You Gotta Comment?!?

WHAT'S UP WITH BEN'S CHILLI: Discussions about the hows and whys of the Redskins' victory over the Eagles will be left to Tony Kornheiser and other sports pundits. DC Bubble is more concerned about the bet between Mayor Williams and Mayor John Street. Goode put up four cheesesteaks. Makes sense. Williams wagered four chilli dogs from Ben's Chilli Bowl. We're not so sure.

Make no mistake we like Ben's. Even thier half-smokes, and we are not sure exactly what those are. But the point is: how did Ben's become the identifying food of DC. I vaguely remember a Washington Post magazine article with a poll, which Ben's led. Does endorsement by the Washington Post give Ben's street cred? I first went to Bens because I had heard of it. I enjoyed my chilli dog, but never have I craved another. In fact, I am not sure I have ever heard anyone say they "had to have a Bens."

Furthermore, I have never heard anyone order a chilli dog in this town other than at Ben's. Crabcakes seem far, far more prevalent. Clydes probably has a good one as do numerous pubs and restaurants from Capitol Hill to Georgetown to Chevy Chase. Navy Bean Soup is served famously in the Senate's restaurants. How about a wager over soup. In fact, I would take a Five Guys (locations: downtown, U Street etc.) burger over Bens. Ethiopian speical tibs beef seems more prevalent than chilli dogs. Anyone know the place for fried Whiting or BBQ?

We just dont get it.

One Liners

EFFORTS TO BOOST POPULATION in DC by 100,000 has failed, the New York Times declared. DC planners now hope to meet the more modest goal of gaining about 36,000 people by 2010, the paper goes on to say. "We don't dispute there's been a reduction in household size," said Ellen McCarthy, director of the DC Office of Planning. "But we think the Census Bureau has exaggerated the loss of families," McCarthy said and DC Bubble agrees.

photo by Digitaldefection