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CHEF-OWNED HOT SAUCES Local concoctions turn up the heat on creativity. by Benjamin Epstein
The name of the initial bottling from SPICE GIRL SAUCES isn’t that exciting— Original Hot Sauce—but what’s inside sure is. The girl in question is “Chopped” champion and Adya chefowner Shachi Mehra. Her Food Network winnings funded the new line, and that’s her picture on the label. The spices—chile de árbol, malagueta and serrano peppers, black pepper, cumin, and garlic—are among those she uses often at her winning Indian street-food restaurants in Anaheim and Irvine. 6 ounces, $10. SPICEGIRLSAUCES.COM
64 ORA NGE CO AST • December 2021
Chef-owner Andrew Gruel’s new SL APFISH line, named for his contemporary seafood shack, launched with three sauces: the zingy red Blend No. 01, based on Trinidad scorpion peppers; the zesty, fruity, orange-hued No. 02 with pineapple and habaneros (try it on pizza!); and milder green No. 03, or Cali Verde, made from lime and jalapenos. Gruel’s Huntington Beach-based restaurant has grown to 24 locations, including six in Orange County and one in London. 5 ounces, $8.
Michelin-starred salsas? Carlos Salgado’s trio of RESERVA salsas negras, available at his much-lauded Taco María in Costa Mesa, would certainly qualify. The mild Chile Ancho gets its hint of sweetness from garlic. The spicy Chile de Árbol figures at the Alta California eatery almost as often as the bluemaize tortillas. The nuanced flavors of the Chile Morita & Peanuts linger … and the memory lingers longer. They’re pricey but worth every penny. 6.4 ounces, $20.
SLAPFISHRESTAURANT.COM
MASIENDA.COM
TACOMARIA.COM,
The habanero-driven SALSA FUERTE by Craig Strong is almost eponymously named—fuerte is Spanish for “strong.” New executive chef at the Hotel Laguna, Strong previously helmed nearby Studio at Montage Laguna Beach and his own high-end Ocean at Main. The tagline builds on the wordplay—“strong flavor, strong personality”—and the logo depicts a chile pepper flexing its muscles. The sauce is medium spicy and created with versatility in mind. 5 ounces, $7. SALSAFUERTE.NET
PHOTOGRAPH BY JESSICA BODAS PHOTOGRAPHY
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