Keith Gilabert: "Two words,,,,, chili-spaghetti at Bob's Big boy!"

[Keith Gilabert]

Bob’s Big boy has the best chili spaghetti ever. For dessert have the hot fudge sundae cake.

You’ll thank me…

Enjoy,

Keith

[Kathleen M]

That is my dad's favorite dish! There really is something great about the texture of the chili combined with that of the spaghetti. I've reproduced it at home with good success with a couple of different no bean chilis. If you are in northern California, it is a great dish with the Greek chili from Yanni's sausage grill in Penngrove (not the same flavor profile as Bob's, but the same great texture combination).

[Fibber McGee]

As can be deduced from earlier in this thread, chili spaghetti is popular in Cincinnati, Ohio and the surrounding area, with Cincinnati-style chil being what is used.

Has anyone tried both versions? How do they compare, and, please, leave the snark at home when replying.

[emmyru]

I am from Cincinnati and like to say that I have skyline chili running through my veins.

We also have Big Boy's in Cincy. I like their chili spaghetti. It is different. It is good but does not have the same spice blend as classic Cincinnati chili. It is more just a meat sauce and the huge difference is that it does not come with a mile high pile of shredded orange cheese.

[Fibber McGee]

I thought Frisch's offered that, but I haven't tried it. I'm not crazy about Skyline, personally. But maybe because I was already an adult with set taste patterns and ideas about chili before I moved to Ohio.

[Davwud]

I was 39 when I tried it for the first time. Loved, loved, loved it.

DT

[Dommy]

It's probably better at home. I loved it as a kid, and when I tried the relive the memory at my local Bobs a few years ago, it became very apparant how awful their spaghetti is. Grainy and Pasty. And after they cook the spaghetti to an inch of its life and THEN they pourt the chili on it. So none of the flavors really intermingle.

--Dommy!

[ipsedixit]

One of my favorite meals as a kid was the Big Boy's Combo, with a slice of their strawberry cheesecake with that gooey, plastic-y strawberry goo.

Now? Not so much.

[khh1138]

I loved the Bob's chili spaghetti as a child, too. Now, this is how I like to have chili at home. With lovely al dente pasta, and toss a tiny bit of pasta water in with the chili to make a bit of a sauce...perfection. Fresh grated cheese. Finely diced onions. Maybe some beans.
I went over to a friend's house and they had ...*RICE* with their chili. It was okay.

[bbqboy]

Where are there still Bob's Big Boys?

[ipsedixit]

Mostly in CA.

http://www.bigboy.com/locator/

[bbqboy]

Weird. One in Bismark, North Dakota. I wonder what's up with that?

[Keith Gilabert]

Check out this one in Toluca Lake.

4211 W. Riverside Dr.

They don't make diners like this anymore.

[Davwud]

Is it Cincinnati chili??

DT

[ipsedixit]

Maybe if you're from Cincinnati, Arkansas.

[Fibber McGee]

So is that better or worse than what comes from Ohio?

[ipsedixit]

Is there really anything from Arkansas that's better than something from Ohio? :-)

[bbqboy]

BBQ.

[Davwud]

What difference does it make where I'm from??

DT

[Tripeler]

My two words for Bob's Big Boy are "so what?"

What makes this chili spaghetti good anyway?