In the slums of Midgar, hearty comfort food is king. Meals that are filling, affordable, and easy to prepare are staples throughout the under-city. This culinary philosophy is reflected in the food carts and eateries scattered across the slums, including the menu at Seventh Heaven.
Tifa’s bar in the Sector 7 slums not only serves drinks to the locals who frequent her establishment, but also offers a selection of hearty, cost-effective dishes. Among them is the famous Eggs and Chips, a satisfying plate of fried eggs and thick-cut chips served over a layer of chili con carne. It’s simple, inexpensive to make, and exactly the kind of comforting meal you’d expect to find in Midgar.
To bring this dish to life, I drew inspiration from both Final Fantasy VII Remake and the official Square Enix Café collaboration. During the collaboration, the café featured its own interpretation of Seventh Heaven’s Eggs and Chips, pairing fried eggs and fries with a chili-style sauce. For my version, I leaned a little further into the British influence, creating a hearty chili con carne topped with crispy fried eggs and served alongside thick-cut chips. I also included a homemade brown sauce for dipping the chips, in addition to spooning them through the chili. The result is a simple, satisfying plate of comfort food that feels right at home on the menu of Seventh Heaven.
Ingredients
Chili con Carne
2 lbs ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 small stalk of celery, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Smoked paprika
½ tbsp Cumin
½ tbsp salt
1 tsp Chili powder
½ tsp Black pepper
½ tsp Ground oregano
½ tsp Ground thyme
Olive oil
2 lbs ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 small stalk of celery, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Smoked paprika
½ tbsp Cumin
½ tbsp salt
1 tsp Chili powder
½ tsp Black pepper
½ tsp Ground oregano
½ tsp Ground thyme
Olive oil
Brown Sauce
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp malt vinegar
1 tbsp molasses
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp black pepper
⅛ tsp allspice
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp malt vinegar
1 tbsp molasses
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp black pepper
⅛ tsp allspice
2 28 oz bags frozen steak fries (or 8 large russet potatoes for hand cut fries)
Fried eggs (1-2 per person)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Chopped parsley
Fried eggs (1-2 per person)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Chopped parsley
Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then brown the ground beef well. Break it up, but leave some texture. Let it get some deep color before stirring too much. The beef should be browned in about 7-10 minutes.
If there is excess fat, drain slightly (leave a little for flavor). Add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
Stir in tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes, letting it darken slightly to build flavor depth. Pour in red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring the contents back to a simmer. Add pinto beans and reduce heat to low.
Simmer uncovered 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick, glossy, and spoon-coating.
Once simmered and slightly thickened, lightly mash some beans against the side of the pot to help thicken the sauce further. Stir. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
While chili simmers, add all brown sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and whisk together until fully incorporated. Place the pot over low-medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the sauce to cool.
For the chips, you may use either frozen steak fries in order to make hand cut fries, see the directions below:
Peel potatoes and cut into thick chips, about ½ inch wide. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes to remove excess starch, then drain and dry thoroughly.
Heat vegetable oil to 300–325°F (150–165°C). Fry the chips in batches for 5–7 minutes until soft but not browned. Remove each batch and drain on a rack. Let them cool completely before completing the second fry.
Reheat the oil to 375°F (190°C), and fry the chips again in batches until golden and crisp, about 2–4 minutes. Cover the racks in paper towels and return the chips to the racks to drain. Salt immediately.
If you are using frozen steak fries, follow the directions on the packaging for oil frying. Fry them in oil in batches and allow each batch to drain on paper towel covered racks.
For the eggs, heat a skillet over medium-high. Add a generous amount of olive or vegetable oil, and then crack the eggs into the skillet, frying in batches if needed. Season the eggs with salt and black pepper. As they fry, spoon the hot oil over the top of the whites to ensure they are well fried. Fry the eggs until the edges are browned and the whites are cooked through, but the yolks are still a bright yellow-orange and not solid. Reserve the eggs on a plate if you need to fry them in batches.
For the brown sauce, combine all of the brown sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool before serving.
To serve, add a portion of chili to one side of the plate. Top the chili with one or two fried eggs. Add a small pile of chips beside the eggs and chili. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with a ramekin of brown sauce. Enjoy!