We're celebrating the best of all worlds with restaurants that mix different ethnic traditions to create new and unique flavors. A chef in Houston combines Texas tradition with Italian standards. In Las Vegas, burgers are flavored with Asian ingredients, while Japanese-Peruvian dishes are all the buzz at a Los Angeles hot spot. It's a mouthwatering journey of culinary mashups.

We're visiting hot spots around the country that are literally spicing it up in the kitchen. From dishes that will set your mouth on fire to plates with just enough heat to make your eyes water, find out why people keep coming back for more.

Go off the beaten path and visit extraordinary eateries that are unknown to the average tourist. Stop by a rustic Italian restaurant in Staten Island, New York, where the nonnas are in charge, a perfect pizza joint outside the bright lights of Las Vegas, a dining destination only for those in the know in Hawaii and a cool spot for shaved ice under the palm trees.