Extreme Habanero Cheese Now A Permanent Menu Item at Skyline

Back in April we ran a poll that asked our readers if they preferred a hot or mild coney. While it was a very close poll, hot did edge out mild with 52% of the votes. This showed there is definitely a market in Cincinnati for spicier options at the local chili parlors. For a couple of years now, Skyline Chili has occasionally offered Extreme Habanero Cheese as an option for coneys and 3-ways. For those who prefer that spicier option we have some good news to pass on, Skyline is now adding the Extreme Habanero Cheese as a permanent fixture to their menu. I know lots of people who enjoy the habenero cheese and are always disappointed when it goes away, this news should make them happy. Below is the press release from Skyline.

CINCINNATI – Due to repeated widespread requests and mouthwatering demands from the Skyline Nation, the ever-popular and often-coveted Spicy Habanero cheese has been permanently added to the Skyline Chili menu. Now customers can enjoy the spicy goodness atop their Skyline Chili anywhere, anytime.

“Extreme Habanero cheese has always been a favorite with Skyline customers, so this is our way of saying, ‘We hear you loud and clear,’” said Skyline Chili marketing manager Sarah Lapham. “Whether they’re craving a vegetarian bean burrito, a three, four or five-way or a classic cheese coney, the Spicy Habanero cheese will be there when they want it most.”

For more information on Skyline Chili or Extreme Habanero cheese, visit their website at www.skylinechili.com.

Skyline Chili Gift Card Giveaway

Since we have had a record breaking number of hits this week, we have decided to give away a $20 gift card to Skyline Chili to one of our fans. We are going to use Twitter and Facebook for this contest. Here is how you enter:

On twitter post: "The @CincyConeyQuest is giving away a $20 @Skyline_Chili gift card! http://tinyurl.com/coneyquest RT & follow to win"

On Facebook post a comment on our wall that indicates you want to win the gift card. (e.g. something as simple as "I want the Skyline card!" will suffice)

This will be a random drawing like our Gold Star give away was. One entry per social media platform. If you post on Twitter and Facebook that will count as 2 entries. Two entries is the most you can have (i.e. if you RT or post on our wall multiple times it will still only count as one entry). The contest will go on until Friday at 4PM. Good luck!

So how were Mike's coneys?

While discussing the incident at Mike's Chili & Gyros one of the most common questions I receive is "so, how were the coneys?" Since everything that happened soured our experience, it is impossible for us to give them a full review. Sure the issue was ultimately resolved, but its still the worst dining experience we had so we can't really give Mike's a review. Maybe someday we will take Sam up on his offer of coneys and photos at the other location, but of course it also would be hard to rate a place when we are obviously getting some special treatment.

Anyway, we will mention how we felt about the coneys. We both felt they were ok, since it was so out of the way for us its not a place we would have returned to even if the incident didn't happen, but the coneys were decent. Best comparison we could make is they tasted like a lower quality version of the Gold Star coneys we had earlier in the quest.

There is our "review" of Mike's. They receive a "N/A" since they have been disqualified from the rankings.

The Mike's Chili and Gyros Incident

When planning out our quest to find the best cheese coney in Cincinnati we knew it would be filled with some ups and downs. However, what happened at Mike's is something we never imagined occurring on the quest. We knew that at some point we might upset someone if we made a negative review of their restaurant. We did not know that even before leaving a restaurant we would anger someone so much that they would call the police on us. It was quite an experience but it at least did end on a good note.

Here is a blow by blow recap of the events at Mike's Chili & Gyros that led to the police being called:

Usually when we go out to a restaurant for the quest I just use my cell phone to take pictures. However this time my phone was low on juice so I decided to take my small point and shoot camera. We were the only customers inside the restaurant which made me happy cause I wouldn't have to worry about taking pictures around customers. The employee working there (who I assume is in the family ownership) noticed me taking a picture, which led to this conversation:

Server: Not to be nosey, but I noticed you were taking pictures.
Me: Yeah, we are visiting all the chili parlors in Cincinnati. I was just taking pictures to document our experiences.
Sever: Oh. I have never seen anyone taking pictures in here before.
Me: Yeah I was just taking a picture of the restaurant and of the food.
Server: Ok.

She then walked away, she seemed a little confused but gave no indication that she was upset nor that she wanted us to stop taking pictures. If she asked us to stop taking pictures I wouldn't have a problem with it, its her business and I respect that right.

After we left finished the meal I went outside to get a picture of the exterior of the restaurant and that is when the fireworks were set off:

Server: *storms out the front door* I need to know why you are taking these pictures!!!
Me: We are just documenting our experience when all the chili parlors. We run a food blog about Cincinnati chili. (Alison then chimes in and further explains what Cincinnati Coney Quest is)
Server: NO! You can not take pictures!
Me: Ok I'm sorry, we did not mean to offend you. We can delete the pictures.
Server: Yes delete the photos!
Me: *deletes pics* Ok, I deleted them. Once again we are sorry.
Server: Let me see!!!

At this point I go over to her and try to show that there were no pictures of her establishment on my camera. As I am scrolling through she is trying to hit random buttons and then attempts to snatch the camera from me. This is when I blow up:

Me: GET THE F-CK OFF MY CAMERA! WE ARE LEAVING!
Server: No! I'm getting your info and calling the police!

I probably could have been a bit more tactful there, but I was very upset and frustrated at this point. We walk back towards our car and she storms out the back door to write down our license number. I apologized for the language I used and for the whole situation but she wasn't having any of it and called the cops. We waited around for a little bit for the cops but after no arrival we decided to go to a nearby park to go for a walk and calm down. During this time Alison had the good idea of calling the cops to let them know what happened and our contact info.

About 5 minutes later the cops called Alison. Alison explained everything that happened above. Apparently the employee told the police that she thought we were taking pictures of the restaurants security (this will make a little more sense later) and that she told us stop taking pictures (which was a lie). Luckily the cop was very friendly and understanding. He explained to her that we weren't up to anything sinister and that we were just documenting our experiences.

She gave the cop her number so we can call and apologize to her. Yes you read that correctly. This further angered us. Luckily, a couple of hours later (coincidentally as I was writing this post) we received one more phone call, this time from Sam, the owner of Mike's Chili and Gyros. Alison told him what happened, what that Cincinnati Coney Quest is and that we did not intend to offend or harm the woman working or the restaurant. He apologized for the misunderstanding and our bad experience. He also told us that there have been a number of break ins at that location recently which is why the woman working was suspicious of us. Sam seemed to have a better understand of what CCQ is all about and was very interested in our blog and our quest to find the best cheese coney. He said we can visit his west side location of Mike's anytime, he will give us coneys and gyros and will even pose for a picture for us! We do appreciate this gesture, that being said, we have heard complaints about rude service at the east side location and he should get that under control.

Today was a very hectic, unpleasant and stressful day but we are happy there was an amicable resolution. I don't know what the protocol is for taking pictures in restaurants (fellow food bloggers feel free to chime in) but in the future we could ask the parlors staff if its ok that we take pictures. We typically don't like to tell people we are there for a blog before we eat our meal because we don't want any special treatment. However in this case it might have led to less confusion and maybe the police wouldn't have been involved. Or maybe it wouldn't have mattered at all. Regardless, we are very appreciative that Sam reached out to us and that both sides can put this incident behind us and concentrate on what we love, Cincinnati chili. Someday we may take him up on his offer for coneys and pictures.

ONN on Cincinnati Chili

Ohio News Network recently put together a video about our beloved Cincinnati Chili. The video discusses the history of Cincinnati chili, why we love it and the various options at the chili parlors. I found it funny the person they had to demonstrate how to properly eat a 3-way ate his in a way I have never seen before: inverted (cheese on the bottom). So right off the bat I think he is eating his 3-way improperly, cheese goes on top! In college I once had a roommate who put chili on the bun before the hot dog meanwhile his girlfriend twirled her 3-way, this did not make me and the other roommates happy.

Click here to view the ONN video. It is 7 and a half minutes long but a fun watch if you have the time. Also you might crave chili immediately after watching the video.

Covington Chili Review

Despite being one of the most established parlors in town (opened in 1936), Covington Chili does not get brought up often when Cincinnati chili parlors are discussed. In fact, I'm not sure if I have ever heard anyone mention Covington Chili before going on the quest. It was time for us to find out if there was good reason Covington Chili is never mentioned or if we may have found a diamond in the rough.

Covington Chili is located on Madison across from the Madison Theater which is a prime location for anyone wanting to catch meal before or after attending a show. It doesn't appear much has changed in the restaurant since it opened in 1936. It's another hole in the wall diner, paintings of food and pictures of chili products hang on the walls. There are jukeboxes in some of the booths like you would see in an old fashioned diner and a large jukebox by the front door, not sure if any are operational though. Our waitress was extremely friendly, probably the nicest we have encountered thus far. Nothing really stands out on their menu, its your typical greasy spoon diner menu, breakfast is served all day. The prices are in line with most of the parlors we have visited.

Clint's Review

After my unpleasant experience at our previous stop on the quest, I was really looking forward to some good coneys and for the most part Covington came through. The chili has a good blend of savory spices and sweet spices. I would take one bite and notice how savory it was and then the next bite the sweetness would come through. It's not the best chili I've had on the quest but I enjoyed the flavor.

The cheese was fresh and the hot dog was freshly made on the griddle. To continue with this fresh theme, I thought the buns could have been softer, but they weren't so bad that it detracted from the coney. These coneys were also very filling, although that did not stop me from taking on a giant cream puff at Maifest afterward.

Nothing stood out in the coneys as great but nothing was terrible about the coneys either, overall its a good product. I give Covington Chili a 3.25 out of 5.

Alison's Review

I'm always thrilled to find good food in the little hole-in-the-wall diners I've unknowingly driven past numerous times. It's like finding a hidden gem in Cincinnati's culinary jungle. Though Covington Chili may not have the best cheese coney in Cincinnati, it still offers a quality product that I'm surprised I haven't heard about before the quest.

The dog and bun were decent. No complaints here. The really solid components of this cheese coney were the chili, cheese, and onions. The chili was both very familiar and very different from any other parlor's chili. The classic savoy spices were all there, but there was just a little undertone of smokiness. The cheese was soft, fresh and piled on high. The onions were also fresh and flavorful, complementing the chili nicely. Overall, it was a pretty solid product.  I'm giving Covington Chili a 3.75 out of 5 stars.

Covington Chili History

Though Dixie Chili is often considered a staple of Northern Kentucky's chili history, another parlor established just seven years later still holds its own in the Covington neighborhood. Covington Chili, serving chili since 1936, has a loyal following of regulars in the region. Recognizing the charm of this neighborhood institution, George Stamatakos bought the restaurant in 1995. Like a majority of local chili parlors, Covington Chili features a secret blend of spices to make the chili.  They also use 140 pounds of ground beef every day. Though Stamatakos expanded the menu and made some minor renovations, he credits the long-standing patronage to the low prices and the fact that very little has changed about the restaurant over the years.