Yipes, Boise! L.A.-based chain to open new restaurant with ‘hottest chicken ever made’

When Burnin’ Mouth launches its first restaurant in the Boise area, its name should provide ample warning, right?

Then again, we Idahoans can be a little, um, dense.

Maybe the spice level names will clue us in: Simple, Mild, Good, Ugly and, ouch, Insane.

Still not sledgehammer-to-the-skull clear? Burnin’ Mouth sells a side sauce called Never Comeback. As in, hurts so bad that you will never return. (To the restaurant? To planet Earth? Either way, a unique marketing strategy.)

“It’s soooo spicy,” company president Daniel Hwang admits in a phone interview. “But it tastes good, if you really like spicy, spicy.”

“I have it once,” he admits with a laugh, “and that’s enough for me.”

Don’t sweat it, Idaho. Slated to open March 1, 2022, at The Village at Meridian, this Los Angeles-headquartered chain isn’t just about melting folks’ faces. It’s about addictive chicken sandwiches. And wings and tenders with Texas toast. Chicken that’s fresh, never frozen, Hwang says — and served crispy. “Our flavors are great,” he adds.

The menu is “very simple,” Hwang says. It’s anchored by two deep-fried chicken breast sandwiches on brioche buns. The Coo Coo ($12.95) is a dry-seasoned Nashville hot creation. It has Comeback Sauce, crispy onion, pickles and cole slaw. Fries are piled on the side. Conversely, the Korea-vibed Bang Bang ($12.95) is a “wet” chicken sandwich. It has sweet garlic soy or sweet chili sauce, plus Comeback Sauce, cole slaw, crispy onion, butter ranch and pickles. And, yep, fries along for the ride.

Timid, er, wise Idahoans will want to taste the Comeback Sauce (not to be confused with the lethal Never Comeback). “It’s in all our sandwiches,” Hwang says. “People love it.”

And Burnin’ Mouth’s heat-seeking spice levels? Truthfully, they shouldn’t keep the restaurant from being kid- or wimp-friendly, Hwang says. Burnin’ Mouth’s mission is to get taste buds “burnin’ for more.”

“We’re trying to make it fun,” Hwang explains. “... We have the Simple and the Mild. The Good — the normal, the medium one — is what most people get. It has a little kick, but it’s not burn-your-mouth or anything.”

Launched in early 2021 in Oxnard, California, the burgeoning chain is catching fire. Fifteen leases are signed in multiple states, Hwang says. Burnin’ Mouth’s second location is slated to open later this month in Las Vegas.

At The Village at Meridian, Burnin’ Mouth will be across from Fleet Feet Sports — enticing adventurous diners to sprint inside for takeout or in-house dining at about a dozen seats.

“Ready for your mouth to burn? Or will you chicken out?” Burnin’ Mouth’s website taunts.

Sounds like a dare, Idaho. Flame, and game, on.