Jitlada
For dineLA.com
Diners have different tolerance levels when it comes to spice. Whether it’s the mouth numbing effect of Szechuan peppercorns, a ferocious habanero burn or the beads of sweat that will inevitably drip down your forehead as a result of sinus-clearing hot wings, LA has it all. Here are nine of the most intimidating dishes, each more intense than the last. Are you up to the challenge?
One of LA’s only Yucatecan establishments dates back to 1971, when Antonio Burgos and wife Rosy opened their first bakery in Pico-Union. Son Marc Burgos took over in 1997. The seat-less establishment bursts with baked goods, but they also offer a selection of savories. Vaporcitos are flat tamales wrapped in banana leaves, with achiote-stained masa and a core mixture of pork and chicken. Don’t settle for the tomato sauce. Instead, request house-made habanero paste, which is flavored with garlic and onion and stings lips. Burgos will gladly start slathering. The more paste, the spicier the tamale gets.-La Flor de Yucatan, 1800 S. Hoover St, Los Angeles, 213.748.6090, www.laflordeyucatan.net
One of the more iconic dishes on David and Wendy Yin’s regional Chinese menu is their “Two Items Boiled Dishes” with “Szechuan spicy sauce.” The best combination involves firm fillets of boneless fish submerged in a murky chile-rich broth. The fish is piled with minced garlic, scallions, chile seeds, ginger and bouncy, iron-rich cubes of congealed pig’s blood that are an instant cure for anemia.-Yunnan Garden, 545 W. Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, 626.308.1896
Chiang Mai native Nong Sriyana features northern Thai dishes at her six-table restaurant in an East Hollywood strip mall. Grilled Serrano dressing involves strips of smoky pepper with charred skins, seeds and all, folded with tomato, onion and garlic. The spicy but manageable dip is topped with scallions and cilantro. Pinch off some sticky rice and snag some Serrano with an impromptu utensil. Nong’s niece Kay recommends a lemonade chaser.-Spicy BBQ Restaurant by Nong & Family, 5101 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, 323.663.4211
The Liar’s Club was a famous bar in Mission Beach. It’s also where Blue Palms proprietor Brian Lenzo fell for craft beer and the Fuego Steak Melt. At his Hollywood beer bar, Lenzo riffs on the famously fiery sandwich, promising, “This is not for the weak.” The Liar’s Fuego Steak Melt involves five types of chile peppers, including sautéed Serrano and jalapeno, roasted Anaheim strips, Prime Rib folded with diced pop & wop peppers (pickled Hungarian wax peppers), house-made chipotle aioli and Pepper Jack cheese. Toasted sourdough comes studded with jalapeno and cheddar. The garnish: a single roasted habanero, if you dare. Lenzo suggests pairing the balanced sandwich with a hoppy IPA like Marin IPA or Speakeasy Double Daddy.-Blue Palms Brewhouse, 6124 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, 323.464.2337, www.bluepalmsbrewhouse.com
It’s no wonder that a restaurant that means “red chile” in Hindi offers a dish called “lava.” Owner Zaman Jaman and Chef Bajar Uddin dole out heat in the form of a “HOT curry” that incorporates cayenne powder, thin-shaved Serrano chilies and plenty of “secrets.” Load your curry with chicken, lamb or beef and have a dish of raita at the ready. The yogurt and cucumber dip has a cooling effect.-Lal Mirch, 11138 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, 818.980.2273, www.lmdining.com
Chef Roberto Berrelleza’s refined Mexican cooking is a lot more interesting than the dining room lined with worn wood panels and empty tequila bottles. His spiciest creation is undoubtedly Sautéed Shrimp “Topolobampo,” named for a small town in Sinaloa that’s known for shrimp. Berrelleza sautés sweet shrimp in an incendiary sauce crafted from pico de gallo, “super hot habanero,” mustard, tomato and white wine. The colorful plate is garnished with a pink flower, purple cauliflower and a crispy tortilla shell packed with silky black beans.-Babita Mexicuisine, 1823 S. San Gabriel Blvd, San Gabriel, 626.288.7265
Only travel to the top floor of the Weller Court if you’re feeling bold. Orochon means "bravery" in indigenous Japanese language of Ainu, and you’ll need it to meet their challenge. Finish an entire bowl of Special 2 ramen in 30 minutes and get your photo on the Wall of Bravery. Only 30 people have accomplished this feat, and it’s due to the ferocious spice and sheer volume of boiling soup. Choose from miso, soy or salt broth, but as my waiter said, "When you order Special 2, it really doesn't matter." The 13-ingredient broth is flavored with chile powder and jalapenos along with "secret" spices. Flame red broth is loaded with firm noodles, crunchy sprouts, mushrooms, scallions, strips of bamboo and lean pork.
-Orochon Ramen, 123 Onizuka St, Little Tokyo, 213.617.1766
The legendary gangsters that line the wall of this southeast LA wingery aren’t nearly as menacing as the plate of “atomic hot wings,” which require a waiver and are listed above “suicide” on the menu. Add your signature to the short list, confirming that you are purchasing the wings “of your own free will.” Minutes later a waitress brings a plastic basket of wings to your table that are submerged in flame-red hot sauce and wafting with pain. Attack, ignore the sinus pain and sweat and don’t let up until the chicken bones are picked clean. No, the ranch dressing and raw vegetables don’t help.-Alondra Hot Wings, 7906 Alondra Blvd, Paramount, 562.531.4200, www.alondrawings.com
Chef Tui Sungkamee and sister Jazz Singsanong don’t hold back at what is undoubtedly LA’s spiciest restaurant. Kaeng Paa Plaa Duk Luuk Taw is an especially ferocious turmeric-seasoned “wild” curry loaded with cross sections of catfish and bitter sator beans. The broth is super-charged with red and green chilies (seeds, veins and all), along with peppercorn clusters. Your throat may tighten and you may even weep. Attempts to extinguish the burn with chilled carrots, cucumbers and cabbage is futile.Incredibly, Jitlada’s “Dynamite Spicy Challenge” has dethroned their “wild” curry. Select a protein and add spicy meat leaf sauce or curry sauce. Either way, Thai chilies will bombard your tongue in waves. If you clean your plate, Jazz will buy you a beer or dessert.
-Jitlada, 5233 W. Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, 323.663.3104
