I want to bring the heat at Thai Cafe, but the chef won't le

[Robin Garr]

I want to bring the heat at Thai Cafe, but the chef won't let me

LEO's Eats with Robin Garr

Pad Thai at Thai Cafe


Where in the world do you find the globe's most fiery-spicy cuisine? This seemed like a simple enough question when I dreamed it up amid a sudden craving for culinary fire the other day, but it's hard to get a definitive answer.

I have some notions of my own, based on many a chile-induced endorphin rush at home and away, but I thought I had better check it out with The Google.

Huh.

Alas, poor Google, I knew you well, I mused, gently sliding my fingers over my Apple Magic Trackpad and frowning mournfully. I had to drill down past three pages of useless "clickbait" destinations inviting me to page through extensive "galleries" of ad-filled pages to reach a few tidbits of poorly researched information. No thanks. It's rather eat a whole raw bhut jolokia ghost pepper.

Page three got me to the reasonably trustworthy LonelyPlanet.com, which punted with a seven-way, seven-nation tie for first place, but at least their roster pretty much matched my own list: Thailand, India, Korea, Mexico, the Caribbean … you get the idea … so I'll stand firm on the conclusion that Thai fare can be as hot as any and hotter than most.

As long as you can get your local Thai eatery to believe that you really do want it hot, that is. For some reason, Thai Cafe, otherwise one of my favorites, seems particularly reluctant to believe me when I ask for a little burn in my curry. ...


Read the full review on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/?p=5376

See this column also in LEO Weekly:
http://www.leoweekly.com/2015/09/i-want ... nt-let-me/

Thai Cafe
2226 Holiday Manor Shopping Center
425-4815
http://thaicafelouisvilleky.com
Robin Garr's rating: 88 points

I've complained about this same problem at Thai Cafe AND Simply Thai for a couple years now. I guess they don't believe that you really want it hot. I would consistently order my curry a level 4, each visit it seemed to become more mild. Didn't even need a drink refill. I thought maybe the years of spicy food singed my tastebuds and I was immune?

Finally, I got crazy and ordered a 5. Well that was a mistake. I think the chef decided to get serious about this challenge and it was his mission to light my soul on fire. And at that very moment, I decided that ordering a 4 and getting a 1 was the way it would have to be from now on.

[Robin Garr]

I decided that ordering a 4 and getting a 1 was the way it would have to be from now on.

Great report, Taylor! I love it!

Another thing, in fairness, is that the Thai Cafe folks will bring you out a little dish of Sriracha or sambal oelek to doctor your dish after the fact, along with apologies for not getting it right.

Sometimes I have that problem at places where they don't recognize me, too. When I went to Prince's last time I was in Nashville, I tried to order the extra hot, and the lady at the counter spent 5 minutes trying to talk me out of it because I'm not a regular and she didn't want someone who isn't familiar with it to try it and hate it. Granted, that's the reason why I was there, but I appreciate the effort.

Now if only Tony P would crank up the "fire in the hole" spice level at Joella's, I'd be a happy man. I went back again and it's still not hot enough for me. If I don't break a sweat, it's not really hot.

The only Thai place anywhere near Louisville that will actually make your food really hot on request is Mai Thai. Mai will burn your damned face off with the heat as long as you specifically request it. Which I did. Once. Never, ever again.

/but man it was good

When offered "mild, medium, or hot" options at Indian places around town, I usually order "medium," and it's usually not hot at all. I'm afraid to order "hot," but I might have to try it.

My strategy at Simply Thai is to order a 3, and ask for the chili oil on the side. I then amp it up to my desired heat by adding small amount of the oil at a time.

When offered "mild, medium, or hot" options at Indian places around town, I usually order "medium," and it's usually not hot at all. I'm afraid to order "hot," but I might have to try it.

I got some takeout chana saag from Kashmir a while back and casually asked for it to be spicy. When I got back to work I took one bite and it was inedible! It happened to be in a styrofoam container and was just as piping hot as when it was prepared. For some reason I can't do spicy and hot at the same time. Once it cooled to something closer to room temperature I was able to eat it. Still extremely spicy, but exactly what I wanted and delicious to boot.

I have found that when in an ethnic restaurant to say I want it "Thai hot" or "Indian hot" when I am jonesing for some fire. I have also learned that what I really enjoy most is one level of heat below said "ethnic hot"!

The hottest hot I ever experienced was in Winnipeg when after many business trips and meals there with mild food I ordered my beef vindaloo Indian hot. I did finish it, but a full six pack of Kingfisher beer later. I sweated and cried like a baby during the entire process. My dinner partner, whom was also my boss laughed his a$$ off during the entire process. It took another full day to recover. Dang it was good though.

[Robin Garr]

The hottest hot I ever experienced was in Winnipeg ...

This may sound bizarre, but the hottest hot I have ever experienced was the chipotle grilled cheese sandwich at Toast on Market in New Albany. I honestly believe they made it wrong. It was killer, it hurt, it made me cry, it hurt my innards for 24 hours (and I have cast-iron innards). I think they may have accidentally melted a whole can of chipotles en adobo into the cheez. Wooeeee! But this is a little off the point.

This title made me think of Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell and the SNL cowbell skit:

Robin's gotta have more heat, baby. He's gott a fever, and the only prescription is heat!

The hottest hot I ever experienced was in Winnipeg ...

This may sound bizarre, but the hottest hot I have ever experienced was the chipotle grilled cheese sandwich at Toast on Market in New Albany. I honestly believe they made it wrong. It was killer, it hurt, it made me cry, it hurt my innards for 24 hours (and I have cast-iron innards). I think they may have accidentally melted a whole can of chipotles en adobo into the cheez.
Wooeeee! But this is a little off the point.

One time I had a recipe that called for two canned chipotles in Adobo. I read it as 2 cans of chipotles. Needless to say it was a bit on the warm side!