Liverpool's "Chicken Street" has a new resident in the form of Dave's Hot Chicken. The US sensation officially opened its doors on Lord Street on Friday, July 17, bringing its famous Nashville-style hot chicken to the North West for the first time. Unlike its neighbours, there's a daunting option on its menu and I had to try it for myself.
From a pop-up to a global chain
Founded in Los Angeles in 2017, Dave's Hot Chicken began as a pop-up in a car park with just $900 and four childhood friends serving Nashville hot chicken. The concept quickly became a social media phenomenon before expanding across the United States. Today, the chain has more than 300 locations worldwide and counts celebrities including rapper Drake among its investors.
The restaurant is best known for its chicken tenders and sliders, which are available across the brand's seven-level spice scale, from "not hot" through to the infamous "reaper" level - so fiery customers are required to sign a waiver before ordering.
My spicy challenge
If, for whatever reason, you've been tracking my man vs food challenges, you'll know a spice poses no threat to me. I'm not the greatest adversary when it comes to volume eating - as my abysmal Belly Buster challenge results proved - but I've always been cocksure I can manage every hot food obstacle that stands in my way. After all, there aren't many who can stomach Red Dog Saloon's Davey Jones' Locker hot wing challenge, be brought to tears and still walk away with the gold medal.
When I found out Dave's Hot Chicken requires customers to sign a waiver before ordering its reaper spice level, I was curious to see just how far a high street chain would be willing to push the heat. I wasn't convinced it would be anything worth writing home about, but I quickly ate my words.
The reaper experience
I opted for Dave's #1: two chicken tenders, crinkle cut fries, gherkins and a dip. Customers decide the heat level while ordering, so naturally I chose the reaper. Before I could even look around to find a potential table to occupy, my number - 311 - was called at the front desk. "Surely it's not ready to collect already," I thought. It wasn't. The staff member pulled me aside to sign the waiver while another laughed over her shoulder and said: "You're going to regret it."
The waiver is several paragraphs long, but the highlights include: "Dave's Hot chicken reaper is an extreme test of a person's physical and mental limits. Before ordering you should ensure ..you are able to accept the associated risks which may include sweating, shortness of breath, allergic reactions, vomiting and or diarrhea. In extreme cases, it can lead to chest pain, heart palpitation, heart attack and strokes." Gorgeous!
Still not intimidated, I tucked in with a massive chomp. The tenders are generously coated in a well-seasoned dusting, which is where all of the heat comes from. Unlike some rivals, they're not drenched in sauce, so the texture may not appeal to everyone. That said, the tenders are absolutely massive and surprisingly filling (I had a regular-temperature tender afterwards, which disappeared just as quickly).
The heat was immediately noticeable, but it wasn't the sharp, tingling sensation you feel on your lips. The warmth slowly spread through my mouth. After a few moments, I thought "Whoa, this is hot," but it was still manageable. About a minute later, the heat intensified until my mouth felt like it was on fire. Every breath I took only made it worse, drawing the burning sensation down my throat. Before I realised it, I'd finished my entire drink and had to refill my glass.
Too hot to handle
Even by my iron mouth standards, the reaper was through the roof. It's unnecessarily hot and I don't imagine anyone orders it out of preference, it feels like something you order if you're attempting to push your own boundaries. Under no circumstances should anyone without a high pain tolerance even attempt it. I took another bite for the hell of it and couldn't face another.
Any flavour receptors were dead and there was no point continuing, even with an accompanying dip and drink to cool the palate. I got stuck into the rest of my food instead. Dave's Hot Chicken packs a whole lot of flavour, and I would recommend a visit even though it's fairly pricey. But only tackle the reaper if you're a little bit nuts or want to make a fool of yourself at the table.
