The Pirate and Nut Nougat Nirvana currywurst flavors served up at Best Worscht in Town in Mainz, Germany. The restaurant chain offers currywurst with a twist at more than 20 locations in Hessen, including the Frankfurt International Airport. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
For the most part, Germans don’t do spice.
It’s a chief complaint I’ve regularly heard from fellow Americans during my five years in Germany. I’ve asked for very spicy food several times, only to receive something best referred to as mildly “German spicy.”
Well, I certainly paid the price for my skepticism on a recent outing.
A couple of months ago, friends suggested I try the Best Worscht in Town. The snack stand franchise has more than 20 locations in Frankfurt and surrounding cities in Hessen.
It serves up a twist on currywurst, a mainstay street food of sliced sausage in a curry ketchup sauce.
My teenage son and I visited the Mainz location about 15 minutes from Wiesbaden. The menu is straightforward: currywurst, fries and fresh baked bread.
Although focused, the are hundreds of combinations with three choices of sausage (pork, beef and vegan), 10 flavors and eight heat levels.
Currywurst served at a heat level of 1.2 million Scoville units, along with fries and bread, at Best Worscht in Town in Mainz, Germany. It is almost as spicy as a Carolina Reaper, one of the hottest chili peppers in the world. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
The tiered spice levels amused me with names like Oral Warrior (Oralkrieger), Mouth Orgasm (Mundorgasmus) and Godfather’s Deathkiss. Sitting near the mild bottom was EU-Chili; I suppose the stereotype for aversion to anything exciting must come from somewhere.
Each level has a corresponding Scoville Heat Unit figure. A jalapeno pepper generally runs from 2,000-8,000 SHU, while the Carolina Reaper, one of the world’s hottest peppers, sits around 1.4-2.2 million SHU.
Throwing caution to the wind, I ordered the currywurst at level F for “(Expletive) Burning Injection,” with a rating of 1.2 million Scoville units. I was certain the SHU levels were just for show.
The cook raised his eyebrow and asked me if I was sure, because “it’s very spicy.” Having thought I’d been through this song and dance many times before, I confidently confirmed my request.
A searing blaze engulfed my mouth and my eyes watered within seconds of taking the first bite. My bottle of Coke brought little relief and I considered calling it quits about halfway through.
My son, only slightly phased by the heat of his BBQ Godfather’s Deathkiss, said his currywurst was a little sweet and smoky with a hot, slow burn that creeps up on you.
An interior wall at Best Worscht in Town in Mainz, Germany, is lined with photos of patrons who have conquered the F.B.I. spice level or above. The F.B.I. is advertised at 1.2 million Scoville Heat Units, or nearly as spicy as the Carolina Reaper, one of the hottest chili peppers on the planet. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
The menu board at Best Worsscht in Town in Mainz, Germany. The currywurst chain offers nine permanent flavors along with a rotating flavor of the month at a range of spice levels. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
He wasn’t laughing at me, but the amusement on his face was clear. He took a bite of mine and his smile faded.
He later described it as “an immediate punch of heat to the face” and said he couldn’t taste much else after that.
I powered through the last few bites, eating them as fast as I could, to end the most painful meal I’ve ever experienced. By the end, my nose was running, my ears were ringing and I was a little lightheaded from the endorphin rush.
The fire dropped to a tolerable level 15 minutes after I finished eating, but smoldering embers stayed in the pit of my stomach for hours.
I returned for another visit a few days later, since all I could recall from my first visit was a dry mouth set ablaze.
I had a split order of Pirate and Nut Nougat Nirvana flavors, both at a more tolerable C spice level, which is comparable to a very spicy Thai bird’s eye chili or a low-end habanero at 110,000 SHU.
The Pirate is a combination of 17 different spices from a jambalaya mix and a lemon flavor, but I didn’t pick up the assortment. It tasted like a standard, albeit delicious, currywurst with a bright citrus note.
The Best Worscht in Town Mainz location sits just outside the city’s historic Altstadt district. The restaurant chain serves up currywurst with a twist at more than 20 locations in Frankfurt and surrounding areas. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
The sliced bratwurst crackled with a pleasant little snap from the casing, paired with a juicy interior.
I opted for sliced, pickled jalapenos as a free add-on, but the peppers weren’t a good match.
The Nutt Nougat Nirvana, one of the rotating flavors of the month, combines traditional currywurst flavor with a dollop of Nutella.
I was surprised how well the two seemingly incompatible flavors went together. The chocolate hazelnut spread overpowered everything at first, but after stirring the sauce, the flavors blended for a spicy and not-overly-sweet treat.
I also was a fan of the bread. The deep brown sourdough had a crunchy crust and spongy body that cleared the palate.
The fries were fresh and piping hot, but were otherwise standard snack fare.
Best Worscht in Town lives up to its name and I would gladly drop in again if I were nearby. It’s gimmicky but it works — and when they say it’s hot, they mean it.
The Mainz location is one of a few franchises that offers spice level X, known as Sauce Venganza. It boasts a 6.66 million SHU rating and is restricted to patrons 18 and over.
I can’t imagine what godless inferno awaits anyone willing to tackle something that hot. I don’t know if it’s truly more than five times hotter than what I experienced with the F.B.I., but I’m also not in a hurry to find out.
Best Worscht in Town
Address: Augustinerstrasse 11, 55116 Mainz (more than 20 locations in Frankfurt and surrounding areas)
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
Prices: 10-15 euro for combo with currywurst, fries, bread, and drink
Information: Phone: +49 (0) 6131886211; online: bestworschtintown.de
