My Favorite Restaurant of All Time 🔥

RANDOM

Jul 17

You probably think you’ve had good chicken at some point in your life. Well, I would be happy to prove you wrong if you ever come visit LA. As long as you don’t mind waiting in a 1-to-4 hour line, I promise this place can change your life for the better. Basically, it’s hidden in an outdoor shopping plaza in LA’s Chinatown, and is an incredibly unique food experience that dwarfs all others, to the point where this restaurant has essentially become my full-time religion.

HOWLIN’ RAYS

Before I go any further explaining why this place is the best, I’m just gonna give you some testimonials from others so its obvious that the hype is real. The original person who discovered and showed me Howlin’ was my Freshman Year suitemate (a self-described foodie), Angelo. Here’s what he had to say:

“Howlin Ray's is really one of LA's most precious gems. Their hot Nashville chicken sandwich is not only a behemoth in the local culinary scene, but just sitting in the restaurant is an experience that always has you leaving with a smile. When you sit down, they proudly present you- they HAND you your long awaited order. Plump chicken covered in a deep-red, flaming-hot dry rub, showered in the golden brown glisten of a crispity-perfect deep-fry, sandwiched between two airy, buttery buns and slathered in "comeback" sauce that's so good I would happily take candy from a baby to get a bottle of it. To be honest, I think the reason they make their sauce so good is because anything above their medium-level dry rub is so spicy that it’s comparable to Satan dancing in your mouth. There's really only one other thing that could make a sandwich this perfect reach divine status: a kick ass party vibe while you enjoy it. Luckily at Howlin’, each bite is joyfully complimented by the blasting bass of throwback hip-hop and R&B songs and the frequent singing, cheering and dancing from EVERY chef, for all to see and thrive off of. This place is truly the eighth wonder of the world.” -Angelo C

Next, my current roommate’s dad, who was hooked on this place after his very first bite. This man was the president of the production company that produced The Matrix trilogy, and, more importantly, Happy Feet.

Happy Feet (2006) Produced by Village Roadshow Pictures

“When it comes to fried chicken these days, there is much emphasis on the heat level. Too much. I can love it anywhere from no heat to sweat- but not flame-inducing. The real keys are:

— crispness: gotta have that crunch, no sogginess, and that doesn’t cleave on the chicken so you have crunchy skin as a separate component of the meal.

— juiciness: even some really good fried chicken is overcooked somewhat; fried chicken should explode with juice when you bite, like a very ripe peach.

Of course, the right seasoning also matters, but that’s the (relatively) easy part.

Howlin‘ Ray’s nails the crispy part, the juicy part and the flavor part. Simply the best.

Boom.” -Steve K.

You may notice that neither of them mentioned the absurdly long wait times necessary to acquire the food. That’s because the chicken is so good, that it’s literally been worth the wait to 100% of the people I’ve taken here, including initial nonbelievers. So now that you know I’m not the only one obsessing over the quality of this insane establishment, let’s dig a little deeper at what makes it so fire.

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

So why is chicken ever worth waiting in a 3-hour line for? (To elaborate, the “catch” of this place is that you have to earn the meal by waiting in what is usually a multi-hour line that winds around the shopping plaza every goddamn time. It’s so popular that you really can’t avoid this, even if you come right when they open or right before they close, or even on a weekday in the middle of the afternoon. There’s literally special tiling on the floor to show where the line should be, it’s a full-on tourist attraction at this point. Keep reading if you want to understand how the wait can be part of the fun, though.) Well, anyway- it’s because you haven’t had Chef Johnny Ray Zone’s version of authentic Nashville Hot Chicken.

On Episode 95 of “The Founder Hour” podcast, accomplished Chef Johnny Ray Zone explained what Nashville Hot Chicken actually is, and how/why he ended up bringing it to LA. Essentially, he had gone down to Nashville about 5 years ago to learn more about Southern cooking. After being introduced to a local “Hot Chicken” joint, he immediately fell in love due to the rich flavor and culture of the dish. In its original form, it was a quarter piece of chicken that was fried and hit with a hot seasoning (dry blend of paprika, cayenne, and other secret peppers/spices) served on top of a piece of white bread and topped with pickles. It was also seriously spicy, far above buffalo sauce or other run-of-the-mill hot sauces. As far as he was concerned, he would only be able to cook this dish if he truly understood what it was and why it was so amazing. As a result, he went back to Nashville with his wife, Amanda Chapman, and began meeting and getting to know the families behind the original hot chicken spots, who were of course reluctant to share their cherished secrets (:

What he did learn was that the spicy meal apparently started out as a plot for revenge after a woman thought her husband smelled like another woman. She made the spiciest fried chicken she could concoct and served it to him, aiming to teach him a very painful lesson. Naturally, he loved it and showed all his friends, and it expanded from there.

After Chef Johnny picked the brains of Southern chefs and experienced the culture, he knew he wanted to bring it back to LA to share. He already had an extensive culinary background, working around the world for some of the most talented chefs including Gordon Ramsey. He looked up to Gordon as a role model because he stood for quality. Where other people saw Ramsey as “angry”, Johnny recognized it simply as passion and respect for well-prepared food, especially meat that lived and died for this purpose. Therefore, Johnny knew if he was going to sell his own chicken he would have to do it RIGHT. In his apartment he started working on the spicy seasonings, mixing spices in different iterations by the gram until he felt it was just right. On the podcast, he said the recipe we all know and love today is version #256, which took years of perfecting.

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So what does it actually taste like? Though the heat of the spice is usually most noticeable, there is still an immense amount of flavor here. The right words to accurately describe it aren’t really coming to me, but it’s this rich, warm, southern flavor in every bite. The peanut oil goes a long way for texture and flavor as well, even at the “Country” level which has no heat. As for the spiciness on the rest of them, if you get anything over “Medium” , then it’s extremely hot. Like, hot as f*ck. Your whole mouth will heat up like an oven, and it only gets stronger every time you try to breathe. I usually go with Medium Plus (you can go halfway in-between every level), but I have tried Hot- where they introduce the Ghost Pepper into the mix- numerous times and eventually I hope to make the step up in my regular order just for fun. The pain/challenge is really part of the enjoyment of Nashville Hot Chicken, so you might as well keep pushing yourself. If you get it “Howlin’”, you’ll have to sign a waiver or at least wear latex gloves to protect yourself. But even at the lower spice levels, it’s a whole flavor palette and level of heat that I really doubt most people have ever tried, and at least not at this tier of quality and fun. Add a side of lightly-spiced shake fries and some complimentary Comeback Sauce, and your taste buds will surely be thanking you.

Secret Menu Item: “The Jojo Sando” (only available on weekends)

Zone’s goal was to introduce the city to this underrated cultural delicacy, and do it his own way. When he opened his restaurant, he expanded the original style of the dish to include his own take on Nashville Hot wings, tenders, and, of course, Howlin’s famous “Sando”- which added coleslaw, comeback sauce, and a buttered bun. Oh, and we really can’t forget to mention that ON WEEKENDS THEY HAVE SWEET, SWEET HOMEMADE BELGIAN WAFFLES that make a godly pair with the hot chicken. Please just come to LA so I have an excuse to go back again. (Post Pandemic of course…)

THE CREW + THE VIBES

The food is only half the reason this place is magical. It was founded according to philosophies that shine through in its day-to-day practice, creating the perfect concept for a bumpin’ experience. For starters, Zone’s humility has enabled him to stay true to his original goals rather than attempt to capitalize on bigger financial/business opportunities. He’s turned down numerous offers to open a Howlin’ in Las Vegas, just to make sure the O.G. location remains at the level of quality he knows people now expect. On The Founder Hour, Zone says “our profit margins aren’t as high as they could be, but its not about the bottom line for me. It’s about the culture and sharing something with the city”. For this reason, you can often find him working behind the counter, serving up Sandos to the customers and vibing with his hand-picked staff. It’s also the reason the price of the food is EXTREMELY affordable despite it coming from a great farm and being prepared impeccably.

I took this panorama from the “front” of the line, but it doesn’t even come anywhere close to showing how far back the line actually goes.

Speaking of staff, the Howlin’ Crew is composed of some of the friendliest, most fun people you’ll meet in the food business. Even though there’s a huge line out the door, they take the time to have a nice conversation with you and answer any questions you may have. They usually ask me about the shirts I’m wearing, or what I’m studying at school, or simply what brought me to Howlin’ that day. Then, they proceed to hook you up with excellent service and sometimes (if you’re lucky and you get a spot inside) some free food based on whatever they feel like giving you. It’s been great getting to know them a little through fist-bumps, sandwich handoffs, and hilarious convos. They all really help build a great welcoming community around the restaurant while delivering unbelievable hospitality.

A good portion of the dope Howlin’ crew… Idk where Julian and Luis are in this pic but they’re real homies as well (;

Here’s a quick compilation of Snapchat clips I’ve taken to give you an idea of the synergy of the crew, and the way they take care of the customers who waited so long for this. It truly seems like they’re as happy to be there as we are.

I understand how you could be deterred by the idea of waiting in the huge line, but that doesn’t mean that that time can’t be part of the adventure! You can explore the multi-level strip center, try out an appetizer from some of the other restaurants while you wait, or just converse with friends and meet new people in the shade on a nice California day. There’s also a piano you can play, and a claw machine if you have some $1’s to burn… One time I just went alone and enjoyed listening to a full podcast as the line crept forward. As you get near the front, you can both hear and feel the thumping bass playing classic rap music inside.

Towards the very front is also where you’ll start to notice the level of noise and energy exuded by the staff as they happily crank out orders. While discussing the place’s ambience on the podcast, Zone said “an order will come in and a chef calls it out: ‘Five sandos and one breast quarter!’ And the guys all respond: ‘YES CHEF!’. That’s a brigade system, that’s like a fine-dining system in a fried chicken restaurant blasting Biggie and all these crazy throwbacks (like) Tupac. That’s what shaped it…”

From the outside, it’s obvious that the Howlin’ Rays formula envisioned by Johnny and Amanda is clearly “working”, but their focus doesn’t seem too swayed by their success. After researching Howlin’ for this blog post, I genuinely believe that real life lessons can be learned from the world view that Chef Johnny implements while running the restaurant: “My mind [is] always doing this deep dive: How do I become a better chef? How do I become a better boss? How do I make better chicken? We’re still students, we’re still humble, and we can still learn. The day you think you’re the best, that’s the day you start going downhill.”

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GENERAL ADVICE AND CONCLUSION

If you’re ever gonna make an expedition for this, here are some general tips to enhance it. First, check out the SECRET MENU and see if you want to order any of these crew-concocted creations. If you’re feeling really adventurous, there’s also an off-menu “Howlin’ Plus” and “Howlin’ Plus Plus” spice level that will probably make you breathe fire if you manage to survive it. There’s no way they’re gonna let you try it though unless they’ve seen what you can handle before. Definitely try to explore the area as well to see what else Chinatown has to offer, it’s very cool!

If your mouth is still on fire after your meal, there’s a very convenient solution for you: Go next door to Scoops, an artisanal ice cream shop that rotates new unique flavors every single day. They usually have some normal flavors with small twists like “Horchata Oreo” or “Chocolate Lavender”, but sometimes they get more experimental and serve unique flavors that seem a little more… inventive. “Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar” was on the menu one day, and there was definitely one that was pickle-flavored. It’s worth stopping in there for some more friendly service, good vibes, and adventurous flavors.

It’s also worth following Chef Johnny, the crew, and the official Howlin’ account on social media for multiple reasons. 1.) If you follow Howlin’ Rays on Twitter, you can turn on notifications for hourly line updates (A MUST HAVE if you’re trying to plan the optimal time to go, or observe the general trends of the wait times), and 2.) THEY GIVE AWAY FREE SANDWICHES ALL THE TIME THAT THEY PERSONALLY DELIVER TO YOU!! What more can you ask for in a restaurant, man???

So that’s about it. The branding, service, food, and atmosphere are all on point. Even with a 4-hour wait, it’s still the dream restaurant. Now I can stop explaining this place to people and just direct them to this masterpiece of a blog post on my new website. If you want any more info, click the blue text to go straight to the HOWLIN’ RAYS website. Thank you to Johnny, Amanda, and the crew for creating my favorite place in LA through your humility, hard work and passionate dedication to perfection.

So there you have it, that’s the best restaurant I’ve ever been to, and I really don’t see anywhere else coming close for a long time. I think I’ve talked enough, so I’ll just leave you with one more piece of wisdom from the genius behind the chicken: