The Spice is Right!
Is it hot enough for ya?
Chances are, your answer will be a resounding NO until the dreary, cold days of winter are firmly in the rearview mirror. But, it’s always hot, hot, hot no matter what the calendar says when you add a little (or a lot) of spice to your life, by way of these Lehigh Valley specialties that bring the heat.
NOSH
Fill your belly with these fiery picks at any time of day.
Spicy “Fish” Wings from The Other Fish
1. Spicy “Fish” Wings
The Other Fish, Bethlehem
They’re cooked sous vide in ginger, garlic and star anise. The Other Fish deep-fries them and serves them in a sweet and spicy Gochujang sauce (red pepper paste).
2. Tom Yum soup
Thai Avenue, South Whitehall
Thai soup with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, mushroom, chilies and lime juice.
3. Peppers Toro
Casa Toro, Coopersburg
Cheese-stuffed jalapeños, battered and fried, and served with red sauce.
4. Spicy seafood soup
KOMÉ, Center Valley
Clams, calamari, shrimp, mushroom and mitsuba leaves—and meant to be shared.
Huevos Mexicanos from Torre
5. Huevos Mexicanos
Torre, Center Valley
For those who prefer a spice-inspired pick-me-up earlier in the day, check out the brunch menu at Center Valley’s Torre. Options include Huevos Mexicanos, (scrambled eggs, chorizo, chili serrano and avocado) and the Pueblo Burrito (flour tortilla, scrambled eggs, chorizo, smoked bacon, avocado, salsa roja and Chihuahua cheese). Wash it down with a Bloody María (jalapeño-infused tequila blanco, sangrita and a cheese-stuffed jalapeño).
6. Lettuce wraps (chicken or tofu)
White Orchids Thai Cuisine, Center Valley
They’re sautéed in a Thai citrus-lime combination of red and green onions. Pick your level of spice.
7. Daal Makhani
Green Chili, Quakertown
The menu at Green Chili in Quakertown covers a lot of ground in the world of Indian cuisine. Try the Daal Makhani, Goat Vindaloo or Chicken Curry. They’ll make it as hot (or not) as you like it.
Magical Roll from Bamboo
8.–9. Magical Roll
Bamboo, Allentown
The spicy tuna roll is a menu staple at many a sushi shop. Bamboo in Allentown offers it solo, or as part of its spicy roll platter. Better yet: Upgrade to the Magical Roll, which adds cucumber, smoked eel, shrimp, tobiko and scallions with wasabi and spicy mayo sauce. The Tiger Roll (spicy, crunchy salmon and asparagus topped with salmon and avocado) at Sogo in Easton also doesn’t disappoint.
10. Fried Chicken Ramen
Mister Lee’s Noodles, Easton
Mister Lee’s Noodles at the Easton Public Market brings the heat in its farm-to-table ramen bowls, a nontraditional take on Japanese noodles. The Fried Chicken Ramen bowl combines chicken and veggie dashi, togarashi-dusted fried chicken, pickled jalapeños, sriracha aioli and a 60-minute egg. The Hot & Spicy Ramen bowl marries ground pork with bok choy, scallions, soy, miso, sriracha, a 60-minute egg and garlic oil; there’s also a similar version served cold, minus the egg.
11.–15. Wings, wings & wings!
Roll up your shirtsleeves and dig into a plate full of Inferno-level wings at Porters’ Pub in Easton, P.J. Whelihan's’s in Allentown or Bethlehem or Braveheart Highland Pub in Hellertown. For the especially bold, Keystone Pub & Grill offers a side of Ghost Sauce with its wings for a small upcharge at its Bethlehem and Whitehall locations. Even vegetarians can get in on the action with Allentown and Bethlehem Brew Works’ cauliflower wings—they fry up the buttermilk-battered florets, you pick your preferred potency of wing sauce.
16. The Phantom Burger
Bell Hall, Allentown
The Phantom Burger at Bell Hall in Allentown doesn’t rely solely on jalapeños for its heat; it ups the ante with pepperjack cheese and chipotle aioli for good measure. Pair it with your favorite pint from their lengthy list of rotating taps.
Photo by Alison Conklin
17. Seafood Fra Diavolo
DiMaio’s Italian Ristorante & Pizzeria, Hellertown
Shrimp, calamari, mussels and clams in a spicy red garlic sauce, served over linguine.
18. Jalapeño grits
The Bayou, Bethlehem & Easton
Made with aged cheddar and jalapeño puree. While you’re there, check out the jalapeño hush puppies, too.
So what kind of brew is a good pick to accompany a hot dish?
The experts at Kitchn say it depends on whether you want to soothe the burn or turn up the heat. If toning it down is your aim, they recommend emphasizing malts over hops, and reaching for a light lager or amber ale. But, if you’re going for extra-spicy, consider a pale ale or IPA.
Beers to avoid?
Kitchn says, anything that’s very sweet or very dark, because those beers can overpower the flavors of your food.
SNACK
Got the munchies? Just a handful of these treats is enough to satisfy your need for spice.
Habañero Sea Salt Caramels from Josh Early Candies
Heat Score: 1/5
19. Habañero Sea Salt Caramels
Josh Early Candies, Allentown & Bethlehem
With Allentown and Bethlehem locations, Josh Early Candies has put a spicy twist on a best-seller with its habañero sea salt caramels, available in both milk and dark chocolate. The candymaker says it tested eight different varieties of pepper infused sea salts; some were too mild, others were too overpowering. When they landed on the habañero salt, they knew they had a winner.
20. Reaper Smoked Jerky
Beef Jerky Outlet, Bethlehem
Don’t fear the Reaper, unless you prefer not to work up a sweat while you gnaw on your beef jerky. The Reaper Smoked Jerky is the hottest thing you’ll find on the shelf at Bethlehem’s Beef Jerky Outlet. You can turn it down a notch but still feel the heat with the Classic Cajun, Blazin Smoked and Honey Jalapeño varieties.
Chipotle White Cheddar from Clusters
Heat Score: 2/5
21. Chipotle White Cheddar
Clusters, Bethlehem
Handcrafted popcorn gets kicked up a notch at Clusters in Bethlehem, with its Chipotle White Cheddar.
SIP
Cheers to loving a little fire on the back end of your libations.
22. Jalapeño Heist
Social Still, Bethlehem
The Jalapeño Heist at Social Still in Bethlehem blends jalapeño vodka with pineapple, mint and lime.
23. Jalapeño wine
Cardinal Hollow Winery, Lahaska
Jalapeño wine is yours for the tasting at Cardinal Hollow Winery in Lahaska, Bucks County. They say it won’t make you sweat, but you’ll feel it all the way down.
Photo by Donovan Roberts Witmer
Jalapeño Margarita from The Bayou
24. & 25. Jalapeño Margarita
My Tequila House in Whitehall makes a mean jalapeño margarita. The Bayou (mentioned prior) can whip up a tasty one, too.
Extras
Add your own spice to any dish on the fly with these hot sauces, made right here in the Lehigh Valley region!
26. Salsa & Hot Sauce
The Easton Salsa Company. Easton
The Easton Salsa Company was founded by Art Skrzenki, who says he perfected the art of salsa and hot sauce making while on a pilgrimage to New Mexico. Some of his current hot sauce concoctions include Cherry Bomb, Devil’s Fire and Red Habañero Honey Stinger.
27. Homemade Hot Sauce
Cali Burrito, Allentown
Cali Burrito in Allentown started selling its homemade hot sauce in flavors like Mango Habañero and Jalapeño Garlic in 2018, meaning your to-go order just got a lot more exciting.
28. Hot Sauces
Homesweet Homegrown, Kutztown
Kutztown-based Homesweet Homegrown features hot sauces in three signature flavors for every range of heat. A recent addition is XXXXX Scorpion, made from the Moruga Scorpion pepper. It’s so hot it comes with a warning label.
Stupid Hot salsa from Casa De Jorge Salsa Company
Heat Score: 8/5
29. Stupid Hot Salsa
Casa De Jorge Salsa Company, Bethlehem
There’s hot salsa, and then there’s Stupid Hot salsa, courtesy of the Casa De Jorge Salsa Company of Bethlehem. Made with the granddaddy of all hot peppers, the Carolina Reaper, it’s sure to set your mouth ablaze. If that’s not enough to compel you to proceed with caution, do take note that “Pain” is the first ingredient listed on the jar. Casa De Jorge does offer other hot but not cry-for-your-mamma hot salsas, like Pineapple Habañero, Chipotle and Cilantro Lime.
