Welcome back to Table Talk, where The Daily Memphian’s food and dining editor Jennifer Biggs or her colleagues send the latest food news (along with a dash of this and that) to your inbox every Wednesday.

“Ooh, that’s spicy. You don’t want that.” 

That’s a joke my husband often uses with the kids whenever they are presented with cakes, cookies or anything else loaded with sugar. 

“You’re not going to like it. It’s too spicy.” 

You may feel similarly about spicy foods — and a quick social media poll suggests that could be the case. But, against all conventional wisdom, now may be the perfect time for those foods that really are too spicy. 

One of the longest heat waves in U.S. history reportedly ended Monday, but honestly, how can anyone tell? The high today is in the mid-90s, and the National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for this area in effect until 8 p.m. tonight and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday. 

To get some respite, you could try the usual cold treats: getting a Supreme at Jerry’s Sno Cones, grabbing a MemPop, checking out Jeremiah’s Italian Ice on Summer Avenue or visiting Suga Mama SnoBalls. My personal favorite is La Michoacana, also on Summer, where I always plan to have a paleta but then change my mind at the last minute and opt for the fresas con crema. 

But, a spicy dish or warm beverage may also provide relief from the heat. It’s science — that hot food or drink makes you sweat, using your natural defenses to defeat the heat. (Though I think this works best if you are well hydrated.)

So where to go? Where might we find some of the spiciest dishes in Memphis? 

There are plenty of spicy fried chicken options, whether it’s wings or something else. And freelancer Josh Carlucci has never been afraid of a little heat, as he tells us almost weekly in his $10 deals. Plenty of ideas there, and they won’t break the bank. 

The Shrimp Rice Noodle, Spicy Hot Wok Chicken and Orange Chicken from Mulan Bistro’s Halal menu in Collierville. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

The Daily Memphian’s social media followers suggested yukgaejang, ordered extra spicy, from The Crazy Noodle Korean restaurant on Madison Avenue. It’s a beef soup bowl with cabbage, shiitake mushrooms and Thai peppers, and reader Kevin Brower said it has come close to making him pass out “from the spice-filled euphoria.”

Another person suggested the Devil’s Nest Soup at Asian Eatery in Germantown, while Rob Robertson said the Memphis Mystery ramen at Flame Ramen will stop you in your tracks. 

“Even the servers are a little cagey about what goes in it,” Robertson said. “I ordered it, and the server looked back at the chef. They shared a knowing glance before she turned back and asked, ‘Are you sure?’” 

If you have other ideas, I’d love to hear them. I don’t know what the hottest dish in Memphis is, but I like the idea of someone trying to find out. 

If I’m looking for spicy, I might head to Taste of India on Poplar Avenue for chicken tikka masala (despite this particular column, my spice tolerance is not that high) and a delightful mango lassi to cut the burn. 

Kunal Jadhav will host a five-course, Indian “Fancy Dinner” with wine, beer and cocktail pairings at Cameo in The Citizen on Union Avenue, Saturday, Aug. 12. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Which brings me, tangentially, to this week’s news. I had the pleasure and privilege to attend one of Kunal Jadhav’s private cooking classes a few years back, on the fundamentals of Indian cooking. It was a revelation. As was a pizza I had at one of his pop-ups around the same time. 

Jadhav is a director at FedEx Corp. by day, but in the evenings and on weekends, he’s made a name for himself on the local culinary scene. After hosting a dinner in honor of his mother at Bounty on Broad a few years back, Jadhav’s eggplant lasagna ended up on the permanent menu at the restaurant and was named one of the top 10 dishes of the year by Memphis Magazine. 

He’s got another dinner coming up at Cameo that’s not this weekend but next. It’s sold out, but I’m sure it’ll be well worth the ticket.

After nearly three years, Salt | Soy restaurant is closing on Broad Avenue and merging with its sister restaurant, Alchemy, in Cooper-Young. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

One of my other favorite spicy dishes in town was the pork dumplings in chili oil from Salt | Soy. That restaurant has closed in its most recent incarnation, on Broad Avenue, but it’s merging with its sister restaurant in Cooper-Young, Alchemy. The plan is to marry Salt | Soy’s food menu with Alchemy’s drinks. 

Sophia Surrett brings us other restaurant comings and goings, too: A Taste of Glenny Restaurant is opening in Whitehaven later this month, and Slice Midtown has taken over what was the Little Italy location at 1495 Union Ave. And Cindy Krag Gourmet To Go is now offering products from C-Town Meats and Seafood, which shut its doors back in April. 

And I know we mentioned to-go business last week, but it really has become a go-to sector for restaurants around the country. Christin Yates looked into the trend, finding that about 75% of all restaurant traffic is “off-premises,” according to data from the National Restaurant Association. 

And local restaurateurs say it “makes perfect sense” both for restaurants and busy consumers. (I know I feel this one, especially as school starts back for many area students next week.)

On the other hand, it may be the perfect time to cook at home. Food and food ingredients are currently tax-free during a state sales tax holiday that runs until Oct. 31. You can buy bread, butter and a whole lot more (see the list here) without sales tax for the next two months. 

Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to hydrate!

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