MadamMillie Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 The Bottomless Bowl of U StreetBy Debbi WilgorenThere seemed to be no empty buildings along U Street back in 1958,when Ben and Virginia Ali first started serving chili dogs and chiliburgers at their red-and-white storefront next door to the Lincoln Theatrein Northwest Washington.Instead, there were doctors and lawyers and funeral homes, shops andtheaters, barbershops and clubs -- all owned or operated by AfricanAmericans who in the dying days of segregation had little access to otherareas of downtown Washington."This was black folks' Main Street," said Butch Snipes, 68, a lifelongneighborhood resident. "This was where everything happened."Now 45 years have passed, and U Street has changed, and changed andchanged again.The bustling storefronts became scarred shells -- some abandoned whenintegration opened up opportunities elsewhere, others shuttered whenriots and crime descended on the street after the assassination of MartinLuther King Jr. Later, scores of buildings were bulldozed to make wayfor the construction of Metro's Green Line, and workers tore upstretches of U Street, keeping out many of those still willing to walk past thedrug dealers.Revival eventually took root. A few crumbling structures -- theLincoln Theatre among them -- were restored to their original grandeur. Somemore-modest spaces reopened as chic shops and cafes. Makeovers fordozens more are on the drawing boards.The wide-open parcels left by the Metro construction are buzzing withcrews and equipment and sprouting new offices, shops and high-endapartments. Condos are selling faster that they can be built, for $300,000,$600,000 and more.Through it all, the Ali family has kept the grills going at Ben'sChili Bowl, sustaining a landmark eatery known throughout the area and --thanks to celebrity fans including Bill Cosby -- the world.Tomorrow, the city will close the 1200 block of U Street for anall-day anniversary party, with live radio broadcasts, speeches and visits bypoliticians and special guests (yes, Cosby is expected), and the tapingof a documentary: "Ben's Chili Bowl -- A Story of the Nation'sCapital."The mood will be festive, but there will also be an undercurrent ofconcern. It buzzes almost constantly among the old-timers on U Streetthese days. They know that Starbucks and Quiznos will soon open across thestreet from Ben's, and they can't help but notice how often new facesoutnumber familiar ones, on the sidewalks and in the Bowl's red,vinyl-upholstered booths."It's just, I guess, a gut uncertainty, because the neighborhood hasgone through so much already," said Nizam Ali, 33, the youngest of thethree Ali sons, who runs the restaurant with the middle son, Kamal.He hastens to add that he is thrilled to have new patrons on U Street,most who seem to enjoy the artery-clogging food at Ben's as much as thegenerations that came before. The nostalgia, however, remains."You look at a community that's been there, and now that community isgone. And that's unfortunate," Ali said. "It's kind of like sayinggoodbye to an old friend . . . or an old memory."A half-smoke (a plump pork-and-beef sausage) went for 20 cents in theearly days. A hot dog cost 15 cents. The sodas were O-So brand, orangeor grape, served in the bottle. Despite the restaurant's name, when itopened Aug. 22, 1958, Ben's spicy chili was served only atop hot dogs,half-smokes or hamburgers.Bowls of chili came later, and such menu items as vegetarian chili andturkey burgers showed up only in the past few years.From the beginning, the booths and the stools at the counter were fullat lunchtime. In the evenings, the orders for carryout piled up.There were always some white customers -- music lovers who came to UStreet to hear Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and other greats perform atthe legendary clubs and staff members from Children's Hospital, whichback then was located around the corner.But mostly, U Street and Ben's Chili Bowl were filled with blackWashingtonians. The atmosphere, Virginia Ali recalled, was like anever-ending family reunion. She couldn't run down the block to the drugstore orto the bank to make a deposit without being stopped by someone sheknew."It was a very close, comfortable, friendly neighborhood," she said.She had met Ben Ali, an immigrant from Trinidad who had dropped out ofdental school at Howard University, while she was working as a tellerat the Industrial Bank of Washington, at 11th and U.When he launched his restaurant at 1213 U St., in the old Minnehahasilent movie theater that most recently had been a pool hall, she quither job to help out. They were married a couple of months later.Virginia converted to Islam, her husband's religion. She worked theday shift; he worked evenings and nights. Haidar was born two years afterthe Chili Bowl opened; Kamal two years after that. By the time Nizamwas born, in 1970, the restaurant was 12 years old.Much had changed on U Street.The Bowl was one of the few businesses to stay open as riots engulfedthe neighborhood in 1968, triggered on the bleak April night when Kingwas slain. Stokely Carmichael, head of the Student NonviolentCoordinating Committee, used the restaurant as an outreach center, and a placewhere his activists could get something to eat.As the years passed, Ben's continued to operate, even when drugpeddling became the main activity on the block and, after that, when Metroconstruction dislodged even the dealers and the junkies.The Alis stopped selling homemade cakes and pies during the worstyears of the drug epidemic, because the sugary treats drew addicts to therestaurant, Virginia Ali said. They closed early, because even the mostfaithful customers wouldn't come onto U Street after dark.When dealers started making surreptitious sales inside the restaurant,Virginia Ali said, she arranged for D.C. police to set up surveillancethrough a window in the upstairs office. Several arrests later, theyoung men retreated to the corner.The Chili Bowl was the only business on the block to surviveconstruction of the Green Line, which dragged on from 1986 until 1991.Customers had no place to park except the seedy alleys off V Street,and only a sliver of sidewalk remained open outside the front door. Butthe Reeves Municipal Building had opened at 14th and U, and the Alishad faith that the corridor would come back.But they never envisioned that the neighborhood once known as theBlack Broadway would become one of the most sought-after residential areasfor a new generation of affluent, young urban dwellers -- mostly white,many gay and few with much knowledge of what U Street once was."I am just in awe of what's happening here, and the prices . . .,"Virginia Ali said.There are the Harrison Square townhouses, built a few years ago whereChildren's Hospital once stood, which at first sold for about $200,000but now go for $500,000 or more. There are two-bedroom condominiumsbeing sold for $400,000 and rumors that the penthouses in some of thebuildings under construction are on the market for twice that amount.Virginia Ali said it's about time the area made a comeback. "This isthe nation's capital. It never should have been allowed to get run downfor 25 years," she said.Yet she also worries about the poor residents who have survived allthese years, but now are threatened by skyrocketing real estate taxes andrent. There are efforts to preserve affordable housing and mom-and-popbusinesses in the neighborhood, and to include a few lower-priced unitsin new residential developments. But the gentrification isunmistakable."I'm on the board of directors at FLOC," she continued, referring tothe nonprofit group For Love of Children, which offers after-schoolprograms and summer camps right up the road. "I am often wondering, who arewe going to serve in 10 years?"The clientele at Ben's is eclectic and unpredictable -- black andwhite, young and old, yuppie and working-class. The construction crews showup for breakfast. The club crowd comes in after midnight."Sometimes you look up and the whole place is white," said VirginiaAli. "And then 45 minutes later you look up and the whole place isblack.."Now 70, she still spends many hours at the restaurant each week,although Kamal and Nizam are in charge. Ben, 76, usually keeps his distance,but he will be there for tomorrow's celebration. Haidar, a musician,lives in California and will not attend. He is close to the family, Nizamsaid, but not to the business.A little-publicized fact about the Ali family is this: Their Muslimfaith forbids them to eat pork. "I've never eaten a half-smoke in mylife," Nizam said.The restaurant has the same 1950s feel it has always had, although thesodas come in plastic cups. The dessert cases are back but no longersit on the counter, and the jukebox features CDs.Workers this week rushed to finish a rear addition, designed toaccommodate the tourist groups and large parties that the Alis often have hadto turn away (not always, however -- one loyal customer has had herbirthday party at Ben's for 20 years, insisting on bringing her friendsthere even when Metro construction made access almost impossible).Virginia Ali said she is talking with local historians about settingup a photo gallery in the new room that documents U Street's history.It is important, she explained quietly, that those who are arrivinghere understand all that used to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicman Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 i'm still feeling the effects of ben's chili bowel from 2 weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggmok Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 hey millie, remember dottie, she lived in those condos right by ben's chili bowl 2 years ago. she sold her place in a year and got double what she paid because the place is boomin. we used to go to bens all the time. ben's is such a famous landmark for dc and u street is comin back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadamMillie Posted September 10 Author Report Share Posted September 10 hi eggy!! that rocks! drinks on y'all next time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgiddy Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 I don't even like chili, but there chili is out of this world. I even had it for breakfast, haven't been there in a couple of yrs though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicman Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 i thought it was OK. nothing out of this world, i've had better chili. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgiddy Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 maybe I was still drunk, it was a Sat. morning, but I thought it was out of this world. Like I said I don't eat chili so maybe that's half of it. So it was out of this world, the best I've ever had Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggmok Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Originally posted by pgiddy maybe I was still drunk, it was a Sat. morning, but I thought it was out of this world. Like I said I don't eat chili so maybe that's half of it. So it was out of this world, the best I've ever had when i'm drunk and hungry, anything i eat tastes like it's gourmet . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicman Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Originally posted by pgiddy maybe I was still drunk, it was a Sat. morning, but I thought it was out of this world. Like I said I don't eat chili so maybe that's half of it. So it was out of this world, the best I've ever had a good texas chili beats the socks out of it anyday. i'm not a hardcore chili fanatic, but i've had few in my lifetime. i found ben's to be too mushy. couldnt really tell the meat from the beans from the tomato, from the onions, it just felt like mush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgiddy Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Originally posted by eggmok when i'm drunk and hungry, anything i eat tastes like it's gourmet . . . my favorites are cold soup, tuna from the can, and last but not least raw hotdogs, yummm come over here Tiny and let me give you a kiss:kiss2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvershoes Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Originally posted by vicman i thought it was OK. nothing out of this world, i've had better chili. true. but the cheese fries were very tasty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinybutterfli Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Originally posted by pgiddy my favorites are cold soup, tuna from the can, and last but not least raw hotdogs, yummm come over here Tiny and let me give you a kiss:kiss2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicman Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Originally posted by silvershoes true. but the cheese fries were very tasty. it was all about the cheese fries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvershoes Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Originally posted by vicman it was all about the cheese fries. but you ate too many. i think you should have left more for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicman Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Originally posted by silvershoes but you ate too many. i think you should have left more for me. lol. now you know. next time u take me out for dinner, it's a free for all, first come first serve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgiddy Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Originally posted by tinybutterfli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinybutterfli Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Originally posted by pgiddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockyblue Posted September 11 Report Share Posted September 11 Originally posted by vicman i thought it was OK. nothing out of this world, i've had better chili. when it's 3:30am and you're , it's the best chili in the world. an the cheese fries are orgasmic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicman Posted September 11 Report Share Posted September 11 Originally posted by rockyblue when it's 3:30am and you're , it's the best chili in the world. an the cheese fries are orgasmic. "orgasmic?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockyblue Posted September 11 Report Share Posted September 11 Originally posted by vicman "orgasmic?" Main Entry: or·gasm Pronunciation: 'or-"ga-z&mFunction: nounEtymology: New Latin orgasmus, from Greek orgasmos, from organ to grow ripe, be lustful; probably akin to Sanskrit urjA sap, strengthDate: circa 1763: intense or paroxysmal excitement; especially : an explosive discharge of neuromuscular tensions at the height of sexual arousal that is usually accompanied by the ejaculation of semen in the male and by vaginal contractions in the female- or·gas·mic /or-'gaz-mik/ also or·gas·tic /-'gas-tik/ adjective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicman Posted September 11 Report Share Posted September 11 Originally posted by rockyblue Main Entry: or·gasm Pronunciation: 'or-"ga-z&mFunction: nounEtymology: New Latin orgasmus, from Greek orgasmos, from organ to grow ripe, be lustful; probably akin to Sanskrit urjA sap, strengthDate: circa 1763: intense or paroxysmal excitement; especially : an explosive discharge of neuromuscular tensions at the height of sexual arousal that is usually accompanied by the ejaculation of semen in the male and by vaginal contractions in the female- or·gas·mic /or-'gaz-mik/ also or·gas·tic /-'gas-tik/ adjective i dont know if a bowl of chili would make me ejaculate in a discharge of explosive neuromuscular tensions. . . but that is just me, i don't know about others . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teriaki Posted September 11 Report Share Posted September 11 Originally posted by vicman i dont know if a bowl of chili would make me ejaculate in a discharge of explosive neuromuscular tensions. . . but that is just me, i don't know about others . . . You've obviously never had really spectacular chili. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kken Posted September 11 Report Share Posted September 11 chili and cheese fries... boy can't wait to move to AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockyblue Posted September 11 Report Share Posted September 11 Originally posted by kken chili and cheese fries... boy can't wait to move to AM expect many a drunken 3AM phone call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.