OPPOSITE PAGE : COURTESY OF STARFISH LAGUNA ; THIS PAGE , LEFT : BOB HODSON PHOTOGRAPHY ; RIGHT TWO PHOTOS : COURTESY OF CARMELITA ’ S KITCHEN DE MEXICO |
delectable dishes that release endorphins .
Another sushi joint , San Shi Go , offers some unique plates like the spicy calamari roll and a yellowtail special , which features both jalapeno slices and puree . Its inspiration stems from pickled jalapenos used in Mexican food , making this dish a sort of East-meets-Southwest option . The Backflip Roll , which combines spicy tuna with Cajun influences , is also a favorite , dreamt up by chef Yuji Hiraoka , who passed away last year .
Over at Gu Ramen , you can customize the level of spiciness in your bowl . Start with a base of ramen , udon noodles or kale in a chicken and pork bone broth . Make your dish a level two , spicy , or opt for a level three — the highest — for super spicy . Top the bowl with spicy ground pork for added heat , or enjoy other dishes like Thai spicy hot wings , spicy edamame , firecracker shrimp or the spicy pork yaki rice bowl .
An ever-rotating menu at Red Dragon means you never know what you ’ re going to get when you sit down for a meal here , but there will certainly be spicy dishes on the Cantonese-inspired menu . Some past iterations have included a spicy cucumber salad and the stir-fried jade scallops .
After nearly a decade of operating a successful Chinese food restaurant in Lake Forest , owners of Peony Chinese Kitchen rebranded and brought their cultural cuisine to Laguna . This downtown eatery serves a couple of kung pao dishes — chicken or shrimp and scallops — accompanied by
Crispy fried calamari at Asada Tacos & Beer , served with chipotle ranch for dipping
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chile peppers that will definitely heat up your meal . Diners can also opt for the garlic spicy chicken fried rice .
Vietnamese food is often light and fresh , but at Saigon Beach , you can also find a few spicy options as well . After they ’ re fried , the pork belly lollipops and fried tofu bites are both tossed in a savory sauce then topped with a chile drizzle made in-house with onion oil and spices for a unique flavor that has a bit of a kick . The restaurant also offers a spicy lemongrass soup , offered as an alternative to the ever-popular pho . “ Some customers that try [ the ] spicy lemongrass end up never looking back ,” says Saigon Beach co-owner Phong Vu . “ It is our goal to introduce Vietnamese food to people that have never had it or allow people who have eaten more commonly known items to expand their options .” The soup features round rice noodles and a house-made chile sate sauce ; jalapenos can also be added .
At the family-owned Thai Bros ., which has been a Laguna staple since 1994 , enhances its dishes in very precise ways . While you can grab spicy salads with chicken , beef or seafood , many of their platters are made hot through the use of sauces : spicy lime sauce on the Crying Tiger steak , spicy red pepper sauce on the cashew chicken , spicy basil sauce on the SF egg noodles , spicy red curry sauce on the Fiery Bamboo chicken breast , panang curry sauce on the Red Devil and spicy peanut sauce on the Pik King tofu . Diners can also request for dishes to be made hotter if they so desire .
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Pineapple-jalapeno margarita ( top ) and ceviche ( above ) at Carmelita ’ s Kitchen de Mexico
CALIENTE CANTINAS For spicy drinks and appetizers , you can ’ t beat Carmelita ’ s Kitchen de Mexico . Start with a cold , Tajin-rimmed drink , like the pineapple-jalapeno with chunks of charred fruit or the spicy mango with sliced habanero , or amp up the heat even more with the spicy michelada , with a zesty tomato juice base . Then , dive into the ceviche , where slices of jalapeno and Tapatío sauce add plenty of spice to the mixture of wild shrimp , Persian cucumber and lime juice . “ In Hispanic restaurants , spicy food is
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LAGUNA BEACH MAGAZINE 55 |