Chili Trail

LimoShare a group to various Chili Parlors

The chili trail is our own invention.

The short version is we take a limo full of chili enthusiast, put them in a luxury limousine or party bus, and go to various chili parlors in town.

The owner of the company did this with friends for months – and everyone had a blast.  We all loved the irony of it – taking a limousine to a chili parlor is not exactly normal.  but that’s what we loved about it.

The rules were simple.  We focus on obscure, independent and historic parlors.  No Skyline, and no Gold Star.

Much as we love them both, we wanted to tak a deeper dive, to places that are more obscure.  There was a problem though – no one could agree which one of the rest was the best.  We’ve had some fierce debats in the limo on the way back home.

Here are some of the places we visit (in alphabetical order):

Bard’s Burgers and Chili

Blue Ash Chili

Blue Jay Restaurant

Cafe Mochiko

Camp Washington chili

Chili Time Restaurant

Dixie chili

Empress chili

Goumet chili

J & J Restaurant

Newport Pizza Co (Chili Pizza)

Pepper Pod

Pleasant Ridge Chili

Price Hill chili

Silver Ladle

Trotta’s Pizza and drive through (Chili Pizza)

Here’s something to think about.  The owner of Motortoys likes to experiment with chili.  His boundry pushing creations include Twinkie coneys, a canned tuna way, a green bean way, and other disgusting creations.  What do you think?  Feeling brave?

Ways or coneys.  The debate rages on.  Some of these places have some seriously wierd options.  One place will make you a coney with a pickle instead of a hot dog.

Did you know there is a National Chili Day each February?  It’s the 4th Thursday of February – a date we usually stay away.  After all, that is amateur day.  We’re professionals.

History of Cincinnati Chili

Empress Chili was the first.  Invented in 1922 by 2 brothers from Madedonia.  It was a variation of saltsa kima, which is a traditional mediterranean ground-meat stew seasoned with cloves, cinnamon, and nutbeg.  I know that may not sound great but it is.  Sadly, Empress, which was once a thriving chain, is now down to just 1 location in Alexandria Kentucky.

So what came first?  Coneys or ways?  Coneys.  Ways apparently came much later.  Can you match some famous names with the chili brand they created?

Nicholas Lambrinides

Daoud brothers

Kiradjieff brothers

Nicholas Sarakatsannis

Also, which chili parlor has the distiniction of being the oldest continuously operating chil parlor in Kentucky?