I am not a number, I am a free man!
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Ipsedixit is a lawyer after all. Accurate parsing is to be expected.
Finally had a chance to try the fried chicken sandwich. I was too hungry and excited to dig in to remember to take a pic, but it tastes every bit as amazing as people have reported! If I had one criticism, it would be that they use a boneless breast, instead of thigh meat, which I prefer. Still, the meat itself is so tender and juicy that itâs really splitting hairs.
The lines have definitely gotten longer since last I visited. My buddy and I arrived around 11:05 AM, and there was already a longer line than when I went previously (around 12:30 PM). However, I noticed theyâve also increased their efficiency, and it took us the same 30-40 minutes to order and receive our food, despite the longer line.
This time, I sat at one of the tables inside. Watching Chef Zone at work was a fascinating experience. His calm, assertive energy kept the kitchen humming like a well-oiled machine. Itâs no surprise heâs opened restaurants for the likes of Thomas Keller. The person working the register (his wife?) is a total pro, too. She kept the line moving with the grace of a fine dining host.
I also got an order of wings to go â purely in the interests of science! â to test how well they travel and reheat. Iâll update when I have a chance to try them.
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Hi @Bigmouth,
Glad you finally tried the Fried Chicken Sandwich! Itâs pretty amazing, and makes me appreciate how good it is compared to most places around LA.
So juicy and tender, full of flavor. 
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Quick updateâŚI got there on Wednesday at 3pm, picked up my single sandwich @ 3:40.
For my taste buds hot = a typical âhotâ from a thai place like Pa Ord or Hoy Ka. Started sweating about 1/3rd of the way in, finished about 95% of it. Tapped out due to combination of giant fucking piece of chicken and insane amounts of chili pepper. Lips stopped burning around 4:15 - I was also careful not to touch my eyes.
It got pretty messy - Iâd like to try the straight up chicken + fries next time.
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How would the sandwich be at the Howlinâ level I wonder? Seems like a great way to eat Howlinâ level heat with the pickles, slaw, sauce, bread, etc⌠to buttress it?
At hot (2 levels below Howlinâ), I already ate every single pickle in the small 6oz(?) container provided.
I like spice, but I have zero interest in Howlinâ. Itâs probably @ sadistic Jitlada levels - which begs the question, whatâs hotter, âHowlinââ or âsadistic Jitlada spicyâ.
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The guy on Eater seemed to handle Howlinâ pretty alright.
Makes me wonder if it really is that much hotter than hot. Are there actually different peppers per level, or just more sauce added?
A stronger (ie more sadistic) man than I.
HRâs chicken breast is praise-worthy. Iâm a dark meater too, but I had no complaints here. And the size of that piece is pretty impressive. As my son used to say when he was a toddler trying to explain something that was extreme, âLotsa lotsa really really very veryâŚâ
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I think you mean masochistic?
So after watching that video, I have to askâŚwhatâs the point of offering the âHowlinâ spice level. It seems way too spicy for anyone to actually enjoy it. So is it one of those things that theyâre doing just to show how spicy something can be regardless of if the end product is good or bad? Seems pretty dumb to me.
I think there are people that genuinely enjoy those spice levels? But yeah, maybe itâs just to see how crazy it can be shrugs
Yes there is a difference. Listed the other peppers in my post above.
Do the Carolina reapers add to the taste? Or pure scoville sauce?
Believe me, the âHowlinâ Hot takes the Scoville Units up to a whole new and much hotter level. As Ive posted before, itâs only the second hot food item ever that made me cry uncle!
What is the other?
The generic sounding âCountry Curryâ at the now defunct Bua Siam that was on Sherman Way in N. Hollywood . The waiter told me that it was too hot and refused to let me order it. Eventually he placed my order and after he served it, both he and the other waiter watched me (both giggling) from a doorway at the far side of the room. I did finish the dish but mainly because Iâm stubborn and did not want to let the giggling lads win! Far hotter than anything at ANY other Thai restaurant that Iâve experienced in the U. S.
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that same sort of thing happened to me at a thai joint in georgetown many many many moons ago. i think i washed away the shame at the brickskeller.
sad to hear of the demise of bua siam. i wish someone less lazy than i would update their way through the thai restaurants on sherman way. had many a great thai meal around there but havent been in a very long time.
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