In its first five days of business in April, Howlin' Ray's sold more than 1,500 pounds of hot chicken. Inside the cramped brick-and-mortar location of the popular Nashville-inspired fried chicken food truck, you'll find a few counters, a handful of high-top tables, a mural that reads “I got my hot chicken in L.A.” and an open kitchen where you can watch the staff batter and fry each piece to order, then douse it in as much lip-searing cayenne pepper as your mouth can handle. The heat levels range from “country” (no heat) to “howlin' ” (spiked with Carolina Reaper peppers). Even compared with the hot-chicken stalwarts of Nashville, Howlin Ray's is turning out some serious yardbird: The devilishly spicy skin — we recommend the “hot” spice level — is crunchy and well-seasoned, while the meat inside remains exceptionally moist. Even better might be the two-fisted fried chicken sandwich, constructed with coleslaw, pickles and tangy “comeback sauce” on a toasted bun.

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