Aug 21st, 2008 at 6:40 pm
50 Years of Chili Bowl
The really important news of the day, it should be said, has nothing to do with Georgia or Iraq or John McCain’s houses — it’s the fiftieth anniversary of Ben’s Chili Bown, Washington DC landmark and the cornerstone of the U Street corridor. It’s home of the famous chili half-smoke pictured above. Of course any talk of the Ben’s chili half-smoke naturally leads people to ask “what’s a half-smoke?” The simple answer is that it’s a kind of sausage, a regional delicacy of the area. But what kind of sausage is it? That turns out to be a harder question, and one that resulted in one of the finest pieces of journalism I’ve read during my career — Dave Jamieson’s “The Missing Link”
55 Responses to “50 Years of Chili Bowl”
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August 21st, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Y’know, for the three weeks I’ve been living in this city, I’ve been trying to figure out what the heck a half-smoke is. Thanks.
August 21st, 2008 at 6:59 pm
And us terminally unhip suburbanites have our own half-smokes:
Weenie Beenie!
Suck on THAT, bitches!
August 21st, 2008 at 7:03 pm
you’re right–that’s a good article.
too bad the media can’t do an indepth story like that on, say, mccain’s ignorance of foreign policy, or the bush administration’s lies about fisa, or the need for health care.
is the wash city paper really a blog? cause that would explain why it does a better job.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Judging from the photo, folks inside the Beltway literally eat shit.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Yeah, what Petey said. Maybe its just the color on the old computer I am being forced to use tonight, but damn, that looks foul.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:23 pm
“a regional delicacy of the area”
Redundant, much?
August 21st, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Shit on a bun, how appetizing.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:26 pm
what foul looking stuff!
August 21st, 2008 at 7:28 pm
“Shit on a bun, how appetizing.”
The crumbled crisps in the background are the pièce de résistance.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:34 pm
… it’s the fiftieth anniversary of Ben’s Chili Bown
[sic]
August 21st, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Margarita, that’s just the old, traditional, DC spelling of the world “bowl”. It’s a quaint regionalism.
Also, “crumbled crisps?” Petey is British?
August 21st, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Someone shat in a bun for that photo.
August 21st, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Indeed, I loaded up my blog reader and said to myself, “My, there seems to be some sort of turd on a bun on my computer screen.”
August 21st, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Margarita, that’s just the old, traditional, DC spelling of the world “bowl”. It’s a quaint regionalism.
We should all just be thankful he didn’t type “bowel”.
August 21st, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Matt, is that a “before” or “after” picture of the half-smoke?
August 21st, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Hey Petey, care to enlighten us on your feelings regarding Ethiopian, South Indian, or Malaysian cuisine? Oaxacan moles? Does everything need to be visibly crunchy and primary colored? Or have you just been spending too much time changing John Edwards’ baby’s diaper?
August 21st, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Where’s my favorite Jewboy? I need an expert opinion.
Hey, SLC, does that look kosher?
August 21st, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Reading more closely, I see that I overlooked the words “regional delicacy,” which is a red flag if I ever saw one.
August 21st, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Mock all you want, Heathers, but the Ben’s chili half-smoke is one of tastiest encased-meat/spicy-relish combos ever invented. Judge it on its character, not its looks.
August 21st, 2008 at 9:09 pm
This is MY’s blog. How do we know he didn’t intend to type “bowel”?
August 21st, 2008 at 9:27 pm
you people need to get yourself up to Rochester NY and get some white hots. ain’t no hot dog that compares to a white hot split and grilled, then doused with chili.
i recommend Mark’s on Monroe Ave.
August 21st, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Pwned by Petey, but I always thought “shit sandwich” was just a metaphor, I didn’t know there really was such a thing…
August 21st, 2008 at 9:50 pm
no single pay health insurance system will work if you east coast assholes eat that heart killing crap on a regular basis
August 21st, 2008 at 9:54 pm
I raise you a Silver City New Mexico Green Chili plate
August 21st, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Ben’s Chili Bowl chili half-smokes are delicious, you pricks. I expect no better from Petey, but the rest of you should be ashamed of yourselves.
August 21st, 2008 at 10:45 pm
A egional delicacy really shouldn’t have lips and assholes as the main ingredients.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I looked at that picture and thought mmmmmmm. Then I read all these “that looks like shit” comments. Hmm, does it? Really? I looked again. Mmmmmmm.
I guess eating at Ben’s is like having sex with an ugly girl who’s amazing in bed. You’re going to get turned on when you see her again, and no one else will understand why.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Yeah, at first glance, that photo reminded me of sex: feels a lot better than it looks.
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:06 am
I live 3 blocks from Ben’s. Not only do I agree with the people who say it looks like a piece o crap, but it also tastes like crap as well. I firmly believe Ben’s reputation has a lot to do with the fact that very few people have ate it while sober. Yes it can be satisfying after a night of drinking, but so can almost anything.
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:24 am
Sorry Matt!
I pooped on your coney.
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:46 am
Ben’s Chili Bowl chili half-smokes are delicious, you pricks.
No, not even close. Unless perhaps you just chugged a dozen Budweisers.
The color in that photo is fairly accurate. Not only is Ben’s Chili Bowl 50 years old, so is the chili itself. It’s awful, and the half-smokes aren’t much better.
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:48 am
That was a good article. Now someone needs to do a follow-up piece on where you can get that cup of coffee for 50 cents. BTW, I’ve never had a half-smoked but the picture made me hungry. Don’t tell my doctor.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:09 am
What are you people, a bunch of frikkin’ WASP’s? Ben’s Chili is sublime. Although I recently changed my regular order from the chili cheese half-smoke to the even better chili cheeseburger. I was just there for lunch on Monday, but god damn, I might have to head back today.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:26 am
What are you people, a bunch of frikkin’ WASP’s?
You got me. I only eat tofu dogs topped with Brie and Grey Poupon with my Heineken.
Even in DC there must be better greasy spoons than Ben’s. I’m not a chili snob, but Ben’s blackened mystery meat is the worst chili I ever remember having. Hell, I’d bet that Hormel chili, straight from the can and unheated would beat Ben’s in a taste test.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:39 am
Chili is usually pretty nasty stuff. After years and years of experimenting we’ve come up with something a little better than edible, but not something we eat more than twice a winter. The “secret” ingredient is lots of beer, both in the chili and in a glass.
The stuff in that picture looks like hazmat.
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Me hungee wantee weenie beenie
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Look like poop, taste like heaven on a bun!
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