2023 is wrapping up and there’s a lot of spicy eating on the way in the coming year, but now is a good time to take a look back and pick out my favorites among the items I have reviewed over the past twelve months. I tried quite a few spicy items during that time (it’s a hard job, but somebody has to do it), and several of those stood out among the rest. Some are local finds, some are available at the chain restaurants or national grocery stores, and some have since returned to Limited-Time-Only-Ville. But all are worth revisiting. These are not necessarily the hottest items that I tried during the year, but the ones that came closest to matching Fire with Flavor, which is what I look for. And since its hard to say which is best I’m going to list them in the order that I reviewed them, starting with the furthest back. Click on the links for each to read my full reviews.
My Hammy Spice from Denny’s: Restaurants have been kicking up breakfast lately, and this is an item I found early in the year and rather enjoyed. This is a variation on that chain’s famous Moons Over My Hammy sandwich and it includes ham, scrambled eggs, melted Swiss and American cheese, chorizo, and jalapenos. It won’t set your mouth on fire, coming up to Mild on my scale, but that’s okay because I am not looking for too much burn with my morning coffee. It definitely delivers a nice kick to wake you up, though, and all the ingredients come together to make for a very tasty breakfast. Served with hashbrowns, it is a pretty hefty meal and you can split it into two breakfasts if you are not too greedy. (Otherwise, be sure to schedule some time at the gym that day.) Sadly, this one is not on the current menu, but hopefully they will bring it back at some point in 2024. Heat Level: Mild.
El Diablo Burger from Hopdoddy Burger Bar: If you are looking for a good burger (and a good beer to wash it down), you can’t go wrong with Hopdoddy Burger Bar. That is an Austin original that is expanding through Texas and beyond, and they sling up some tasty burgers made from freshly sourced ingredients. And if you want that burger to have a kick, try the El Diablo. That piles tillamook pepper jack cheese, habaneros and serranos, caramelized onions, salsa roja, lettuce, tomato, and chipotle aioli sauce on the patty and stuffs it inside a freshly baked bun. This one is definitely an experience and it brings the heat, coming close to Hot on my scale. They have a few other kicked-up burgers on the menu as well and a Nashville Hot sandwich which I plan on trying at some point. And they have several craft beers on tap, so it is worth a visit. Heat Level: Medium to Hot.
Birria Beef Tacos from El Pollo Loco: Birria tacos have become all the rage lately (at least in the San Antonio area), and this fast food joint dedicated to chicken offered a good take on those earlier in the year. Birria is a traditional Mexican stew often made with goat, but beef can be used as well. The meat is cooked in a rich broth that is seasoned with chilis and other spices until it is fall-apart tender. The Birria tacos take the meat and put it into corn tortillas which are then dipped into the broth and fried. El Pollo Loco doesn’t do that last part, instead they put the meat in crunchy taco shells. But they do offer a cup of the stew to dip those in, and everything comes together quite well. The tacos are rather messy, and they don’t bring much heat themselves. But when you pair them with their Salsa Roja, that kicks things up. These may not be the same Birria tacos you get at a good hole-in-wall Mexican joint, but they still work out pretty good for a fast food joint and I am hoping to see them back on the menu in 2024. Heat Level: Mild (Medium with the Salsa Roja)
Spicy Original from Schlotzsky’s: Starting up in Austin in the early ’70s, Schlotzky’s has long been one of my favorite sandwich chains, and their Original is one of the best deli offerings out there. For years I have been kicking it up by adding jalapenos and the jalapeno cheese bread, but in 2023 they finally decided to add an official spicy version to the menu. That has the jalapenos as well as a spicy sourdough bun and spicy mayo and it definitely adds some burn to a Schlotzky’s classic. Sadly, this was only visiting from Limited-Time-Only-Ville and the spicy version is not currently on the menu. But hopefully they will bring it back at some point and perhaps even make it permanent. In the meantime, my menu hacks will still bring some burn to one of my all-time favorites. Heat Level: Medium
Nashville Fire Chicken Sandwich from Pecan Street Brewing: We are living in a Golden Age of micro-breweries with plenty of independent brewers offering a wide variety of craft beers. And many of these places excel in food as well, cooking up tasty dishes that pair quite well with their brews. Case-in-point: Pecan Street Brewing in Johnson City, Texas which is about forty-five minutes north of San Antonio. They have a pretty extensive food menu, including a very generous portion of chicken and waffles, but their Nashville Fire Chicken Sandwich will definitely light you up. It delivers a perfectly fried piece of breast meat that is seasoned just right and taken to the next level with pepper jack cheese, grilled jalapenos, jalapeno jam, lettuce, tomato, and onion all stuffed into their freshly baked jalapeno cheddar bun. This is a monster of a sandwich and it certainly brings some heat, and luckily they have a nice selection of hand-crafted brews to wash it down. This place may be a little bit out of the way, but it is worth the trip if you are anywhere in the area. Heat Level: Medium to Hot
Nashville Hot Pretzel Pieces from Snyder’s of Hanover: If you have the munchies and you are looking for something that brings the heat, might I recommend this latest flavor from Snyder’s of Hanover? That company has been putting out flavored pretzel pieces for years with both their Jalapeno and Hot Buffalo Wing options ranking among my favorites. But the new Nashville Hot really kicks things up, and I recommend giving it a try. These bring the hot sauce tang you expect, but then the taste of the pickle–which so often accompanies Nashville Hot chicken–is in full force to act as a complement. They are really bursting with flavor and deliver a very satisfying snack, and they also bring the heat, just like you would expect from something with Nashville Hot in the name. These are not a limited-time-only flavor, but I have had a hard time tracking them down. I stumbled upon a bag in CVS in Las Vegas, and I think I have only found one more since then. I am assuming that is because they are quite popular, which certainly makes sense. If you see a bag on the shelf, I highly recommend picking it up, though be warned that you will quickly find yourself addicted to these tasty pretzels. Heat Level: Medium
Frito Pie Quesadilla from Taco Cabana: There are plenty of good, local Mexican restaurants to eat at in San Antonio, so I don’t find myself stopping by this chain too often. But Taco Cabana actually does a good job for a fast food joint, and from time to time they have some pretty tempting additions to the menu. This past Fall, Taco Cabana added the Frito Pie Quesadilla to its offerings, and I found myself heading to the drive thru to try it out. It is comprised of two flour tortillas that are filled with melted Jack and Cheddar cheese, Fritos® (which got their start right here in San Antonio), chili con carne, pico de gallo, and jalapenos. It certainly sounds like a mess of a meal (and it is), but it is definitely quite tasty, blending the classic Frito pie flavors with a quesadilla. It also brings some heat, especially if you add some of their fresh made Salsa Feugo. Sadly, this one returned to Limited-Time-Only-Ville, but I am hoping it will make a return at some point in the future. Heat Level: Medium (Approaching Hot with the Salsa Feugo)
Ghost Pepper Chicken Fries from Burger King: The Chicken Fries have been around at Burger King for a while, and they are basically the same as their chicken nuggets, just in a thinner, elongated shape. I had not been a particular fan of those until recently when they kicked them up with ghost pepper seasoning. This new version hit the menu around Halloween, and the spices bring a nice peppery kick along with plenty of heat. And interestingly enough, these are only 280 calories for an order of eight. That’s less than a small order of fries and makes these a better option as a side. (I’ll have some chicken fries with that chicken sandwich, please. Chicken it up!) I thought these were only going to stay around for the spooky season, but they are still available at my local BK so they apparently got an extended window of availability. I advise giving them a try while they are still on the menu because you never know if they will disappear again until next Halloween. Heat Level: Medium
Chunky Ghost Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup from Campbell’s: Right now is soup season with all the cold weather blowing in, and I have a recommendation that brings some spice to a hot steaming bowl of goodness. Canned soups have come a long way from the condensed concoctions your mother used to give you for lunch, and now they are kicking those up. Several of the canned soup makers have been offering spicy versions lately, and Campbell’s decided to go all-in on the heat with their Chunky Ghost Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup. As a soup by itself, this is pretty darn good offering nice chunks of chicken and noodles that hold some texture along with a rich and savory broth. But adding in the ghost pepper amps up the heat, and this one will certainly warm you up. Not only is that bowl steaming from the heat, but the chili pepper brings its own burn as well. If you have a cold, this one will definitely clear you up pretty quickly. Average mortals should probably steer clear of this soup, but chiliheads will certainly enjoy slurping it all down. Heat Level: Hot
Hot and Extra Hot Tenders from Dave’s Hot Chicken: There are more than enough chicken restaurants out there these days, so you would think that it would be hard for a new chain to make a name for itself. But Dave’s Hot Chicken has beaten the odds by expanding across twenty states and into several other countries after getting its start as a local stand back in 2017. Two locations have opened in San Antonio (both well across town from me), and after finally tasting their chicken, I understand why they are so popular. They make tenders only and you can get those on top of sliced bread (with pickles on the side) or in a slider bun. The chicken is quite tasty and cooked well throughout with the seasoning kicking up the flavor and the heat. The Hot level ranks at Hot on my scale and the Extra Hot jumps up to the Fiery level. I also tried the Reaper tender (you have to sign a waiver for that), and it verges into Insane heat. If you are looking for flavor and fire, stick with the Hot and Extra Hot. You can still taste the chicken and enjoy your meal with those. I will certainly be visiting Dave’s again and I am currently hoping that another location will open closer to me in 2024. Heat Level: Hot to Fiery