As temps start to drop, these dishes are bringing the heat—and a whole lot of flavor. From mouth-numbing ramen to wings that pack a fiery punch, Raleigh spice lovers are in for some serious burn (in the best way). Think you can handle the heat?
Spicy Tan Tan | Miso Ramen Bar There’s nothing a cozy bowl of ramen can’t fix on a cool day—especially when you up the spice factor. The spicy tan tan is a fan favorite, served in a savory tonkotsu broth with spicy ground pork topping, ajitsuke egg, enoki, nori and a smattering of veggies. @miso_ramen_bar
Beasley’s
Carolina Reaper Hot Chicken | Beasley’s This fiery fried chicken thigh isn’t just hot—it’s tongue-melting. Dunked in spicy oil and topped with pickles, crisp iceberg lettuce and a buttermilk herb sauce, then slapped between two slices of white bread—it’s a sandwich built to bring the burn. Add the Carolina Reaper buttermilk herb if you’re feeling extra fiery. @beasleys_raleigh
El Jefé Wings | My Way Tavern These are not for the faint of heart—trust. Flying dangerously close to the sun, the XXX hot wings top the heat scale with a fiery intensity that challenges even the boldest spice lovers, while the Pineapple Reaper brings a sweet-but-deadly kick as a close second. Ranch or blue cheese necessary. @mywayraleigh
Chicken Jalfrezi | Royal India Literally translating to “hot stir-fry,” this dish guarantees a kick—and then some. Served sizzling and soaked in a spicy sauce, every bite delivers a smoky tanginess that’ll tantalize your taste buds. Want it hotter? Ask the kitchen to turn the dial up—they will (but beware!). @royal.india.nc
Lobera
Cauliflower Al Pastor Tacos | Lobera Tacos & Tequila Bringing a serious bite to an otherwise neutral veg, these tacos feat. al pastor-style battered and fried cauliflower deliver a slow, smoky burn. Fresh toppings like salsa verde, avocado, red cabbage, radish and micro-cilantro may look delicate, but don’t be fooled—just one bite will light up your taste buds. @lobera.raleigh
Ludicrous Wings | Buffalo Brothers “Ludicrous” is not an exaggeration. These wings—coated in a fiery sauce so intense, even the bravest have tapped out—take spice to an entirely new level, way past “hell” and straight into the danger zone. Proceed with caution… and maybe a gallon of milk. @buffalobrothersnc
Da Bubs is changing the local wing game—one bite at a time.
Raleigh’s “chicken wing guy” is shaking up your favorite finger food in a game-changing way. After splashing on the scene less than four months ago, James Higgins has already built a cult-following for his about-town pop-up, Da Bubs—and now, he’s secured his first location at Le Dive, serving his viral wings Tuesdays to Sundays starting Aug. 12.
So what makes his chicken wings so special? Higgins proclaims he fixed “everything wrong with a wing” (his favorite food, naturally) by applying French techniques to remove all the cartilage from the bones, ensuring the aptly dubbed “first-date wings” can be eaten in one fell swoop—no gnawing chewy bits or picking around veins… just crispy, juicy meat that comes clean off the bone in a single bite.
“I just got sick and tired of people not eating all the meat off the bones,” Higgins explains. “I hate food waste—another reason why I wanted to fix the ‘wing problem.’”
“Every time I’m prepping those wings, I’m like: ‘Who’s the idiot who thought this was a good idea?’ And then I’m like, ‘Oh, wait. That was me.’ I’m really glad the world has idiots like me to appreciate this craft. No one else is crazy enough to take this on.” —James Higgins
And you can’t beat the prices—it was very important for Higgins to make his offerings affordable so they could be enjoyed by all. Ten bucks gets you a pound of chicken, usually eight to 10 wings, plus his signature ranch-meets-blue cheese concoction offering the best of both worlds for dipping.
“People tell me all the time I could charge more—but I want to be part of the solution, not the problem,” he emphasizes. “Everyone doesn’t make a lot of money, and I just want people to enjoy their meal without having to break the bank to do it.”
Da Bubs’ almost-famous loaded chocolate chip cookies
Also evening the playing field, Higgins’ treasured chicken bites are fried in beef tallow (as opposed to seed oils) and coated in a sole sauce “meant for the entire table”—removing the need for a dreaded back-and-forth convo on hot vs. mild. “It’s spicy, but it’s not. It burns, but it doesn’t,” he contends. “If you like spicy, you like it—if you don’t like spicy, you like it. If you like Buffalo or barbecue, you like it because it has that sweet component.”
While Da Bubs has certainly taken off, Higgins admits he was originally scared to start the concept. After working his way up in the restaurant world—from dishwashing at since-closed Sawmill Tap Room to interning for Walter Royal at Angus Barn to working under renowned chef Michael Pruett—he stepped away from cooking to spend more time with his late dog, Chloe (aka Da Bubs, for which the concept is dubbed).
After she passed away from cancer, he confronted his grief by returning to the kitchen—baking his perfected focaccia for friends, a dish that now features on the menu alongside his semifamous Caesar dressing—as does his loaded chocolate-, caramel- and pretzel-studded cookies. (Three seemingly random things that just so happen to work.)
When it came to launching the concept, Higgins says he eventually ran out of excuses not to. Inspired by Dave’s Hot Chicken’s origin story—illegally slinging sandwiches under a tent in a West Hollywood parking lot—and with a few nudges from friends and fellow business owners, he debuted Da Bubs in a buddy’s DTR backyard. Since then, he’s popped up at spots like Stella’s, Willco, Boatman Spirits Co., Nomad, Crank Arm and House of Hops.
As far as what the future holds, the chicken king has his sights set on becoming the next Raising Cane’s. And with most of the profits, he envisions establishing a trust to help others afford life-saving care for their pets, just as he was able to do when Chloe was diagnosed. “I was fortunate that I was in a situation where I was like, ‘here’s my card, save her,’” he reflects. “I got a few more months out of her, and I really hope I can help other people have that.”
So go on and join Da Bubs’ chicken wing revolution—you may never be able to look at wings the same again.
