MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — February is one of the coldest months in Georgia, so we're cranking up the heat… not THAT heat, we're talking spicy foods! We're on the hunt for the spiciest dishes in Central Georgia and we asked you to help us find them.
This is 'Hot Spots,' and up first is Kai Thai in Milledgeville. The "hole in the wall" in the Milledgeville Walmart parking lot is serving up some of the spiciest Thai food in the region.
Suprande Sritan, or as her friends call her 'Kook,' is a co-owner of Kai Thai. Sritan moved from Thailand to Milledgeville and opened the restaurant in 2008 with her sister. She says she's always loved cooking.
"We always helped mom in the kitchen," she said. "I love it, that's why I'm here."
With her own restaurant, Sritan wanted to bring the same homemade dishes she made in Thailand to Central Georgia. With her came Thai chili, which is what gives her dishes that extra spice. She imports it from Thailand.
"Sometimes people walk in and they don't know Thai dishes," she said. "Tell me what flavor you like so we can give ideas for you."
The request she gets most often is to make the dish spicier.
"Pretty much every dish, we make it mild," she said.
But there's a scale of 1-5 that you can choose from - 1 is mild and 5 could possibly make you cry.
"It's just a different kind of spice," said front of house manager, Ashton Garnto. "It intensifies the flavor."
By "it" she's talking about wet Thai chili pepper flakes. Garnto has worked at Kai Thai for seven years. She says she's seen several people order the 5, but not many finish it.
"Sometimes it's kind of funny to see their reaction," she said. "We usually bring out milk if it gets to that point, because it's really painful."
There are those rare people, though, who can eat a 5 and maybe a 10! Sritan says she's had people ask for as high as 15 before.
"There are some people who bring in their own peppers," Garnto said.
Todd Pittman has been a customer since day one.
"I remember when they first opened," he said.
He and his sons drop by once, sometimes twice, a week. For him, a 3 is about as high as he'll regularly go.
"Once you get up into the 4 or 5, you might need a handkerchief for your sweat brow," he said.
Not only can you get your dish doused in spice, but they have over 100 sushi rolls you can add spice to too. The Kai Thai roll is the spiciest one on the menu.
"It makes [the sushi roll] very spicy. Like, to the point that when people order it we kind of have to be like, 'Hey have you had it before? Because it is really spicy!'" Garnto said.
If you want to test your taste buds, here are three recommendations from the chef: DUI Spicy Noodles, red curry served with jasmine rice, or Chiang Mai Noodle (Khao Soi).
Don't forget to order your Thai iced tea with boba to cool your mouth down!
There are two more locations in Warner Robins called Thai Pepper on Russell Pkwy and KIN.D96 on Hwy 96.
Soon, Kai Thai will be moving to a new location in the Milledgeville Mall parking lot next to Longhorn Steakhouse. It will be able to fit more people and they'll have more kitchen space.