To be honest, most people have had chili that was just okay, forgettable, the kind you eat because it’s there but don’t think about afterward.
Then there’s the chili at Tolbert’s Restaurant & Chili Parlor in Grapevine, Texas, which ruins you for all other chili because once you’ve tasted perfection, everything else is just a disappointing imitation.
This is the chili that makes you understand why Texans get so worked up about proper preparation methods and why they’ll argue passionately about what does and doesn’t belong in the bowl.
One bite is all it takes to become a convert, a believer, someone who will drive out of their way just to get another taste of what real chili is supposed to be…