Biting Into The Texas Chili Parlor

We don't go to the Texas Chili Parlor often enough. In fact, in our seven plus years in Austin, we've only been about three times. Actually, we only ventured to give it a try when our parents were in town and we were looking to take them somewhere new, but also somewhere SO Very AUSTIN. Really, can you blame us? We are vegetarians and it is a chili parlor. Still, it's in Austin and that means that one can find meat-free options on the menu.

We love their five bean chili, especially with about 100 saltine crackers. Life is balance, right? You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and then you have the facts of life. We aren't going to feel too guilty about our saltine consumption when we are eating all those beans. The protein! The fiber! Plus there are some veggies involved, as well. It's all good.

The Parlor is kind of a hole in the wall and that's part of its charm. It is dark and at lunchtime very crowded. The waitstaff breeze by picking up and dropping off. The drinks were refilled before we noticed they were low. At noon on a Friday local corporate employees are sharing space with state employees as the restaurant's location on Lavaca and 15th makes it a prime spot for the area's businesses and government office workers looking to lunch out.

Texas Chili Parlor
1409 Lavaca Street
Austin, TX 78701
512-472-2828

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By Alison Coffey in Food on November 28, 2005 7:45 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

jr

Heh. That Facts of Life line was a good one.

Alison

ha ha. I just saw that. That was actually a mistake by my personal editor (husband). I wrote Soooo Austin (as in So Very Austintatious) and he must have thought South Austin. I shall correct. Take note!

Ray

South Austin? Jeez, you coming from Round Rock or something?

Aaron

Cheese Enchiladas with Chili and the Tater with chili are awesome!! Try it, it's great weather for it.

Mavis

Wow--you hit the nail on the head, from the taking the parents there to the chili. I don't go there often enough, too! The green cheese enchiladas are also to die for!

Kat

Chili, dawg. ;)

odam

two words: chili dog

Kat

I've never had anything but their chili (meat version). I thought it sucked, but I seem to be alone in this. Next time my parents drag me there I will try the five bean stew. Thanks for the review Allison:)

M1EK

This is becoming an embarassingly crackpot theme for me in relation to your reviews, but it's true...

I used to enjoy Texas Chili Parlor about once a month. They've got great food. But they fought hard against the '00 light rail plan (strictly because they'd lose parking in front of their restaurant) and so I'll never eat there again.