American Eats: Indiana. Skyline Chili
Skyline Chili is not exactly associated with Indiana. It’s more associated with Ohio, specifically the greater Cincinnati area.
But I have never been to Cincinnati. Nor have I been to any place of great interest in Indiana other than a Skyline Chili somewhere along Interstate 70 between Dayton and Indianapolis.
Cincinnati chili, in my opinion, is not actually chili. It’s a sauce made out of meat. The fact that it is thin, not spicy, and has no beans in it leads me to that conclusion very simply. The most popular way to eat Cincinnati chili is over spaghetti. Which is also kind of weird.
The closest thing I can think of to Cincinnati chili as a comparison would be “Coney Island” sauce. Cincinnati chili is often served on hot dogs, making them very similar to a “Coney Dog”.
Skyline Chili is a Cincinnati-area-based chain that specializes in Cincinnati Chili and not much else. When I went there, I naturally got the chili on spaghetti “three-way” with chili and cheese.
It was…..ok? I love chili. Either Texas-style chili with just meat or non-Texas style with meat and beans is fine with me. But this was…..just disappointing spaghetti. There was no tomato component to it that made it taste like real spaghetti so it was just an ok meat sauce draped over fast-food spaghetti noodles.
Would I try Cincinnati chili again? Yes. But I would not get it on spaghetti again. Next time, I’ll try the hot dog. Because while serving this dish over spaghetti may be a Cincinnati area classic, it ain’t for me…