Fried chicken is probably one of my favorite indulgences on earth! So when I heard that a fried chicken truck had recently opened in our area, we had to go. 

Howlin' Ray's is a husband and wife team who take their truck around Los Angeles spreading fried chicken cheer wherever they go. Chef Johnny, an LA native, has worked professionally under Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay and Nobu Matsuhisa. Amanda grew up with her grandparents in the heartland, growing, hunting, fishing, harvesting and preserving most of their food supply and spending summers in East Texas learning about southern soul and hospitality. After spending some time in Nashville last year, they were introduced to Nashville Hot Chicken and wanted to bring that flavor and speciality to LA! And, dang, is it GOOD! It's so good that I've had it three times since they opened just weeks ago…

Howlin' Ray's signature is spicy fried chicken. I love spice, but the hottest of the hot (The Howlin' Hot) is actually too much for me, so I tend to go for the Medium or the Hot which offers a nice tingle of spice without making it so you can't breathe or see straight! And, if you can't take any heat or just like the classics, there's always the traditional Country Fried chicken, too.

To accompany those spicy bites, every month Howlin' Ray's partners with a local baked goods company to offer some sweets to cap off the meal. During this visit, these cutie pie animal donuts by Fantastic Donuts were part of the arsenal. Have you ever seen cuter donuts?!

If you're in LA or visiting LA soon, and you like fried chicken, Howlin' Ray's is a must. You can see their weekly schedule here and their menu right here! 

{Photos by Casey Brodley for Oh Joy}