled getting this dish at Rangoli before, too, but don't see anything like it on the on-line menu).

Rod dee's papaya salad is also a solid rec, on the Thai front.

And also in Allston, Hanmaru serves up some reasonably good Korean dishes, for the Korean version of spicy. (What you really need is a place that dishes up very spicy ddeokbogi or soondubu--none of the places around really seem to stack up in both heat and flavor, though...)

[kobuta]

A little out of the way, but go to Little Q in Quincy and do hotpot with their spicey broth. I know die hard spicey freaks whose eyes water as they eat it (mine included). Mouth on fire, but oh so tasty. Especially with the restaurant potentially closing down soon, I'd suggest trying it before it disappears.

[Taralli]

Cerviche at Rincon Limeno &/or other fresh chilli-studded dishes w/their signature red & green sauces on the side: http://www.rinconlimeno.com/index.htm

[Chris VR]

I'd include the Tiger Tears at Floating Rock.

[gini]

Cambridge/Central/Inman crawl:

Start with wings of mass destruction at ECG in Inman. Other well spiced, but not as hot dishes could be Xiao Jianming's Wetbones or the tuna taco.
Next, try Koreana for Ddokbokgi or DobuJaeyukBokum.
Move on to Mary Chung's in Central for dan dan noodles.
How about Royal Bengal for Kasha Mangsho or Maachher Jhaal?
Cool off your tongues at Tosci's with some ice cream afterwards.

[Blumie]

ECG is always happy to provide a side of inner beauty, which i find goes incredibly well with a lot of the dishes, including all of the bbq, the tuna tacos, and the buffalo shrimp.

[DoubleMan]

That reminds me of a story from the most recent Hell Night (which I thought was pretty weak). At the table near us one of the customers challenged a waiter to take a shot of inner beauty hot sauce with him. They both did the ceremonial clinking of metal glasses before downing the shot. After taking the shot, the waiter seemed a little pained, to say the least. I think he tried to make a move to a sink or something, but instead ended up spitting up the entire shot all over the customer's arm. It was pretty lulzy.

[Blumie]

I love inner beauty, and have a very high tolerance for spice, but would never think of doing a shot of it.

[Alcachofa]

You can stop by ECG in the meantime and get whatever Hell item is currently on the appetizer list. Then, over to Mary Cheungs for one of their super-spicy items. There must be an Indian place nearby that you could follow that up with.