When I worked in and 'round Capitol Hill in the early and mid-90s, my favorite downtown restaurant was Varallo's on Church Street. A crusty East Tennessee legislator treated me to lunch at Varallo's the day before the 1994 ice storm, and for the next few years I ate at Varallo's once a week -- winter, spring, summer and fall!
Varallo's specialty is chili (at Varallo's, they spell it "chile". However, they serve up a mighty fine spread of meat-and-three items: Fried chicken, turkey and dressing, well-seasoned green beans, turnip greens, etc.
Apparently, Varallo's serves a style of chili that was popularized in Italian-American restaurants at the turn of last century. It's not like what passes for chili today. That is, it's not full of beans, canned tomatoes and huge dashes of chili powder. Instead, it is more like a thick stew, with slow-simmered meat and spices. It's the kind of food that a feller can feel sticking to his ribs as soon as he swallows!
When it comes to Varallo's chili, there's only one way to order it: 3-Way. 3-Way chili includes chili and tamales on a bed of spaghetti noodles. Add several big dashes of hot sauce, and you have heaven in a bowl.
Varallo's is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Today's Tennessean has an article in which the paper's chief food writer, Jim Myers, extols the virtues of Nashville's Finest chile parlor. Check it out here.
For an even better Varallo's tribute, check out this 1998 Nashville Scene article.
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