If you grew up in the Midwestern state of Ohio, Skyline Chili is commonplace. But for those living outside this state’s borders, the chain’s Cincinnati-style chili is culinary lore, so much so that Anthony Bourdain visited the Buckeye State to sample this legendary dish. What he discovered is that it is, indeed, worthy of all the fuss. In 2007, the “No Reservations” host paid a visit to Skyline Chili to try what he called Ohio’s “most recognizable gastronomic innovation.”

What sets Cincinnati chili apart from other chili? In a video clip, Bourdain explains that the chili served at Skyline is not a standalone dish but rather a “mutant hybrid.” Translation: Temper your expectations because it’s not the thick, hearty Texas-style chili that you might be expecting. Instead, Cincinnati chili, which was developed by Greek immigrants and first served in 1949, is a thin, sweet and spicy meat sauce that is devoid of onions and beans — unless you choose to add them. But the consistency is not the only thing that gives Cincinnati chili its local identity. The “way” this dish is served is a true experience.

Read more: 14 Mexican Chain Restaurants That Are Taking Over The US

A Regional Comfort Staple

Cincinnati-style chili is served cheese-coney style or ladled over spaghetti and piled high with a mound of shredded orange cheddar cheese. This is affectionately called a “3-way.” A 4-way includes onions or beans, and a 5-way includes — you guessed it — both. Warm cinnamon, clove, and chocolate can be tasted with each bite. But to paraphrase Anthony Bourdain, this is a dish you don’t ask what’s in it; you just enjoy it. After a few forkfuls of this rite of passage, the celebrity chef waxed thoughtfully that you would certainly eat Cincinnati chili cold for breakfast. (He’s not wrong.)

Still, to say that it is regional comfort food at its best is an understatement. Sitting at a table with author and cook Michael Ruhlman, Bourdain went on to note that from the Southern sweet iced tea to the New England oyster crackers to the spaghetti — the pasta of choice for Cincinnati chili — from Italy, everything about their meal screamed this is the melting pot that is America. If you have no plans to visit Ohio but want to experience this local cuisine without making it yourself, you can use Skyline Chili’s store locator and see if your go-to retailer carries the complete dish in the frozen food section or cans of the chili in the canned food section.

Hungry for more? Sign up for the free Daily Meal newsletter for delicious recipes, cooking tips, kitchen hacks, and more, delivered straight to your inbox.

Read the original article on The Daily Meal.