Are you something of a heat seeker? This is your week to rejoice, as Thursday is International Hot and Spicy Food Day. These seven restaurants will allow you to test your heat sensors.
By Jacob Threadgill with provided and Gazette / file photos
Deckle Smokehouse
324 W. Edmond Road, Edmond
decklesmokehousebbq.com | 405-430-7649
Anyone interested in attempting Deckle’s Hot Leg Challenge has to sign a four-page waiver to make sure they’re of sound mind and body. A turkey leg is marinated in the world’s three hottest peppers: Carolina reaper, Trinidad scorpion and ghost pepper. It’s then covered in 151-proof rum and lit on fire to activate all of the chili oil. If you complete it in 30 minutes, you end up on the Wall of Hotness and get a free chicken dinner.
Nashbird
1 NW Ninth St.
nashbirdchicken.com | 405-600-9718
For the uninitiated, Nashville-style hot chicken might look similar to a Buffalo sauce, but the method for creating heat is different. Whereas traditional Buffalo sauce is hot sauce and butter, in Nashville-style, spices are bloomed in oil to create more depth of flavor with a fiery kick. Order the four exclamation point crazy hot level to test your heat limits.
Casa Perico Mexican Grille
12219 N. Pennsylvania Ave.
casaperico.com | 405-755-1506
While other restaurants lean toward keeping their complimentary salsa on the mild side of things, Casa Perico is where heat-seekers can get a good start to their meals. Casa Perico serves its habanero warm in a cast-iron skillet for an extra touch and added flavor — serving it cold, particularly with tomatoes, robs it of some flavor. The rest of Casa Perico’s menu includes both Tex-Mex and traditional items, including a large vegetarian section.
The Flying Pig BBQ
308 NW 10th St.
theflyingpigbbq.net | 405-728-7675
Certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s hottest chili pepper, the ghost pepper (bhut jolokia) is 400 times hotter than Tabasco. As The Flying Pig BBQ has gone from food truck to a permanent home in The Collective Kitchens + Cocktails food hall, its ghost pepper barbecue sauce has followed it. It’s is a fiery addition to its daily selection of brisket, smoked sausage, pork ribs and pulled pork. Check for daily specials like chicken and beef ribs.
Wing Supreme
3925 N. Lincoln Blvd.
wingsupreme.com | 405-702-5464
Oklahoma City’s self-proclaimed king of wings sets itself apart by cooking its bone-in wings in the sauce with additional herbs and spices; it’s not just drizzled on finished wings. You can order 18 different flavors, but heat-seekers should try the hot or KO’s. If you’re looking for something different, order the Boom Boom Shrimp.
Chuanyu Fusion
7011 W. Hefner Road
chuanyufusion1.com | 405-367-7977
Málà is a combination of Chinese characters meaning numbing and hot. The Sichuan peppercorn is the secret to achieving this unique feeling, which actually registers as an electrical sensation in your mouth. It’s the basis of many dishes at this traditional Sichuan-style restaurant that has a menu full of items not found at other restaurants in the city. The Dry Spicy Tasty Beef has both numbing Sichuan peppercorns and spicy whole chili peppers.
Panang 5 Thai Restaurant
3325 S. Boulevard, Edmond
panangthaifood.com | 405-285-5188
Panang 5’s Evil Jungle Curry is one of its most popular dishes. The restaurant uses the ubiquitous 1-5 number system to allow customers to dictate how spicy they’d like the dish to be. The Jungle Curry is served at a 2 unless specified. If you want to make the curry truly evil, turn it all the way to 5, like a Spinal Tap amplifier goes to 11.
