Ben's Chili Bowl

Yes I know it's been almost a month since my last post, and yes I've been to M and S Grill in Reston, review should come later on for that. This past weekend Liz and I attended her holiday party in D.C. Don't ask what holiday, I am not sure, it doesn't matter, free food, free booze, and a hotel room in D.C.
Moving on though, Ben's, yes I am sure there are tons of posts and reviews online, the place has been around for 50 years (2008 was the anniversary). Anthony Bourdain went on his latest show of No Reservations, and loved it. I was going to go a few weeks back when then President-elect, now President Obama was there, I am somewhat miffed about that. However, this place is a landmark, it survived race riots, the civil rights movement, and the downturn and now resurgence of the U-street area.
Getting there was relatively easy for my first time, U-street Cardoza stop on the yellow/green Metro, and walk across the street. Now when I got there, I had a bit of an issue, no cash, I tried to find a Bank of America, that didn't happen, I ended up walking about 4 blocks down and just stopped at the first ATM I saw. I was on a bit on a time schedule now. I got back to Ben's and just as I was warned, the line was out the door, and around the corner into the alley way or Ben's Ali. I was running out of time, and I was cold. The line moved smoothly, and before I knew it I was inside, however there was another line 2 people deep at the limited counter space they had, and I knew if I waited I wouldn't be out in time to go to my next stop. There was this nice older lady in front of me Ida, and her grandson, at least I think it was, and her daughter maybe, I never got the relation. They needed 6 people to go sit in the back for table service, thinking quick on my feet and not knowing what would happen, I said "excuse me if you need an extra person, I can make 5, and we could try to go back" Ida agreed and off we went. I knew what I was going to order, I really didn't look that hard at the menu, I got a Half Smoke, which is not a hot dog, its a sausage, with chili, and mustard, I also ended up with their famous french fries, but I went the chili and cheese route on those as well.
The sausage was snappy and full of flavor, like a good sausage should be, the chili, the place is named after it for a reason, it is the type of chili that works well as a flavor enhancer, think of it as salt, you can put this stuff on anything, like Dennis Quaid said in National Lampoons Vegas Vacation, Yuban coffee, I used to put it on my mashed potatoes. That pretty much sums up the chili, it has good spice, good flavor and texture, best chili I have ever had, no, but good. Onto the fries, which I couldn't finish, I am just as amazed as you, they were good, the #10 can cheese mixed with the chili well, not so much the gin later on that night though. Next time I go I'll skip the chili and cheese and order them plain. I met nice people, and enjoyed myself. I would go back, however I am going to wait until the tourists are long gone. Flickr set can be found here as usual, yes only 3 pictures, I was playing around while waiting for trains, which is why you see some long exposure shots in there. Enjoy