If you’re visiting the “Buckeye State,” here are the local favorites that might require a bit of courage—and a sturdy stomach.
1. Cincinnati Chili: The Chocolate-Meat Spaghetti
Cincinnati chili is the most polarizing dish in America. To a Cincinnatian, it is a way of life; to an outsider, it is a confusing pile of spaghetti that smells suspiciously like Christmas dessert.
…
- Why it’s scary: This isn’t the chunky, spicy chili found in Texas. It is a thin, Mediterranean-style meat sauce seasoned with cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and—most controversially—unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder. It is then served over a bed of soggy spaghetti and buried under a mountain of finely shredded cheddar cheese.
- The “Gag” Factor: Ordering a “5-way” (chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans) looks like a chaotic explosion of textures. The combination of sweet spices with savory beef is often enough to send a…