I do lots of very spicy food. I think my tongue has literally been damaged over time by all the heat, so stuff I don’t register as being even the slightest bit spicy are unbearably hot to others and I have to really ratchet it up to taste anything.
But what I’ve found at lots of Asian restaurants is that the staff assumes my pale, white ass can’t take real heat. I ask for “5-peppers” hot and they’re like “We’ll start you with a 2.” It’s annoying. I’ve never been served food that’s “too hot” in a restaurant, so I kinda understand these exaggerated descriptions people give on food orders.
I once had to leave a negative review at the Thai place I go for lunch pretty regularly, because they got a new hostess and she kept trying to save me from my hubris multiple weeks in a row.
The owners finally had a conversation with her and now I get my Pad Thai at the appropriate spice level. I edited the review to 5 stars afterwords.
They do that to me nearly all the time too, especially with to go orders. When eating in person, I just always ask them to bring the spice tray out when ordering my food, that seems to sometimes get the point across.
When I was in the US with another Brit buddy we went out for a curry (Gaylord Chicago IIRC) and each ordered a vindaloo. The head waiter was dispatched to our table to warn us this might be too spicy. When we told him we were British he nodded, smiled, and said “I understand, I’ll let the kitchen know.”
It was still a bit on the mild side for a BIR vindaloo.
On the other hand you have the bozos that order extra extra spicy and then whine that they can’t eat it. That’s likely something everyone who works in an Asian restaurant has experienced multiple times.
I have a good Sichuan place near me. Sichuan heat can sneak up on you, so people who pull this are liable to be leaving in an ambulance. Makes it difficult for me to get the authentic experience.
There’s a Mexican restaurant by me where they keep the good hot sauce in the back.
You can ask for it.
You can purchase it.
They do not keep it on the table.
The guy will however come up to you all sketchy like and ask if you like spicy, then bring you a ramekin for your food and let you know you can take a jar home.
Lots of folks take the bait then struggle in their booth. Dinner and entertainment.
I do lots of very spicy food. I think my tongue has literally been damaged over time by all the heat, so stuff I don’t register as being even the slightest bit spicy are unbearably hot to others and I have to really ratchet it up to taste anything.
But what I’ve found at lots of Asian restaurants is that the staff assumes my pale, white ass can’t take real heat. I ask for “5-peppers” hot and they’re like “We’ll start you with a 2.” It’s annoying. I’ve never been served food that’s “too hot” in a restaurant, so I kinda understand these exaggerated descriptions people give on food orders.
I once had to leave a negative review at the Thai place I go for lunch pretty regularly, because they got a new hostess and she kept trying to save me from my hubris multiple weeks in a row.
The owners finally had a conversation with her and now I get my Pad Thai at the appropriate spice level. I edited the review to 5 stars afterwords.
They do that to me nearly all the time too, especially with to go orders. When eating in person, I just always ask them to bring the spice tray out when ordering my food, that seems to sometimes get the point across.
When I was in the US with another Brit buddy we went out for a curry (Gaylord Chicago IIRC) and each ordered a vindaloo. The head waiter was dispatched to our table to warn us this might be too spicy. When we told him we were British he nodded, smiled, and said “I understand, I’ll let the kitchen know.”
It was still a bit on the mild side for a BIR vindaloo.
On the other hand you have the bozos that order extra extra spicy and then whine that they can’t eat it. That’s likely something everyone who works in an Asian restaurant has experienced multiple times.
I have a good Sichuan place near me. Sichuan heat can sneak up on you, so people who pull this are liable to be leaving in an ambulance. Makes it difficult for me to get the authentic experience.
An ambulance because the food was too spicy? That is one expensive dinner
There’s a Mexican restaurant by me where they keep the good hot sauce in the back.
You can ask for it.
You can purchase it.
They do not keep it on the table.
The guy will however come up to you all sketchy like and ask if you like spicy, then bring you a ramekin for your food and let you know you can take a jar home.
Lots of folks take the bait then struggle in their booth. Dinner and entertainment.
10/10
You need to do a Ron Swanson-style “I said I want all of the chilis you have” routine.