Dixie-Land Delight
My second stop on this grand chili adventure once again took me south of the Mason-Dixon. This time, a little closer to home, and still nearly as steeped in history. The legend of Dixie Chili is an intriguing one. As mentioned in my previous post, Empress was the gateway through which Cincinnati style chili emerged, and Dixie its first protégé. Nicholas Sarakatsannis (or “Papa Nick”), another Greek immigrant from the Macedonian region, bounced around frequently in his early days in the United States, but eventually found a home and settled in Cincinnati. Discovering common ground with the Kiradjieff brothers in their ancestry, Sarakatsannis walked into Empress one fateful day in 1928 and was hired on the spot. Quickly, however, he decided he could devise his own chili recipe, and struck out on his own. He, like the Empress founders, chose a location near a theater, this time across the river in Northern Kentucky’s bustling entertainment, business and gambling district – Newport.
Still in the same location on Monmouth street where Papa Nick opened it in 1929, Dixie Chili has been a Newport, Kentucky staple for generations. The parlor, when viewed from the street, is charming, yet unassuming. There is a certain old-timey je ne sais quoi to the exterior (and really Monmouth street in general). Walking down the street and into the restaurant transports you to a simpler time. The sign evokes nostalgia, and as one enters the parlor, its charm and 1950s style theme leaps out from the walls. The aforementioned walls are covered from end to end with relics from the past – old ads (one of my favorites below), newspaper clippings, reviews, etc. which serve to add to the classic atmosphere.
I was disappointed to note that here too, like Empress, customers order at the counter and are served via a tray before taking their seats. Contrary to Empress, however, the tray service experience at Dixie flows efficiently and actually feels genuine in its experience. After making your order via an imposing menu board and 1950s diner-clad employee, the next stop is the drink station, then finally onto receiving the plate of food. I really enjoyed the theme – uniforms of the employees, decor, old school jukebox, etc. However I would still much prefer to be waited on and be able to relax at my seat while I wait for my steaming plate of chili. Speaking of which…
The Chili
Finally, onto the food itself! The first thing to note, and one which causes me bitter disappointment is the lack of a house oyster cracker. A packet of store bought crackers slapped down on the tray just does not give the same effect that a nice fresh bowl does. However, I was pleased to note the inclusion of a house hot sauce; a thick, smoky concoction that adds some pop to the dishes.
For my meal, I ordered a chili cheese sandwich along with something new to me: a 6-way. That’s right, the five layers you all know and love, with an added twist – fresh, chopped garlic! I have to say I loved the addition of the chapped garlic on my chili, and I like the fact that Dixie is bold enough to have a unique special like that.
The chili itself is pretty meaty, more so even than Empress (which I also classified in that regard). There was a distinct lack of the traditional “puddle” of chili juices at the end of my meal. The flavor is different, and I could tell so by the smell… it had an intense aroma of spices, and that translated to the taste. It was delicious, combining sweet, savory and a little bit of heat in a pleasant way, with a clear mixture of spices that hit the tastebuds all over. This chili, mixed with perfect proportions of the chopped garlic, beans, onions, cheese and spaghetti made for an amazing meal. In addition, some of my guests mentioned that the hot dogs were much better than other in iterations of Cincinnati chili.
However, there are a couple negatives I need to mention. The cheese was not stellar, feeling slightly less than freshly shaved. The bun on my sandwich gave way to the pressure of the chili fairly quickly, and ended up being pretty soggy (though delicious). Even so, the flavor and feel of the chili made up for the faults in other areas.
Review
Dixie Chili was a great experience and I am honestly a bit regretful that it has taken me this long to visit such an integral part of Cincinnati chili history. However, there are a couple of issues – both with the food and the setup – that detract from the experience, in my opinion. With that said, my final oyster cracker rating is below.
Final Rating: 3.5 Oyster Crackers out of 5
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The Great Cincinnati Chili Tour 
I am a friend of your father as his building is 2 doors up from my company Gus Perdikakis associates. My father had a chili parlor in Northside Liberty Chili Parlor where I worked as a kid. I also lived in Camp Washington and good friends with the Steve Andon family now owed by John Johnson. Many of the chili parlors are Greek owned but your right Empress was the first. Best Regards, Gus Perdikakis.
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Awesome! I would have loved to try his place out. Thanks for reading.
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