Eatin’ Out

On a recent business trip to Washington D.C., I arrived—after a weekend in Las Vegas—exhausted, a husk of the woman I normally am. I could not have predicted that restoration of mind, body, and soul would come from something called “The Chili Half Smoke,” served at a restaurant called Ben’s Chili Bowl. Never underestimate the level of comfort unique to a quality, many-layered chilidog: the soft sweetness of a steamed bun; the toothsome, smoky depth of ground pork and beef perfectly combined and encased in small intestines (wince all you want, but natural casings are undoubtedly better than artificial collagen options); the rich, meaty thickness of chili as a condiment, along with the tang of mustard and diced onions. When assembled with genuine care, the chilidog is an architectural wonder of sustenance. Thanks to the basic elements of starch, sausage, and spice, the chilidog is able to excite and calm, to truly warm you from the inside out. Winter, with its accompanying wetness and melancholy, is the perfect season to rediscover the therapeutic properties of the chilidog. In Seattle we are blessed to have a number of good, sturdy chilidog vendors, from Mike’s Chili Parlor in Ballard (my favorite) to Shorty’s in Belltown to four different branches of Matt’s Gourmet Hot Dogs. Get out there and let the healing begin.