Lili’s is located inthe former Holiday House, amid much condo and apartment construction. The frontroom includes a bar, tables and plenty of windows. A second dining room seems alittle remote, but some decent contemporary artwork adds atmosphere. Manypatrons seem to prefer grabbing a seat at the bar.
The heart of themenu is Lili’s signature Cincinnatichili. Cincinnatichili consists of a few key characteristics. The first is that it is sweet fora chili, thanks to ingredients like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, etc. Also, thereis plenty of beef, but no beans. And recipes are closely held secrets. Thebasic bowl is $5, but there are three-way, four-way and five-way options aswell. Three-way ($8) is served over spaghetti and topped with grated cheddarcheese. Four-way ($9) adds red beans or chopped Vidalia onions. Five-way($9.50) includes all of the above. This chili is more sweet than spicy, so askfor a bottle of hot sauce or try it with the optional habanero cheddar to addsome zip.
The chili doesn’tstop here, as the menu offers five other varieties as well. Beyond Cincinnati, the other U.S.area most often associated with chili is Texas.Texas chiliis very beefy and entices with its warmth, courtesy of cascabel peppers. Italso includes onions and chopped bell peppers. This chili is so thick you couldeat it with a fork.
The Buffalo-stylechili, another winner, is made with free-range chicken, onions, celery and justa few cannellini beans, topped with celery sticks and some crumbled bluecheese. Bottled hot sauce gives it a reddish color.
One of the mostpopular varieties is southwest roasted corn chicken chili. This versionincludes roasted tomatoes, kernels of corn, and pinto and black beans, toppedwith tortilla chips, chopped cilantro and squiggles of sour cream. This may bethe best of all.
Vegetarians have achili of their own. In fact, this one is the most uniquemore like a vegetableragout. The veggies consist of portobello mushroom, zucchini, yellow squash,soybeans and mulato peppers. The chili is topped with slices of herbed goatcheese, chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley and a slice of heirloom tomato. Theflavors don’t really say chili, but this is still a very good item to order.
All bowls of chiliare $5. Consider a side of garlic bread ($2) that is buttery and loaded withgarlicthe ideal side for a bowl of chili.
The chili themecontinues with a chili dog, chili burger, chili nachos, chili flatbread, chilicheese fries and more. It even appears on the tasty house salad ($4) in thedressings: Chili powder serves as the base for chili vinaigrette and is alsovery noticeable in the chili ranch dressing.
That said, there arealso some salads and sandwiches that are chili-free. Among the salad options isa black and blue salad ($12) with blackened strip steak, field greens, redcabbage and plenty of blue cheese. The dressing is a side of the chili ranch.The thin steak, served in slices, managed to be close to the ordered“medium-rare.” Strips of fennel add to the salad’s interest. The chilivinaigrette would work well here, too. The Kobe beef burger ($10), made with very leanground beef, is served with tomato, onion and lettuce. It is a good burger,though not a great one.
If you have room fordessert, the menu offers a flourless chocolate cake flavored with guajillochile. Chili Lili’s is also very much a bar, with beer tappers, a wine list andall of the makings for martinis.
The chili theme is asound one. It helps that all of the chilis are made so very well. Good food andlow prices are an irresistible combination.
Chili Lili’s ChiliBar
525 E. Menomonee St.
(414) 897-0555
$
Credit Cards: MC,VS, DS
Handicap Accessible