Owner of Wichita Thai restaurant will test her customers’ intestinal fortitude

Last summer, I (foolishly) decided it might be fun to try to conquer some of Wichita’s most spicy dishes and see if I could live to tell about it.

Instantly, I knew which restaurant I had to visit.

Bann Thai, the restaurant that Wanwaree Jackson owns at 3811 W. 13th St. North, is known for having one of the spiciest kitchens in town. Her food is hot — so hot that some of Wichita’s toughest palates find her “mild” spice to be too much.

For the sake of my story, I tried her green curry made “Thai hot,” which is the hottest she makes. It’s so hot, she often warns customers off of it. It’s so hot, she allows herself to have it only once a month.

Naturally, Jackson thought it might be fun to see which of her customers could handle her Thai hot food. She watches a lot of Food Network shows, and one day she got an idea.

She’d put on a spicy food eating contest.

Jackson has corralled six people — mostly regular customers — to participate in her contest, which will happen at 7 p.m. tonight at the restaurant. Spectators (and fire extinguishers) are welcome.

Her contestants — all men and one brave woman in her 60s — will each be given a plate of her Thai basil chicken, made Thai hot. Whoever finishes the dish first wins a $50 gift certificate.

Contestants (and spectators) should expect sweating, groaning and watering eyes. All proceedings will be YouTubed. Waivers will be involved.

And if you come to dine while you watch, Jackson says, she recommends starting slow.

“I recommend to try maybe medium,” she said.

This story was originally published July 26, 2018 at 5:54 PM.