I love spicy food; the spicier the better. But I have my limits. I can get down with a spicy Szechuan spicy poached fish with dried chilis and tongue-numbing peppercorns or a head-sweat inducing lamb vindaloo, but I draw the line at novelty chili pepper eating competitions. I like the flavor of chilis and how they work with a dish. Once you’ve gotten used to and can get past the heat of hot peppers, there is another level of flavors waiting for you on the other side of that fiery wall. In all fairness, there are dishes that will amp up the heat for spiciness sake, but then there are cuisines that use chilis and “heat” as a way to compliment and bring out inherent flavors of the dish. A great example of this is Thai cuisine. I was recently invited to check out Brasserie Thai Pamika‘s menu to explore their take on Thai cuisine.