[Pudn’s note: I’ve known the author of this 3-Way post, Brooksy, aka Mark, for the better part of almost twenty years. I worked at the retail chain that Dustin Hoffman said sucked in Rainman; Mark dated (and later married) someone who was close friends with someone else who worked there. Come to think of it, I don’t really know how it all worked out that we’ve known each other so long. It’s kind of lost in the college-era fog. At any rate, for nearly two decades, he and I have been politely disagreeing about the best place Cincy chili. I was thrilled, then, when he said he’d happily contribute to 3-Way Thursday.]
Ok, I admit it. I have been little remiss in the writing department. My intentions were good. My execution wasn’t. As a way of explaining today is my birthday. When I was younger without kids this was my day. The day where I dictated what I want to do, or as the case may be to ignore it as I see fit. Children don’t see it that way. Every birthday should be celebrated with gusto. This means that my birthday now has an agenda, one not of my making. There are dinners, cakes and surprises, like the game of Sorry at 6:35 this morning. All this means is that I was a little side tracked but my heart was thinking about Blue Ash Chili, not really, I was enjoying time with my kids.
I have had Blue Ash Chili before. I didn’t care for it. It seemed bland, but I gave it the second shot. I went to Blue Ash Chili with Pud’n. We sat and were served by a bevy of waitresses. I ordered a 4-way onion. When it was presented, it was a good portion, with the right amount of cheese. Not heaping, but enough that it won’t melt. The taste: The second time around the chili was good. There was no heat, but the spice load was pretty good. It seemed as if it had been simmered a long time. Every bite of the chili seemed to be the same. The flavors were melded really well. Of course that was the chili. Overall, I wasn’t impressed with my 4-way. It took me about half the meal to figure out why. The spaghetti they use is fairly thin. This thin spaghetti was coated with butter. My son would have loved this. I think both of my kids could eat butter by the spoonful. But the butter kept the chili from sticking to the spaghetti. The layer of pasta seemed to stick together like a really thick noodle. It was doughy and took away from 4-way experience. All in all, I wouldn’t eat another “way” there, but I would probably go in and have a bowl of chili. The onions were good, not hot but flavorful. If I had to give a number to the total experience I would say 3 oyster crackers out of 5. On that note, the oyster crackers were definitely lacking. I prefer an airy oyster cracker. These crackers were very compact, adding to the “doughy”ness of the entire meal.
Well this old man is out. I have to go yell at some kids to get off my lawn. Now where did I leave my…..why did I come in here?
Puddintopia 