Friday, March 22, 2013

Is it Chili in here, or is it just Nick?

FCA Day #13:  Nick's Chili    2621 Lafayette Rd., Indianapolis, IN


"Not Yet World Famousthe sign
"...for good reason" Brad

This place has been renovated, and the result is something that is clean, but feels like a fast food restaurant rather than the unique chili parlor it claims to be. It really felt like an Arby's to me. No real charm or appeal.



Ian, Bob, and Bryan all got the 5-way chili. The five ways are: spaghetti, beans, chili, cheddar cheese, and onions. They all gave it a rousing "...meh" reaction. 



I got a sampling of various hot dogs. From left to right: Carolina dog, classic chili cheese dog, and Chicago dog. The actual hot dog itself had a good flavor. It had nice crispy skin that snapped when I bit into it. It tasted like it was mostly beef. As for the different flavors, the classic chili cheese dog was the best. The Carolina one with chili and coleslaw was also pretty good with its sweet and tangy slaw, bringing it to 2nd place. The Chicago one was a bit odd. Not bad, but that style of hot dog may not be my thing. It's an interesting convergence of various flavors. And ultimately, no chili, of course. It sure is colorful though!

Their chili isn't bad. It has a nice smooth flavor, and is hearty enough. However, for a "chili parlor", I really expected a lot more in the flavor department. I make much better stuff at home. Ultimately it was a bit bland and mild for my tastes.
The onion rings were not special. Probably frozen. They were serviceable, and we'll leave it at that. The order was too much food for one meal - I gave away some rings and didn't finish all the hot dogs. But I'm glad I got a chance to try a few things out in the same visit.



The other guys, while thinking the chili wasn't all that special, seemed to enjoy the hot dogs. They were cooked well and quite flavorful. Bob says "The place is mis-labeled. It shouldn't be called a 'chili place', it should be called a 'chili dog place'!"

Verdict: better than fast food by a bit. Stop by if you are in the area and are hungry for a chili dog. But don't go out of your way for a special trip.


The Scale:
  Ian: Meal: 6, Experience: 5
  Bryan:  Meal: 7.5, Experience: 7
  Brad: Meal: 6, Experience: 6
  Bob: Meal: 7.5, Experience: 7

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