Though spring is lurking around the corner, the snow keeps on coming and it’s crunch time for keeping our powder legs fueled and ready to push on. After a long day of snow-filled adventuring, there are few things that help revitalize more than a hot and spicy dish. Tucked into the northwestern corner of Wyoming, our little mountain town is filled with delicious, spice-filled foods from all around the world. Here are a few of our favorite options.
Spicy Pork BBQ
Spicy Korean Pork BBQ from Bapp
From Snow King’s Kim’s Corner to Bapp on Broadway, this local favorite serves up an array of flavor-packed Korean dishes that will leave you feeling satisfied and ready to return for more. One of my favorites, the Spicy Pork BBQ is spicy, sweet and salty; the trifecta of addictive eats. Served with rice, salad and house-made kimchi (funky and hot), it’s not a dish you want to miss.
Lamb Vindaloo
An idyllic Indian spread at Everest MoMo Shack
Another of the newer additions to the Jackson Hole restaurant scene, Everest MoMo Shack is far from a new local favorite. Serving up their MoMo’s, noodles and curries at events around town for years, Everest MoMo Shack has a very loyal customer base. Serving food from Nepal and India, you can dive into their spice-filled menu with excitement. If you’re looking to turn up the heat, try the Lamb Vindaloo. A traditionally Goan dish, the notoriously spicy Vinadloo is one of those dishes that you order with the understanding of heat to come.
Kimchi Tantan Ramen
Dive into some hot Kimchi Ramen to warm you to your bones at Suda Izakaya
It seems that every winter, Jackson Hole locals flee to Japan to indulge in shoulder-deep powder, onsens and, of course, the exceptional cuisines of the land of the rising sun. In turn, ramen has been popping up on menus all around town. Appropriately, the Japanese street-food inspired Suda serves up a variety of the savory, time-intensive broth-based noodle bowls. The spicy, funky, umami-rich flavors of their Kimchi Tantan Ramen is hard to beat. Served with ground pork, a boiled egg and house-made kimchi, you’ll want a cold glass of Saporo to reach for when things get too hot.
Malaysian Golden Curry
The Phoenix and the Dragon Malaysian Golden Curry is great for take-away
When you walk into The Phoenix and the Dragon, it’s not just the colorful and bright decor that will make you feel cheerful and relaxed. Greeted by owner Zarina Sakai’s welcoming smile, the thoughtfully curated Pan-Asian menu, designed by her husband and co-owner Eric, is equally playful, bright and approachable. With an emphasis on healthy eating, their dishes are simultaneously light yet filling and full of good flavors. Among the more heavy hitters is their Malaysian Golden Curry. Made with turmeric, chili, lemongrass and coconut milk, this veggie filled curry is complex and spicy while still remaining bright and vibrant, just like the restaurant itself.
Roasted Duck Curry
Cozy up to this Duck Curry at Teton Thai in the Village
At Teton Thai, in Teton Viillage, how hot you want your dish is completely dependent on your own bravery. On a spice scale from one to five, with three being spicy, choose wisely when ordering the spice level of your dish. With a deep love of all things hot, for the more naturally spicy dishes, like the roasted duck curry, I tend to go for a three or four. For the ones that need a little help in the heat department, like the Tom Kha Gai, I’ll scale it up. You can always add heat with their dried chilis or vinegars, but you can’t take it out. However, LISTEN TO YOUR SERVER! If you do not love the heat, don’t push the boundaries, because when they say hot, they mean HOT.
