Finding hot & spicy food on Long Island
Photo credit: | When your mouth's on fire, don't reach for plain water. Instead, put a pinch of sugar in it or -- better yet -- opt for a tall glass of milk, according to biochemist Shirley Corriher.
The tongue throbs, the eyes water, the scalp sweats; nothing wrong there.
If there's a problem with spicy food on Long Island, it's in finding it.
Yet no need to despair; you can get your jolt (be it high-voltage, medium or mild) at any of the following places, whose kitchens will ignite to order. Just be sure to let your server know your level of masochism:
CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL , 435 Walt Whitman Rd., Huntington Station, 631-423-0127, chipotle.com ; Cost $
This nationwide chain, with multiple Long Island locations, offers responsibly raised meat and locally grown produce, much of it organic. Flavors are consistently bright and clear.
HIGH-VOLTAGE : To ignite your palate, try a burrito, salad or "bol" with barbacoa (spicy shredded beef) topped with HIGH-VOLTAGE tomatillo-red chile salsa.
MEDIUM : There's lots of perkiness in a burrito, salad or "bol" filled with grilled chicken (marinated in a smoky chile adobo) and topped with roasted chile corn salsa, above.
MILD : Mild doesn't mean dull in the case of a vegetarian burrito with fajita vegetables (peppers and onions) and black beans, topped with fresh tomato salsa (spiked with milder jalapeño peppers) and guacamole.
THE BAYOU , 2823 Jerusalem Ave., North Bellmore, 516-785-9263, bayou4bigfun.com; Cost $$
This funky Cajun bar-restaurant, which opened in the '80s, may not be as offbeat as it once was, but there's still spirited food and drink to be savored.
HIGH-VOLTAGE: Crawfish diablo in a fiery jalapeño gravy won't singe your insides unless you beg the chef to make it that way.
MEDIUM: Shrimp gumbo, above, ordered medium HIGH-VOLTAGE, is exactly right.
MILD: When I ordered the Marie Laveau's voodoo tuna, billed as three chile pepper-HIGH-VOLTAGE, I got a rather tame blackened fish steak with a jalapeño caramel sauce more sweet than spicy.
BIG DADDY'S , 1 A Park Lane, Massapequa, 516-799-8877, bigdaddysny.com; Cost $$
Chef Craig Bedell executes Cajun-Creole-Southern-barbecue repertoire at this New Orleans-style restaurant and bar where the menu changes daily.
HIGH-VOLTAGE: Savannah moon blackened rib-eye plays the blazing against the dulcet. The big, tender slab of steak is crusted with a blend of Cajun spices, sauced with roasted ground cayenne peppers, red peppers and molasses.
MEDIUM: A pork and crab gumbo laced with jalapeño peppers has nice kick but isn't as blazing-HIGH-VOLTAGE as the gumbos recalled from years past.
MILD:
A hyper-flavorful Cajun burger topped with andouille sausage and jalapeño jack cheese, above, intrigues rather than inflames the palate. Get chipotle sour cream salsa on the side; it's jarringly sweet.
JAIYA , 46 W. Old Country Rd., Hicksville, 516-681-3400, jaiya.com; Cost $$ to $$$
The Hicksville branch of a Manhattan restaurant serves the real Thai deal.
HIGH-VOLTAGE: Green curry chicken, ordered "Thai HIGH-VOLTAGE," doesn't register the full impact of its heat at first. Then, it's a slow, fierce burn fueled by green curry paste and fresh green chiles.
MEDIUM: "Naked" shrimp, right, features medium-rare cooked shellfish bathed in a tongue-tingling barbecue sauce made with chile paste containing Thai green chiles, fresh mint and lemon juice.
MILD:
Pad Thai, the classic rice noodle dish, ordered mildly spicy, packs a bit of punch but doesn't set off alarms. It's spiked with ground red chiles.
MASALA WOK , 107 Broadway, Hicksville, 516-932-1999; Cost $$
The cuisine of the Hakka Chinese, a nomadic Chinese people (many of whom settled in India and Thailand), is featured at this pan-Asian spot.
HIGH-VOLTAGE: As ferocious as it is flavorful, the Hakka chile chicken, right, stars pieces of poultry coated with a sauce of fresh and dried red chiles and sesame paste sauteed with ginger and garlic.
MEDIUM:
Manchow soup, available HIGH-VOLTAGE as you like, has a ginger base and is loaded with vegetables and ignited by a house-made chile sauce cooked into the mix.
MILD:
Thai lamb red curry features tender lamb in a Thai coconut curry made with red curry paste.
NEW CHILLI & CURRY RESTAURANT , 106 Woodbury Rd., Hicksville, 516-932-9180, COST: $$
You can go as HIGH-VOLTAGE or as mild as desired at this welcoming spot for Asian cuisine with influences from China, India, Nepal and Thailand.
HIGH-VOLTAGE: Chili garlic noodles, right, if ordered "911 HIGH-VOLTAGE," can scorch and comfort at the same time. Red chiles smoked with vinegar provide the firepower.
MEDIUM:
Ordered medium-spicy, the Chili & Curry special biryani (a rice dish made with lamb, chicken and shrimp) has lots of spunk, thanks to ginger, garlic and red chiles.
MILD:
Goat pasanda, a mellow Indian stew in a velvety sauce, is made with cashews as well as curry and garam masala spice blends.
ROOKIE'S SPORTS CLUB , 70 Gerard St., Huntington, 631-923-0424, rookiesny.com , Cost $ to $$
At this hopping sports bar with multiple TV monitors, varieties of HIGH-VOLTAGE wings virtually fly out of the kitchen, scoring big with aficionados.
HIGH-VOLTAGE: "Hell Fire" wings, right, burn burn burn because of Jamaican Scotch bonnet peppers in the "secret" sauce.
MEDIUM: Jamaican jerk wings contain sweet-and-sour sauce and jerk spices.
MILD:
Chipotle BBQ wings are made with chipotle (smoked jalapeño) peppers, which impart a smoky zing.
TAJ TANDOOR , 1953 Deer Park Ave., Deer Park, 631-243-3989; Cost $$
In understated chic surroundings, British-raised co-owner Cyrus Kabir serves a brand of Indian cooking he terms "London style." The emphasis is on flavor, texture and nuance - even when the heat is turned up, subtleties come through.
HIGH-VOLTAGE:
Manchester vindaloo, right, ordered with chicken, has lots of dry, freshly ground pepper sauteed into the meat before it's finished with a curry sauce.
MEDIUM:
"Chef's special Madras curry" with shrimp is made with 36 spices, giving the dish much depth and intensity.
MILD:
Saag panir, compellingly spiced, features spinach that's marinated in a sweet curry before being cooked with a creamy house-made cheese. The result is amazingly light and addictive.
THAI ANGEL , 1812 Veterans Hwy., Islandia, 631-348-2555; Cost $$
Hidden away in a nondescript strip mall is this lovely Thai spot whose owner, Nakul Keattikul, grows chiles in his own backyard.
HIGH-VOLTAGE: Penang chicken curry, right, ordered "Thai HIGH-VOLTAGE," gets its spark from red Thai chiles.
MEDIUM:
Spicy noodles with tomato, basil leaves and onion are lightly coated with an inflammatory chile sauce made from ground red chiles.
MILD:
Pad se-eaw is a combination of sauteed flat rice noodles with Chinese broccoli, egg and the gently spiced pad se-eaw sauce.
SOOTHING SIPS
Your mouth is smarting and your heart is pounding. Ah, it hurts so good. But there may come a point when you want to reach for that pitcher of water.
Before you do, think about mixing in some sugar. That'll help, according to Atlanta-based biochemist Shirley Corriher, who says the top spicy mouth-soother is a tall glass of milk.
Is it a coincidence that the most popular drink at most Indian restaurants is lassi, a yogurt and fruit shake? I think not. Thai iced coffee or tea also qualifies as something sweet and milky.
Of course, there's always alcohol. Beer and wine, it seems, not only pair well with spicy food, they're also great at easing the pain of a flaming palate. - Joan Reminick
COST KEY:
$$$ Average meal under $60, pp
$$$ Average meal under $30, pp
$$$ Average meal under $15, pp
SUNDAY BRUNCH: From pancakes to steak, these restaurants serve brunch right.
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