Best of Cleveland 2000
Food & Drink
Best Chili
Guv'nor Pub
Next to the issue of prayer in public school, nothing is so likely to spark debate as the matter of what goes into "real" chili. In Texas, it's a simple, fiery blend of coarsely diced beef and chili peppers. In certain enclaves on the Ohio River, it's a mellow assemblage of ground beef, chocolate, tomatoes, and cinnamon, served over spaghetti. But here on the shores of Lake Erie, chili generally means a sort-of-spicy, sort-of-soupy bowl of ground beef, kidney beans, assorted vegetables, and seasonings, served perhaps with a bit of grated cheddar and a pack of Saltines. Our favorite comes from the kitchen at homey little Guv'nor Pub. Thick and subtly flavored, the restaurant's well-rounded chili -- not too spicy, not too bland -- is as comforting as a soft fleece blanket on a wintry Cleveland day.
