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I've eaten there a couple times at the behest of people I'm with. It always leaves my palate in dire needs of cleansing, and leaves me feeling ill in the rest of my GI tract.

+1 for the hot sauce packets. You should definitely get the chili again and throw an addendum to the article.

I still think Wendy's is the best 'crap' chili... not that it makes you crap, but any time I get a bowl at a restaurant or something, I use it as the barometer (as opposed to canned Hormel) of what I judge all others on.

After missing the masala chai from a specific shop in DC now that I live in LA, I took it upon myself to discover their ingredients and ratios. After a week of going nuts with a digital scale and an order from the shop, I have the following as what I do.

5 grams of whole Cardamom
45 grams of Cardamom seed
20 grams Ginger, chipped
20 grams Cinnamon, chipped
8 grams Cloves, whole
5 grams Star anise, broken
5 grams Black pepper
2 grams Fennel

TEA
15 grams Rooibos
25 grams Black Assam
Directions for one cup
2 tsp of Black Assam + 1 tsp Rooibos = ~ 6 grams
2.3 tsp of whole/chipped spice Masala

(I use an ingeniutea to do a cup)
Put in the roobios and spices, steep in boiling water for 1 minute. Add Assam and steep another 2-3 minutes.
Add to sweetened condensed milk.

I had tripas in a restaurant in Mexico, which were like calamari that tasted like fried chicken livers. I've had fried lamb brains which weren't too bad, kinda like fast food scrambled eggs. I've had other 'nasty bits' here and there, and I must admit that although I'm open to trying things and understand using the whole animal/cultural significance of it, I'd be happy never eating offal again.

Yup, and I've eaten at all those. There also used to be a Canopy or two in Glen Burnie if I remember.
Been in Los Angeles for 5 years, so this isn't something we see out here. It also took me a while to find a decent cheesesteak, too.

Looks like it would be almost like masala chai. Maybe throw a little ginger in there.

I always switched the R and the F around in my spoonerism. Ruddfuggers. And if I remember right, the desserts were tasty too.

I learned it as 'fo' on the east coast, but say it as 'fuh' here in LA. On the other hand, it depends on who I am with or saying it to.

Like "gyros", I'd rather people know what I was referring to than to be so pretentious that saying it right makes them not know what I want or am talking about.

For those that avoid ready-made seasonings, poultry seasoning is usually a combo of rosemary, sage, thyme, and marjoram. Varieties may include nutmeg, cloves, pepper, savory, celery seed, etc.

McCormick lists theirs as: thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, and nutmeg
World Spice: Sage, Thyme, Marjoram and Rosemary form the base to which we've added Black Pepper, Garlic, Onion, and Celery
Spicehouse: sage, white pepper, red and green bell peppers, lemon peel, savory, rosemary, dill weed, allspice, thyme, marjoram and ginger.

Even in my normal chili, I've taken to not browning the meat first 50% of the time. I'd rather the chile puree to infuse the meat. If I use ground beef, I never brown that first for the reasons you listed.

I have a silicon ice cube tray (small square cubes) that I use to freeze leftover ginger, garlic, herbs in with a little water. They can be then ziploc'ed and kept in the freezer until I need them

Had a sushi chef that made the best temaki. One was basically a california roll, but with real king crab. On top of that, it he would put a small spoon of masago. Then he'd put a dimple in the masago and fill it with the yolk of a quail egg.