Great American Bites: Cincinnati-style chili rules a region

— -- The scene: If you haven't been to the greater Cincinnati area, it is impossible to imagine how beloved chili is here. The city has its own unique and distinctive chili style reflected mainly in several regional chains like Empress, which claims to have started it all in 1922; Dixie, which opened its first shop in suburban Newport, Ky., in 1929; Skyline, which debuted in 1949; and Gold Star, which was a relative latecomer in 1965. The first three were all launched by Greek immigrants, and Gold Star basically follows this formula, which is why Cincinnati-style chili is its own food group, distinct from the more widespread Texas-style. Camp Washington Chili, opened in 1940 (also by a Greek immigrant) and serving 24-hours is a notable single-store institution in the city.

Between the four chains there are more than 250 restaurants, as ubiquitous locally as McDonalds. Most outlets are in the greater Cincinnati area, but you'll also find them throughout Kentucky and west into Indiana, with Skyline being the largest and most far-flung, with outposts in Cleveland, Lexington, Louisville, Toledo, Indianapolis and even five shops in Florida. At least one of these chili parlors can be found in just about every sports stadium, amusement park and airport in the area, though most are standalone or strip mall locations.

I spent days driving around the region from one chili parlor to the next and there is plenty of uniformity in the food, but little in the individual buildings. While the Empress location I visited had more of old-time diner feel with table service, many others are straightforward fast-food places where you order at the counter or drive through, and some even felt like sports bars, though none that I visited served alcohol. They range from half a century to months old. The biggest common denominator was unfailingly friendly Midwestern service and efficiency - food comes out fast in Cincinnati-style chili parlors. Almost every chain also sells its chili to go in cans, at restaurants, supermarkets and airport gift shops. If you like it, the stuff is easy to take home (several also ship).

Reason to visit: Chili, chili Coneys, chili sandwiches, chili spaghetti, chili fries, chili baked potatoes and so on.

The food: The menus are quite varied among the chains, with Skyline offering plenty of non-chili options like wraps and entrée salads, while one of the smallest brands, Empress, with three locations, has a full diner selection of grilled and deli sandwiches, burgers, and even a fried fish dinner. But the main ingredient at all these places is chili, served all sorts of "ways." Besides the Greek-influenced taste of the chili itself, the major calling card of Cincinnati-style chili is the frequent use of spaghetti and ways in which is it served, which don't deviate from one brand to the next. Bowl is simply a bowl of chili. Two-Way is chili over spaghetti. Three-Way adds shredded cheese, usually in the cheddar family. Four-Way adds onions, or in some cases the option of beans, also sometimes called Four-Way Bean. Five-Way is the works, with cheese, beans and onions over spaghetti. These are the major variations, but you can also add onions, cheese and/or beans to a bowl and forgo spaghetti, while Skyline offers, 3, 4 and 5-Way potatoes, substituting a steamed potato for spaghetti.