Howlin' Ray's in Chinatown serves Nashville hot chicken, not fish tacos, but Johnny Zone arrived at S4E6 and demonstrated that a chef who has mastered one precision fry has mastered the physics of all precision fries. The restaurant now operates in Chinatown and Pasadena in Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, which is three different cities' worth of evidence that Zone is doing something right.
Zone's fish taco technique starts with the batter: a beer batter built with cold lager and cornstarch at a 40/60 ratio to flour, which creates a lighter, crispier crust than straight flour batter and one that stays crisper longer after the fish hits the tortilla. The oil holds at 375°F — higher than most competition cooks target — which creates an immediate surface seal that prevents grease penetration. The fish is patted completely dry before batter contact, which is not negotiable.
The Nashville hot program at Howlin' Ray's has generated lines around the block in three cities. Bobby Flay, who built a reputation on Southwestern cuisine and therefore should understand fish tacos, lost to a man whose primary business is hot chicken. That is not a small thing.
More from Mexican & Latin →