Show Me Springfield: Casper's, the friendliest chili place I know

Casper's

I could no longer ignore the line out the lunch hour door at Casper's. Casper's looks like a larger than life tin can perched ten feet from my apartment door. Closed in the summertime as the manager Belinda mentioned because, "It gets too hot in here which makes us bitchy and we like to be nice." With tin roofing, endless large pots of chili cooking, and a solo air conditioning unit; I get it. However, if you can make it through the summer months for a cup of Casper's chili with a melt in your mouth cheeseburger, well, it's worth the wait.

The Register

Entering the front door, patrons are bombarded by an array of posters, dangling artwork, and ceramics. I felt like I was stepping out of Springfield and into the ecclectic art world of Austin, Texas where their motto is, "Keep Austin Weird" and weird is where I like to be. Before you sit down, a friendly smile greets you from one of Casper's waitresses as she sets a basket of saltine crackers down at your table. Make sure to pour some of their homemade "Gunslinger" hot sauce on a cracker or two. Call it their tin chili hut appetizer. The atmosphere is super casual here. In fact, hang your hat on one of the hat racks and seat yourself. No bills, no menus, no problem. The menu is handwritten on a board behind the counter and they trust that you'll tell them what you devoured at the register when it's time to pay. Cheers for honesty! Go Springfield.

Did you know that Casper's has been around for 100 years? I saw the old time-y black and white picture on the wall to prove it of Mr. Casper himself. It was originally down the street and it was once a fruit stand. After several generations and an art loving son who inherited it, it became a chili joint with art and tchochkes galore! Tchocke-pronounced Chach-kee. These are small toys, gewgaws, knickknacks, baubles, lagniappes, trinkets, or kitsch.

How cool is this menu?

The menu is a chili lovers dream. You can order a small chili at $2.90 up to a GALLON of chili for $24.20 to take home just in time for football season. Hook 'em horns-oh, did I just say that? Well, if it is my blog I must confess, I bleed orange for Texas.

Along with a gallon of chili, you can order chili mac n' cheese, a variety of coney island hot dogs smothered in chili, cheese, and onions. Yet, Casper's does something unique; they serve their dogs on hotdog buns and they're so buried in chili, they're served with a fork. There's no picking up the coney dog and lifting towards your mouth. Nope. You've got to slice into the magic unless you're prepared to BYOB (bring your own bib). You'll also find the "casperito"- a burrito filled with chili, of course. Looking around at my fellow chili eatin' neighbors I noticed that most diners ordered the "frito pie". This is simply a huge plate with chili, cheese, and onions on top of a bed of good ol' fashioned fritos. Cornbread is available, but only on Fridays. I hear the cornbread is heavenly which gives a whole new meaning to TGIF. Casper's doesn't stop at lunch items. They also have fried egg and cheese sandwiches.

Coney Island chili cheese hot dog served with a fork!

Frito pie


As my husband likes to say to the waitress, "Clearly we hated it!"

If you are already planning to increase your intake in cholesterol by visiting Casper's, why not really go for it and order their famous chocolate cake? It's moist and delicious. Betty Crocker would be envious.