After eating canned soup for two nights previously, the Grant’s Village Restaurant near our campsite in Yellowstone was a welcome treat. When I walked in and saw a sign saying that the night’s special was elk chili, I immediately knew what I was going to get. It turns out, I made a great choice. Unlike Campbell’s, the chili was not too thin, nor was it gloppy. It was advertised as having “just enough cayenne pepper to heat up a cool fall evening,” and they were right. I didn’t even notice the spice until I paused for a second to let it sink in. It was enough to make me reach for my water, but after a minute it didn’t even bother me. If no one had told me that it was made of elk, I don’t think I would have even realized that it wasn’t beef. But because I was paying attention, I could tell that the meat was slightly more tangy.

The bowl was large enough that I couldn’t finish it, and kept some for lunch the next day. It was still good, although the beans became a bit rubbery. The warmth obviously fades, but the heat doesn’t.

This chili was fantastic, especially compared to Skyline.