President's second chili eat n' greet in July features a signature Ohio dish, the Four-way...During his second trip to Ohio this month, President Obama on Monday stopped for an "unscheduled" lunch at Skyline Chili in downtown Cincinnati, where he placed a take-out order at the counter for a Four-way with beans and no onions ($5.59) and two cheese Coneys, no onions ($3.38 for two) before mingling with thrilled patrons. The President roared up in his motorcade to West 7th and Vine streets at 11:40 AM, and strode into the brightly lit family-owned eatery amidst a heavy security presence. (Above: The President in the dining room, with a photo of the Four-way (l) and Coneys)
The hearty "four-way" is the house-made 'secret recipe' chili and beans atop spaghetti, while the Coneys are hot dogs in steamed buns topped with chili. Clad in a white shirt, a dark tie, and dark trousers, President Obama worked the dining room after placing his order. (Above: At the counter)General Manager Alicia Payne told Obama Foodorama that the President paid with cash and left a tip, but declined to say how much it was.
"Sounds like you're a working man and you're taking care of your family," President Obama told a man in a FedEx uniform who said that he has four kids. "You've got some grocery bills."
To one young boy at the counter, the President said "is school going OK?" To a child seated at a table, he said, "They got a water park around here?""He talked to everybody in the restaurant," Payne said, noting that there were about 20 thrilled patrons in the house when the President arrived.
The restaurant is one of seven locations owned by Nicholas Lambrinides, with the first opening in 1949, according to the White House.
"I didn't get that much notice" that the President was coming, Payne said, adding that she was very surprised.
The President posed for photos with staff and greeted everyone on duty. Payne said she is not aware of any other presidential candidates visiting Skyline Chili.The President's order was packed into a plastic bag and he left Skyline holding it, but quickly handed it off to aide Marvin Nicholson as he got outside onto the sidewalk. He worked a ropeline of what pool described as "screaming people, many young," before hopping back into his limo at noon sharp.
The President's last campaign trail chili stop was in Atlanta, Georgia on June 26th. He stopped at the historic The Varsity restaurant and ordered 5 Chili Dogs ($2.09 each), 4 regular dogs ($1.44 each) and 1 cheeseburger ($1.63), to go.
I "can cook a really mean chili," the President told WJLA-TV in an interview that aired Sunday, though he admitted that "I haven’t cooked it for about 10 years, so I really shouldn’t get too much credit for it.” Check out the Obama Family chili recipe.
After his visit to Skyline, the President motorcaded through downtown Cincinnati for the first event of the day, a closed press fund-raiser. (Above: The to-go handoff outside Skyline)He later spoke at a Town Hall held at the Cincinnati Music Hall and afterwards gave interviews to local TV stations, according to a campaign official: WSYX-ABC (Columbus, OH), WEWS-ABC (Cleveland, OH) and WTOL-CBS (Toledo, OH). All of them are embargoed until tomorrow at 5 AM.
The President returned to the White House on Monday evening. He will travel to Texas and Florida this week for more campaign events.
Info: The Skyline Chili the President visited is at 643 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202. Phone: (513) 241-2020.
*Pool photos
