Where can I find the spiciest food in Minneapolis?
April 2, 2010 7:30 PM
Where can I find the spiciest food in Minneapolis?
I love food, and in particular I love spicy food. I'm that guy you either are annoyed with or laugh at who asks for an 8 when asked what I want on a 1-5 scale. Of course heat means nothing without flavor: a plate of ghost peppers does not sound appetizing.
So I'm throwing the question out there to find the hottest food in Minneapolis. I will leave out the spots I frequent to reduce any input or bias to any answers I may receive.
Teach me!
I love food, and in particular I love spicy food. I'm that guy you either are annoyed with or laugh at who asks for an 8 when asked what I want on a 1-5 scale. Of course heat means nothing without flavor: a plate of ghost peppers does not sound appetizing.
So I'm throwing the question out there to find the hottest food in Minneapolis. I will leave out the spots I frequent to reduce any input or bias to any answers I may receive.
Teach me!
Maybe Everest on Grand in Saint Paul. I remember the mild level being way too hot for me there.
posted by stopgap at 7:57 PM on April 2, 2010
posted by stopgap at 7:57 PM on April 2, 2010
Harry Singh's on Nicollet just south of 26th St. Harry is from Trinidad and makes some really great food. We worked our way up to the really hot stuff, but he loved to tell us stories about people who would come in talking big and pushing Harry to make the hottest thing he could because no one made things spicy enough. He'd make them things that they would suffer through to protect their pride. Don't be that guy.
After a few months of being regulars, I asked him if I could try the real stuff. He brings me this tiny ramekin with sauce so hot our noses ran when he opened the container in the kitchen. I put on one little drop and my whole roti is burning. But it's so good, I keep eating it. I get halfway through putting on a drop every couple of bites and harry comes out with another container. and says, "this is the real stuff." One drop and it's hotter than anything I've ever had before. With each bite, I feel sweat ooze out like I'm a play-doh fun factory barbershop. But it's so good, I keep eating it.
I also really like the heat at Grand Szechuan in Bloomington. It's owned by the former chef at Little Szechaun in Saint Paul. (The new chef at Little Szech uses too much Szech peppercorn, so you get aht numbing feeling way more than the hot. It's off balance if you ask me.)
posted by advicepig at 8:26 PM on April 2, 2010
After a few months of being regulars, I asked him if I could try the real stuff. He brings me this tiny ramekin with sauce so hot our noses ran when he opened the container in the kitchen. I put on one little drop and my whole roti is burning. But it's so good, I keep eating it. I get halfway through putting on a drop every couple of bites and harry comes out with another container. and says, "this is the real stuff." One drop and it's hotter than anything I've ever had before. With each bite, I feel sweat ooze out like I'm a play-doh fun factory barbershop. But it's so good, I keep eating it.
I also really like the heat at Grand Szechuan in Bloomington. It's owned by the former chef at Little Szechaun in Saint Paul. (The new chef at Little Szech uses too much Szech peppercorn, so you get aht numbing feeling way more than the hot. It's off balance if you ask me.)
posted by advicepig at 8:26 PM on April 2, 2010
Let me be the first to say by all reports you missed out when the Sri Lanka Curry House shut down.
I don't generally ask for the crazy hot but I'm given to understand that True Thai is offering up some of the hottest curries in town at the moment.
I haven't actually eaten there but have heard Marla's Caribbean praised for very hot jerk spiced food.
I've gotten some spicy food at Blue Nile which has been around forever and serves what I take to be very authentic Ethiopian, which is an interesting cuisine.
I do think it is necessary to really sell that you want S*P*I*C*Y at restaurants that actually cater to people of the ethnicity of the food they serve as well as the more general population because I think the perception that ethnic restaurants have a milder spice scale for all the Norwegians, Germans and Swedes is true. I'm pretty sure that people of Mexican descent eating alongside me at the little places along Central like Adelitas are eating spicier fare than me. Likewise in Indian restaurants frequented by the Metro's considerable Indian population like, well, I was going to suggest Nala Pak but they seem to be at least temporarily closed, maybe their other restaurant, Dancing Ganesha. I'm guessing you could get hotter fare if you really made a point that you were really up for it.
posted by nanojath at 8:28 PM on April 2, 2010
I don't generally ask for the crazy hot but I'm given to understand that True Thai is offering up some of the hottest curries in town at the moment.
I haven't actually eaten there but have heard Marla's Caribbean praised for very hot jerk spiced food.
I've gotten some spicy food at Blue Nile which has been around forever and serves what I take to be very authentic Ethiopian, which is an interesting cuisine.
I do think it is necessary to really sell that you want S*P*I*C*Y at restaurants that actually cater to people of the ethnicity of the food they serve as well as the more general population because I think the perception that ethnic restaurants have a milder spice scale for all the Norwegians, Germans and Swedes is true. I'm pretty sure that people of Mexican descent eating alongside me at the little places along Central like Adelitas are eating spicier fare than me. Likewise in Indian restaurants frequented by the Metro's considerable Indian population like, well, I was going to suggest Nala Pak but they seem to be at least temporarily closed, maybe their other restaurant, Dancing Ganesha. I'm guessing you could get hotter fare if you really made a point that you were really up for it.
posted by nanojath at 8:28 PM on April 2, 2010
I've also heard about the Grand Szechuan in Bloomington, but haven't made it there yet. I'll definitely be watching this thread.
posted by sanka at 8:31 PM on April 2, 2010
posted by sanka at 8:31 PM on April 2, 2010
For general browsing also if you haven't gotten into it the City Pages' online restaurant guide has gotten really beefed up, I've been finding a lot of great new places through it. The restaurant food situation in Minneapolis, I'm happy to say, has been steadily improving over the last couple decades.
I just remembered I got a pretty intense curry once at Sen Yai Sen Lek, which seems pretty committed to authenticity, but I don't know the degree to which serious heat is their thing.
posted by nanojath at 8:40 PM on April 2, 2010
I just remembered I got a pretty intense curry once at Sen Yai Sen Lek, which seems pretty committed to authenticity, but I don't know the degree to which serious heat is their thing.
posted by nanojath at 8:40 PM on April 2, 2010
Seconding True Thai. I like just a little heat, so I usually ask for a 2, but even that has been nearly unbearable for me lately.
posted by anderjen at 8:44 PM on April 2, 2010
posted by anderjen at 8:44 PM on April 2, 2010
If you're willing to take a short trip to St. Paul, you could hit up the Hmong Market, I bet you could find some extraordinarily spicy food.
posted by Sphinx at 9:59 PM on April 2, 2010
posted by Sphinx at 9:59 PM on April 2, 2010
nanojath:
Sri Lanka Curry House. You have NO idea. I do not have the words to describe how spicy the food there could be. I seem to remember that there was medium, hot, and extra hot. They strongly discouraged first timers from ordering anything beyond medium.
It was a great place.
posted by jindc at 7:11 AM on April 3, 2010
Sri Lanka Curry House. You have NO idea. I do not have the words to describe how spicy the food there could be. I seem to remember that there was medium, hot, and extra hot. They strongly discouraged first timers from ordering anything beyond medium.
It was a great place.
posted by jindc at 7:11 AM on April 3, 2010
Venture over the river to Ruam Mit in St. Paul. They are willing to vary the spice level up to an insane level.
I was hoping someone would come up with some good Mexican spice shops. I'm sure there are some in West St. Paul, but I can't recommend any.
This has no relationship to MN whatsoever, but Susie's Hot Sauce from Antigua is one of the best tasting as well as hottest sauces on Earth. It used to be an Antigua only deal, but if you are willing to jump in for six bottles you can order on the internet. http://www.susieshotsauce.com/store.us/ If you do, stick with original.
Cheers
posted by pandabearjohnson at 11:12 AM on April 3, 2010
I was hoping someone would come up with some good Mexican spice shops. I'm sure there are some in West St. Paul, but I can't recommend any.
This has no relationship to MN whatsoever, but Susie's Hot Sauce from Antigua is one of the best tasting as well as hottest sauces on Earth. It used to be an Antigua only deal, but if you are willing to jump in for six bottles you can order on the internet. http://www.susieshotsauce.com/store.us/ If you do, stick with original.
Cheers
posted by pandabearjohnson at 11:12 AM on April 3, 2010
Harry Singh's Caribbean Curry.
You want the spiciest in town, that's the place for you.
posted by DaveP at 3:26 PM on April 3, 2010
You want the spiciest in town, that's the place for you.
posted by DaveP at 3:26 PM on April 3, 2010
I agree with pandabearjohnson that ruam mit is a good option. My friend blue bar and I used to go there and eat the panang curry with tears streaming down our cheeks, exclaiming "This is the best food [sniff], I've ever tasted [sniff] in my life."
posted by umbú at 6:35 PM on April 3, 2010
posted by umbú at 6:35 PM on April 3, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by vytae at 7:48 PM on April 2, 2010