Chili King Reigns in Itaewon
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Anyone with a craving for authentic honest-to-goodness chili knows how hard it is to find it in town. So when we heard about a new restaurant in Itaewon called Chili King, we just had to go and try it.
Finding Chili King can be a bit tricky, even with a map and detailed instructions, but it was a good thing that you can call up chef and owner Kevin Cyr if you're lost like we were.
The place itself is small and can seat only about a dozen people, but it has a cozy atmosphere. Cyr cheerfully greeted the diners, and helped us out with choosing what to order.
The menu features a selection of burgers (cheeseburgers, chili burgers, bacon cheddar burgers, chili hot dogs), sandwiches, chili cheese fries (7,900 won) and a bowl of chili (5,900 won). But we found ourselves intrigued by the ``Big Kev" burger.
As Cyr kindly explained, the Big Kev burger is humongous, with two juicy beef patties, provolone and cheddar cheese, bacon, onions, tomatoes, pickles and lettuce.
With that warning, we opted to skip the big burger and instead tried the popular Jalapeno Ranch burger (8,900). It turned out to be a good choice. The burger is a beef patty, topped with gooey cheese, grilled jalapenos, and a savory ranch dressing. We should make mention of the lovely burger buns, which were really good and freshly baked.
We also tried the Donair (7,900 won), described as an East Coast Canada classic made with 100 percent beef and a mix of secret herbs and spices. The sauce is sweet and garlicky, and the beef is served on a pita.
Of course, special mention should be made of the chili cheese fries. The criss-cut fries are served with a generous serving of chili and melted cheese on top. The chili is meaty and flavorful. It's Cyr's own personal recipe, so the taste is unique but will satisfy anyone's craving for chili.
All sandwiches and burgers are served with fries and homemade coleslaw. For an extra 2,000 won, the fries can be upgraded to chili cheese fries. And if the chili is not enough on your cheese dog and burger, you can always add 1,000 won for more chili.
Chili King is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., but closed on Tuesday.
To get there, get off Itaewon Station Line 6 Exit 1. Turn right at the fourth alley. Go straight around 200 meters up the hill, and you'll find Chili King on your left. If you get lost (like this reporter), you can always call the shop (02) 795-1303.