Chili with hand cup potato chips, from Tapester’s Grill

Minced beef, minced red onions (and a lot of them) and shredded cheddar. That’s a 2 cup plastic to-go container, up close. (I’m using a new camera so excuse the over-exposure).

I tasted what I thought was a lot of cayenne, which I think included vinegar – i.e., hot sauce. I wasn’t sure there was any ancho or guajillo. It was surprisingly spicy since Tapester’s is a neighborhood cafe which really emphasizes it’s a family eatery. Wasn’t much cumin, either.

Oh, and too much tomato for my taste, in the form of tomato paste, I think, but not as overdone as Central Market’s chili.

I didn’t care for the minced texture but all in all, this wasn’t awful. I think it would be better employed as a hot dog sauce, or maybe on burgers. Haven’t tried it that way yet.

An order comes with fresh, hot, hand cut potato chips.

That’s only about a third of what I got; they were warm, crisp, appropriately salted, tasted like potatoes, in a grease stained paper bag. They’ve really upped their game here on these house-made chips from what I’ve gotten in the past.

I’ve had the chili from JCI Grill/James Coney Island a couple more times; took a picture this last time but it didn’t come out well. Anyway, I conclude the chili is being produced by a butcher shop/meat packer who is using scraps. This from the varying sizes and shapes of the meat, from small cubes to strips and corners and end pieces. Good seasoning, texture is just a little off-putting. A cost cutting measure I’d guess.

I don’t suppose the Chili Queens in SA’s Military Plaza were cubing their meat carefully like they’d have to do to enter a chili competition these days.

This last time I was asked if I wanted beans and cheese (onions are default). I passed on the beans.

Many down here are aware JCI has a practice of rinsing their diced onions in iced water to tone them down; onions on dogs and in chili are crispy but very mild. It is intended to be a family eatery.

One poster on the old Chowhound Houston board said they rinse them 3 times.

Picked this up from Common Bond – Medical Center location. I posted about their French Dip on the dinner thread.

Texas Chili – with shredded cheddar (and lots of it), green onions and a side of sour cream. This was hamburger grind chili and it’s very dense, that container is packed with meat. I’m tempted to call it Meatloaf in a Bowl or Spoonable Meatloaf, though, because of the texture and also because it is very, very mild, lacking in heat and cumin. And actually you could eat it with a fork.

But to each his own; this is edible. It has tomato but not as overwhelmingly much as Central Market or Tapester’s. If I get it again, I’ll have them leave off the cheddar and add some good pepper jack.