I vouch for Rahongbu Malatang as offering spiciness that is at my limit and probably that of many other diners. I believe the adage of watch what you wish for (or as Oscar Wilde said, there are two great tragedies in life; one is not getting what you want -- the other is getting it). The Greek myth of Tithonus is a warning: a mortal man who fell in love with a goddess, he was gifted with immortality -- but they forgot to mention eternal youth, the consequence being he wasted away, ever more elderly and frail. In culinary terms, I always want enough garlic to reek from every pore, to my wife's embarrassment and discomfort; and enough hot sauce that I will regret having requested that. I also am aware that while I can consume dishes most cannot, I cannot compare to the elite who have an ability to enjoy the tastes that register high on the Scoville scale. In this instance, I pointed to the table of options, indicating I would order my soup at the top level.
I was sweating. I had to pause. I could discern the underlying flavors, just barely. The ingredients were fresh. But the overwhelming sensation was that thrill you want from an experience such as this. My body was flush with endorphins. I doubt I could do this often. It was powerful. My friend, wiser, selected the "white" option, referring to a clear broth. He was content to watch me struggle. The moral of the story: if you appreciate that searing feeling on your tongue, the ensuing rush from your body's natural mechanisms responding to a savory challenge, then this place is for you. I am sure the offerings are acceptable without the tang, but my philosophy in these matters is why bother then.
Incidentally, the proprietor is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Korean. My own linguistic skills are weak (juvenile in Mandarin, non existent in Korean, despite Chinese ancestry as well as Korean I only recently learned from a genetic test). He is either ethnic Chinese from Korea, or ethnic Korean from mainland China. He explained that to me. This may be useful if you'd like to place an order in a language other than English. He also was friendly and helpful. Probably he was shaking his head, internally, at my foolhardy venture into mala. The name of the business should be a warning. If you do not know the mala concept, it is a peppercorn that is both "hot" and analgesic, i.e., numbling. If you have never had it, you might think something has gone wrong with your palate. That is just the effect. read more