WASHINGTON, D.C. – One of Washington's best known restaurants is celebrating a big milestone this weekend, and there's still time for you to join the party as Ben's Chili Bowl turns the 50.
Duke Ellington ate there, and so did Martin Luther King, Jr., Bill Cosby, U2 frontman Bono. And, if you've visited the city, you probably have as well. This weekend, plenty of people are coming out to help this Washington institution mark a half-century in business.
For Ben Ali and his wife, Virginia, the restaurant is a dream that became a reality.
"It exceeds anything I've ever expected," said Virginia Ali. "We were just trying to make a living and raise a family."
Fifty years ago Friday, the immigrant couple from Trinidad opened Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street with a secret recipe for chili they thought Americans would eat up.
that's terrific..
ReplyDeletein one of h. allan smith's books he talked about the chili places in san antonio that were shapped like a bowl..but instead of looking like a bowl it looked like a chamber pot..so everyone would say'let have lunch down at the piss pot'...
i loved that story..
I wonder if that's where Piss Pot Peat ate?
ReplyDeletewhen i was a kid i had a baby cousin(no not big tex) who always wore a wet droopy diaper, and all my aunts called him piss pot pete..
ReplyDeleteI love chilli with melted gooey cheese. yummy!
ReplyDeleteI ate at this place when I was last in DC...several years ago. Had a chili dog. Very tasty.
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