Soul food for spice fiends

Fans of spicy fried chook will savour the flavours and aromas emanating from Wellington’s Soul Shack, writes John Son.

Visitors to Wellington walking past an unassuming chicken shop may be forgiven for doing a double take at the conversations of the patrons within. ‘‘It’s a level zero for me, thanks.’’ ‘‘Level four? Are you crazy?’’

They are, of course, talking about which level of spice they want for their Soul Shack chicken – a perennially hot (excuse the pun) talking point for foodies in the capital.

Since bringing his passion of ‘‘casual, fun soul food’’ to life in the shape of a Porirua food truck, Rick Unuia has led Soul Shack through setback after setback to build it into a household name in Wellington, gaining a cult following in the process.

Having occupied hole-in-the-wall-type spots around the city centre for a couple of years, Soul Shack has recently opened a new shop on Victoria St.

From a small but tantalising menu, the Nashville-style buttermilk-fried wings is the flagship item.

With no formal culinary training, Unuia has relied on his passion, childhood influences and experimenting to perfect his product.

His chicken is the culmination of his love for American soul food and the efforts he’s invested in crafting his original recipe, which has ‘‘a little input’’ from the owners of Belles Hot Chicken in Australia, and Howlin’ Ray’s in Los Angeles.

‘‘[That’s] complemented by multiple spice levels, from cayenne to carolina reaper, allowing us to deliver varying experiences,’’ Unuia says.

‘‘Varying experiences’’ is a modest way to describe the range of sensations you can subject yourself to by trying one of Soul Shack’s wings.

The spice levels range from zero to four, with four being the hottest.

Spice can be a deceptively subjective concept, so it’s perhaps best to take the following advice with a grain of salt (and a glass of milk): level zero is probably enough to prickle your taste buds without making you wince, and most people will find that even level one packs plenty of heat.

If you are brave enough to try level four, brace yourself and be prepared to shed a bit of sweat, and potentially some tears, while basking in the awe and admiration of Unuia, his staff and other diners.

Along with its distinct, homegrown flavour, this competitive aspect of eating Soul Shack’s chicken is one of the reasons behind its popularity and cult status, making it one of the capital’s favourite eating challenges. ‘‘If you can handle our hottest level – level four – you belong to a very elite group of heat fiends,’’ Unuia says.

‘‘Not many people can handle the level below it either, so level four can present different, somewhat euphoric experiences among friends.’’

If you’re a fan of fried chicken, especially the spicy kind, a visit to Unuia is a must on a trip to the capital. The achievement of having conquered a level-four wing may just be the best souvenir you take home.