Chili's Review: A Great Spokesperson I Am Not

Friday, September 3, 2010

Update 2/9/11 Welcome Googlers! I get so many people searching for a recipe that I've linked to a printable corn soup recipe at the bottom of the post. It's from one of the chef's at Disneyland. The soup isn't the same as Chili's but it's sooo good!

Writing reviews is not easy for me. At least, writing the type of reviews I want to write isn't. There's a balance that I need to have to write a review in 'my own way' but still please the client. I wish I was one of the people who write so well and subtly about something that the reader almost misses that they've just been "sold" on something. 

So, I try to make a personal connection for you. I figure that has to be better than me posting an upchucked press release. This review, for Chili's, has taken me FOR-ever! (see, no subtleties here!) I love to eat, I love to eat out and love good food. It should not be so hard to talk about food! But, apparently, for me it is. I've written and deleted at least three of these review posts so far.

I should probably start at the beginning. I got an email from Chili's asking if I wanted to participate in their new campaign and try the new freshly prepared items on their menu. We love the restaurant so it was a no brainer. I told the PR person he "had me at hamburger." Phil and I mange to go out twice; first for lunch and again a few weeks later for dinner. At lunch I ordered sweet corn soup and a skinny margarita. The soup was so good I ordered it again when we went to dinner. I figured I'd make the post about our date nights and how the sweet corn soup is now in my list of Best Soups I've Had This Year.

*Aside: I love soup. I have a thing for soup.

So, I start to write about how I've had five soups this year that have rocked my socks so much I think about them often, including the sweet corn. But the post started veering more toward where I was when I ate the soups and less and less about Chili's and their new menu items. I scrapped it and moved on to a new post about how much I love soup (see aside above).
Chili's Sweet Corn Soup

I wrote about fall and how it's my favorite season because of boots and sweaters and how awesome soup is on a cool night. I found a recipe for sweet corn soup that I was going to include along with photos of me making it at home but that didn't work out either.
Chili's Skinny Patron Margarita
Then, looking for a sweet corn recipe made me realize how most soups are so similar, but different at the same time. At it's most basic, soup is heavily seasoned water. You start out with one soup, and by changing one or two ingredients you can have an entirely different soup. It was interesting until I started to write about it. The post got really long and nerdy. I was going to make a soup flow chart graphic, but really, how would that help you? 

Chili's Shiner Bock Rib Combo
If I'm supposed to be sharing that the new salads are hand tossed, the hamburger meat isn't frozen and the margarita has fresh squeezed lime juice in an effort to entice you to eat at Chili's, rambling on and on about how good the sweet corn soup is probably wouldn't be very convincing. Plus, I hadn't even worked into the scrapped posts the ways you can connect with Chili's on Facebook, You Tube or Twitter or how you can get a free order of their Skillet Queso and Chips. 

So, back to the review drawing board I go. I guess I could apply the KISS method and straight up say, "we really enjoy the food at Chili's, especially their new freshly prepared items, and think you will too," but that doesn't seem nearly as personal as trying to come up with a great post about soup.

*This is an unpaid sponsored post. Chili's provided me with a gift card to sample their menu items. The opinions, as well as the complete inability to write reviews, are 100% my own.

*For those looking for a good corn chowder recipe, I posted one from the chef at Disneyland's Storytellers Cafe and included a link to a printable Google Doc.

11 comments:

  1. Okay, I'm now officially craving sweet corn soup before 10am. I'm definitely in for the free chips and queso. Gonna have to order some soup and ribs while I'm at it.

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  2. You crack me up, my dear. And you can tell Chili's this: I have never been to a Chili's, but now that we have one near us, you made me want to go try it. SO THERE! : )

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  3. @Chelsea - I'm not kidding when I say I have craved that soup many times. Writing this post had me salivating!

    @Foolery - I will send the link to the PR person right now! LOL!

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  4. I love Chili's enchilada soup. I don't know if I could order anything else. We go there soo often. I'm the proud mayor of my location. If you check in on FourSquare to Chilis - you get free chips and salsa, which I love!

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  5. When I first went gluten free we ate so much soup our mouths were lonely and missing things to chew. A good soup can never disappoint.
    And I have been craving a (virgin) margarita FOR DAYS. DAYS I SAY.
    Perhaps this is all kismet.

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  7. Did anyone ever get that recipe for the sweet corn soup from chili's? I've been trying to find it forever! PLEASE let me know if you have it and email it to me @ Ellay42@yahoo.com. Thank you so much!!

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  8. im trying to find a recipe for the sweet corn soup also!! I'm addicted to it!

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  9. chili's sweet corn soup has been DISCONTINUED(as of yesterday, according to my Chili's)!!!!! WE *MUST* get it back, or at least get the recipe so we can make it ourselves!!!!

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  10. Copycat Chili's Sweet Corn Soup

    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 medium onion, chopped
    1 garlic clove, crushed
    4 cups chicken stock (made from cubes is fine)
    1 cup frozen corn kernels
    1 15 oz can creamed corn
    1 medium potato, chopped coarsely
    1/4 cup cream (optional)
    white pepper
    plain corn chips (optional)
    ground black pepper
    2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

    Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, over a medium heat until soft.

    Add the stock, creamed corn and potato.Bring to the boil then simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until the potato is soft.

    Blend or process the soup until smooth adding white pepper to taste.

    Return the soup to the same pan then stir in the remaining corn and cream. Stir over a low heat until corn is tender.

    Serve soup topped with crumbled corn chips, pepper and chives.

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