Curry und Chili

Twelve Spice Levels by Scoville

When ordering at Curry und Chili, the first decision you make is about your own pain threshold. The stand on Osloer Straße offers twelve spice levels, ordered according to the Scoville scale, and draws a clear line: All sauces up to level seven do not contain chili extract and cost no extra. From level eight, extract is used, and an additional fifty cents are charged. At the very top is the Gold Edition at level ten, whose extract reaches over seven million Scoville, a number you might want to look at twice before ordering. Additionally, there are four free toppings: cinnamon, garlic, lemon, and crushed pepper, which further multiplies the number of possible combinations. The levels don’t just get spicier from bottom to top; they are also seasoned differently, so the taste shifts from one level to the next. The stand thus has something of a laboratory feel, where guests can explore their own limits without anyone interfering. At the same time, the mild variant remains a perfectly normal, well-made Currywurst that requires no courage.

From a One-Euro Snack Bar to the Chili Eating Championship

Curry und Chili started quite differently in 2005: Frank Spieß opened a one-euro snack bar and only later switched the concept to spice. Four years later, he founded the first German Chili Eating Championship, and since then, the address on Osloer Straße has been the first point of contact for anyone who wants to know how far they can go. Apart from the spectacle, the operation works inconspicuously diligently: The ketchup is freshly made, without preservatives and without artificial additives. A vegan Currywurst and a vegan mayonnaise are also on the menu, so the spice can be experienced without meat. Payment is by cash or Girocard. The Osloer Straße / Prinzenallee stop is about thirty-five meters away, where trams M13 and 50 and bus M27 stop, and the Osloer Straße subway station is also within walking distance. Frank Spieß is listed as the owner in the imprint; the business does not have a company name. Those coming from Wedding or Pankow don’t have far to go.