Leaving Cincinnati

This will likely be the last major announcenment on the blog. We are happy to announce we are moving to Austin, Texas at the end of the month! Alison recently accepted a job with the Austin Symphony. This means the Cincinnati Coney Quest is OFFICIALLY over. There might be some ocassional posts since the local chili parlors alert me to new promotions which we pass on to our readers. Even if there are no more posts, the blog will remain up as we still receive a decent amount of daily hits.

While we are excited for the move, we are also going to miss Cincinnati. The quest was a lot of fun. It gave a life long Cincinnatian like myself a chance to try restaurants I've missed out on, and gave a transplant like Alison a chance to explore more of the city. Of course we have ate a large amount of coneys this month since I'm pretty sure Cincinnati style chili is illegal in Texas.

Some have asked/joked if there will be a new quest blog for popular Austin foods. That, I'm not sure of, but I do plan on devouring my fair share of brisket. I will probably launch some sort of blog related to my travels in a new city.

We would like to thank all of the local chili parlors who have been great supporters of our quest. We would especially like to thank all of our readers who have enjoyed the quest and kept us motivated to try so many chili parlors. Cincinnati, we will miss you, but look forward to visiting in the future as a "tourist".

Silver Ladle mini-review

Silver Ladle is the newest tenant of Downtown Cincinnati's "Restaurant Row", located on 6th street between Main and Walnut. As the name suggests, their specialities are soups and chili but they have various sandwich and hamburger menu items as well. UrbanCincy.com recently posted a nice write up of Silver Ladle and its offerings.

Even though the quest is technically over, we were there for the Fork and Knife coney. This coney is not your typical Cincinnati cheese coney. You can choose between beef and chicken Cincinnati style chili, which along with cheese (and any other topping you choose) and a large hot dog, split in half, is on top of a toasted kaiser bun. At $7 the coney is a little pricey, but you get a lot of food for that money. Easily the most filling coney we have tried.

Along with being filling and unique, the coney was very tasty. If you think the typical Cincinnati cheese coney hot dog is lacking, you won't have that problem here. The Silver Ladle dog isn't quite as good as Mr. Hanton's but we enjoyed the taste. Since the Silver Ladle is owned by a member of the Skyline Chili family, there are definitely some similarities in the chili, but they are not exactly the same. Silver Ladle's chili is more savory than the sweet Skyline Chili. We really enjoyed the toasted kaiser bun. I was worried the bun would get soggy with so much chili on top of it, but luckily this was not the case. Really the only complaint we have is it would be easier to eat the coney with real silverware instead of plastic silverware.

Overall we really liked this unique take on the cheese coney from Silver Ladle. We look forward to trying some of their other menu items.

 

Opening Day is FREE Coney Day

Opening Day is already one of the best days on the Cincinnati calendar. Looks like Skyline Chili is going to make it an even better day. They are running an Opening Day is Free Coney Day promotion. By reading the small print, it appears you can receive a free coney with any menue purchase on Opening Day of the Reds season (April 5th).

Gold Star Veggie Way

Last week we informed you about the new Skyline Chili Greek Pasta bowl which is being featured during Lent. Now its Gold Star Chili's turn. Gold Star actually has several vegetarian chili options which more closely relate to tradition Cincinnati chili dishes than the Skyline Greek Pasta Bowl. If you are in the mood for a 3-way but can't have meat, you can have it topped with their vegetarian chili instead. This isn't a new product, but it looks like Gold Star is going to promote it more than usual during Lenten season. Dixie Chili is another local chili parlor which features vegetarian chili on their menu. If there are any other local chili parlors with similar options or specials during Lent, please let us know!

Press release below.

Gold Star Chili Invites Cincinnati-style Chili Lovers To “Veg Out”

95-Restaurant Chain Highlights Its Vegetarian Chili Menu Items For Lent &

Year-round Healthy Eating

Cincinnati, Ohio – With the Lenten season upon us, Gold Star Chili, the Flavor of Cincinnati, wants to remind chili lovers that there are two ways to enjoy a Cincinnati-style 3-Way; the regular way (spaghetti topped with chili and shredded cheddar cheese) and the veggie way. Gold Star’s veggie chili variation of the famous Cincinnati-style 3-Way, plus a full line of veggie chili menu options including: a bowl of veggie chili, veggie chili burrito, veggie chili burrito bowl and a veggie chili salad have become increasingly popular year-round items.

“More and more consumers are demanding flavorful, but meatless menu options,” says Gold Star Vice President of Marketing, Charlie Howard. “A bowl of Gold Star veggie chili is only 160 calories, loaded with vegetables, full of fiber and protein and features a spicy, uniquely Gold Star flavor similar to our regular chili. As such, our veggie chili has become the foundation of a whole new line of vegetarian variations of classic Cincinnati-style menu options.”

With a major promotional focus on vegetarian chili menu items, Gold Star hopes to expand its customer base to include those who observe a strict vegetarian diet (Gold Star veggie chili is vegetarian and vegan), those seeking healthier lifestyle choices, regular Cincinnati-style chili lovers who crave the flavor and can now enjoy an additional “guilt-free” chili occasion each week, and in the short-term, people who observe Lent.

“With our emphasis on increasing awareness of our veggie chili, we’re following the lead of many school districts and encouraging the observance of “Meatless Mondays,” says Howard. “With the caveat of observing it with a veggie chili dish at Gold Star Chili, of course.”

Gold Star Chili’s veggie chili 3-Ways and other veggie menu items will be promoted with a six-week advertising campaign utilizing television, radio, billboards, digital and social media elements, beginning February 27^th, just in time for the Lenten season.

Skyline Introduces The Greek Pasta Bowl

Today is Fat Tuesday which means Lent is upon us. Cincinnati has a large Catholic community, many chili lovers will have to go without their fix the next 6 Fridays, or might even choose give up chili for their Lenten sacrifice. Skyline has introduced a new menu item, the Greek Pasta Bowl, to bring in customers during this season. The Greek Pasta Bowl features warm, meatless pasta dish, which includes kalamata olives, tomatoes, pepperoncinis, feta cheese and Greek dressing. This menu item will be available until April 9.

If any other chili parlors are offering new menu items or specials during Lent, please let us know.

(Press Release Below)

Skyline Chili to Offer Vegetarian Greek Pasta Bowl for Lent 

CINCINNATI – Skyline Chili is offering customers a meat-free menu item during this Lenten season. The Greek Pasta Bowl is a warm, meatless pasta dish, which includes signature Skyline Chili Greek salad ingredients, including kalamata olives, tomatoes, pepperoncinis, feta cheese and Greek dressing.

“We wanted to offer our customers who forgo meat for Lent a menu item that they can still enjoy at Skyline locations,” said Sarah Lapham, director of marketing for Skyline Chili. “This dish grew from a test-and-learn with a few select franchisees, and customers really seemed to love it. We’re excited to introduce it to all regional locations this year.”

The Greek Pasta Bowl is available from Feb. 8 to April 9 at Skyline Chili locations in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Dayton and Columbus. The dish is available in small and regular sizes.

Silver Ladle opening in March

The newest tenant of Downtown's "Restaurant Row", Silver Ladle, is planing on opening March 12th. Cincinnati style chili will be featured on the menu. One of the items will be an open face, knife and fork coney which I look forward to trying. Cincinnati.com's Polly Campbell has all the latest info: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/dining/2012/02/15/silver-ladle-to-open-downtown/

The Silver Ladle website is now live: http://silver-ladle.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=featured&Itemid=435

Also, it looks like Silver Ladle is hiring for all positions: http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/fbh/2852752573.html

Best of Coney Quest: Readers' Poll Winner

Congrats to Dixie Chili on winning the Cincinnati Coney Quest Readers' Poll! The reader poll results were reversed from ours: we had Price Hill Chili #1 followed by Dixie, while the readers' had Dixie #1 followed by Price Hill. Another one of our favorites, Camp Washington Chili, finished 3rd. However, the voting wasn't very close as Dixie Chili brought in a comanding 41% of the vote. The results did not surprise me since Dixie Chili was the most recommended  parlor when we first started the quest.