Why do Asians think I can't handle spicy food?

[bfdd]

Anyone else have this problem? Roll into an Asian restaurant(it happens across the various ethnic types of restaurants) order the spiciest thing on the menu and spend more time arguing with the waitress over the level of spicy you want, because they think you can't handle anything over mild, than it takes to get your food. Not to mention I have yet to eat a single thing at any Asian restaurant that can hang with some of the spicy American or Mexican food I have had. Hell a single habanero has most their dishes beat by a long shot. So what the hell is the deal?

 

[HAL9000]

I've not had that, in the UK we have a rich tradition of fools who eat the hottest thing on the menu and pretend to handle it. As a result when people like you or I come into the restaurant and can actually handle the food they don't question it.

 

[TecHNooB]

for you, this is a rant. for me, this is an exercise in self restraint.

 

[JS80]

Anyone else have this problem? Roll into an Asian restaurant(it happens across the various ethnic types of restaurants) order the spiciest thing on the menu and spend more time arguing with the waitress over the level of spicy you want, because they think you can't handle anything over mild, than it takes to get your food. Not to mention I have yet to eat a single thing at any Asian restaurant that can hang with some of the spicy American or Mexican food I have had. Hell a single habanero has most their dishes beat by a long shot. So what the hell is the deal?

Your definition is spicy is probably mild in Asia.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

That's because most of you people can't handle it. The spiciest thing I've ever had was in Korea. I've eaten Habaneros and apocalypse wings. Those are ridiculously spicy sure, but man compared to this sauce it was nothing.

It was a place that served spicy rice cakes and had a spice level from 1-7. I thought I could take on level 7 without much problems when the waitress heavily insisted I don't do it. I then settled on a 4 while she brought me a small cup of level 7. I took a tiny bit and put it on my tongue to try it out. I was in pain for the next 40 minutes.

Also, a ton of the Americanized food simply has the spiciness level toned down heavily. When I went out to Korean restaurants with friends, one dude in particular could barely try one type of stew because it was too spicy, when I simply didn't taste anything spicy at all.

 

[waggy]

ugh i hate it. one place i go to finally gets it. it only took 4 years. now when i order something and they ask if i want it spicy it is spicy.

I think what did it is i asked for extra spicy. teh lady (owner of the restaurant) laughed and said something about being able to handle it. It was great. sure i was sweating but it was great! i finished off the plate and told her that's how i like it.

now i if i can get the Vietnamese place to start making it hotter..

 

[dbk]

basic test is sriracha..

 

[bfdd]

Your definition is spicy is probably mild in Asia.

lol, huh? Please.... There is no pepper hotter than the habanero in East Asia. So unless those mother fuckers started using naga jolokia(aka the ghost pepper which is from India) in their food recently, I highly fucking doubt it.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

That's because most of you people can't handle it.

You people? Racist.

 

[TheVrolok]

That's because most of you people can't handle it.

Pretty much. I'm a big fan of spicy foods, and it seems most restaurants take spicy serious when it comes to Americans since our usual diet is fairly devoid of spice/taste. Fortunately the staff at the local Indian place I go to know me by sight so they don't give me guff about ordering things spicy anymore.

 

[DangerAardvark]

That's because most of you people can't handle it.

Why would you want to handle mouth-burning? I've never found myself going "well this hamburger's good, but it would be way better if it could just sear my sinus cavities and cause my eyes to leak fluid like I've been pepper sprayed."

 

[bfdd]

Pretty much. I'm a big fan of spicy foods, and it seems most restaurants take spicy serious when it comes to Americans since our usual diet is fairly devoid of spice/taste. Fortunately the staff at the local Indian place I go to know me by sight so they don't give me guff about ordering things spicy anymore.

The hottest sauces in the world come from the United States of America. The hottest pepper ever grown, a hybrid ghost pepper, was engineered in the USA. To say we lack spice in our food is incredibly ignorant, especially considering our neighbors to the South. Spicy food is quite easy to find in the USA, especially now a days.

 

[God Mode]

I like to eat spicy stuff just before exercising. It really gets the sweat pouring.

 

[waggy]

basic test is sriracha..

good stuff. the rooster sauce rules!

 

[CrazyAznDriver]

I had some green thai curry the other day that pealed my lips! It was awesome

 

[Kirby]

Probably because they don't want you to send it back when it's too spicy, which most likely happens a lot.

 

[bfdd]

not to mention bird's eye chili really isn't shit. i can eat those things like candy. hab's are significantly hotter and i quite enjoy those too. i'm not a fan of spicy for the sake of spicy, but i tend to very much enjoy the flavor of the hotter chili's over the less spicy chili's.

 

[TheVrolok]

The hottest sauces in the world come from the United States of America. The hottest pepper ever grown, a hybrid ghost pepper, was engineered in the USA. To say we lack spice in our food is incredibly ignorant, especially considering our neighbors to the South. Spicy food is quite easy to find in the USA, especially now a days.

I knew as soon as I typed it, someone was going to say this. Yes, I know spice is available, I'm one of the biggest spice guys out there. However, the stereotypical/traditional "meat and potatoes" of the American diet is nearly completely devoid of spice. When foreigners/people from other cultures (like those serving you at your Asian restaurant) see you, they think you don't understand spice. They're judging you based on a stereotype which doesn't happen to be true with you, but is often the case.

 

[dighn]

Anyone else have this problem? Roll into an Asian restaurant(it happens across the various ethnic types of restaurants) order the spiciest thing on the menu and spend more time arguing with the waitress over the level of spicy you want, because they think you can't handle anything over mild, than it takes to get your food. Not to mention I have yet to eat a single thing at any Asian restaurant that can hang with some of the spicy American or Mexican food I have had. Hell a single habanero has most their dishes beat by a long shot. So what the hell is the deal?

to be fair the average "spicy" american food is not spicy at all. I've no doubt that some of it really is very spicy, but we are talking about the norm here. you just don't fit the (imo true) stereotype.

 

[waggy]

The hottest sauces in the world come from the United States of America. The hottest pepper ever grown, a hybrid ghost pepper, was engineered in the USA. To say we lack spice in our food is incredibly ignorant, especially considering our neighbors to the South. Spicy food is quite easy to find in the USA, especially now a days.

When i visit the few Mexican restaurants here (grew up in New Mexico the places here (IL) pale to the great food i had in NM!) when i say HOT its HOT. i don't need to stress it or play around adding more. its hot from the start.

 

[IGBT]

it's fun watching you guy's turn ten shades of red when ever you've been hitting the Tabasco or booze.

 

[bfdd]

I knew as soon as I typed it, someone was going to say this. Yes, I know spice is available, I'm one of the biggest spice guys out there. However, the stereotypical/traditional "meat and potatoes" of the American diet is nearly completely devoid of spice. When foreigners/people from other cultures (like those serving you at your Asian restaurant) see you, they think you don't understand spice. They're judging you based on a stereotype which doesn't happen to be true with you, but is often the case.

Except I'm from Southern California. I grew up with spicy Mexican food. Like I was saying, to assume American's don't eat spicy stuff is just asinine. Mexican and Texmex cuisine is huge up here and very much consists of CHILI. Hell we INVENTED A DISH NAMED CHILI BECAUSE WE LOVE CHILIS SO MUCH here in the States along the Southern Border.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Except I'm from Southern California. I grew up with spicy Mexican food. Like I was saying, to assume American's don't eat spicy stuff is just asinine. Mexican and Texmex cuisine is huge up here and very much consists of CHILI. Hell we INVENTED A DISH NAMED CHILI BECAUSE WE LOVE CHILIS SO MUCH here in the States along the Southern Border.

Notice how he said the standard American fare is usually spice free. You are taking Mexican food. As for Chili, unless you're adding Habeneros and Ghost Peppers in there, it's not going to be appreciably spicy

 

[bfdd]

Notice how he said the standard American fare is usually spice free. You are taking Mexican food. As for Chili, unless you're adding Habeneros and Ghost Peppers in there, it's not going to be appreciably spicy

Uh... I consider Mexican/TexMex standard American fare. Sure it's tamed down some in the more mainstream places, but spicy food has been taking off over the last few years. I do agree with you on the chili thing though, hence the reason mine always has habs. I try to do 4 seeds and all. Sometimes more.

 

[waggy]

Notice how he said the standard American fare is usually spice free. You are taking Mexican food. As for Chili, unless you're adding Habeneros and Ghost Peppers in there, it's not going to be appreciably spicy

/facepalm

you haven't been to the southwest and had chili have you?

also what is standard American fare?