Posted by ayersian
, May 07, 2009 16:05
A recent Roadfood poll put Philly cheese steaks on top as the #1 Favorite Beef Sandwich (Non-Burger/BBQ Division). But for the 16% of us who voted for Chicagoland’s Italian Beef, we urge some reconsideration. On my way to research Iowa’s breaded pork tenderloins, I spent the night in Tinley Park, Illinois, and my hotel happened to be directly across from Pop’s Italian Beef & Sausage at 7301 West 183rd Street. I took this as genuine RF providence and hurried into the store. Of all of the truly great American sandwiches, the Italian Beef had eluded me until this fateful night, when the staff at Pop’s greeted me as a long lost friend. “You’ve never had an Italian Beef? You haven’t truly lived, then! Let’s set this man up with his first sandwich!” exclaimed the smiling cashier. Joyfully I chose the beef and sausage combo with hot peppers, and my first bite was an utter revelation. The tender beef, the sausage’s snap, the excellent bread softened with gravy, and the spicy tingle of the peppers all converged for a Times Square-like fireworks display for my tastebuds. This is easily one of my top sandwiches of all time, and I’ll always remember my first Italian Beef experience. “You’ll come back, won’t you?” asked the cashier on my way out. Thank you, Pop’s, for changing my RF life!
Posted by Bruce Bilmes and Sue Boyle
, May 05, 2009 11:05
The great Philly cheesesteak was chosen as Roadfooders’ favorite beef sandwich in the Roadfood.com poll that just ended. It’s hard to resist that combination of drippy cheese, well-cooked onions, and cheap but beefy tasting meat on a fresh, chewy roll. The cheesesteak has become something of a national sandwich over the last few years, hasn’t it? You can pretty much find it wherever hot subs are sold in this country but, for our money, we still only order one in the Delaware Valley. Just never seems right to us elsewhere. The French Dip pops up away from the Pacific coast but you rarely see an Italian beef outside of Chicagoland. Will Italian beef be the next big breakout sandwich?
Posted by Bruce Bilmes and Sue Boyle
, March 06, 2009 00:47
Joe Zucchero, co-owner of Chicago’s Mr. Beef, talks to FOXBusiness Network about his loan difficulties with Midwest Bank. The bank is foreclosing on loans of over $600,000 that matured last year. Mr. Beef wants to refinance; the bank is refusing; fans across Chicagoland are worried about the fate of a local favorite.
Posted by Bruce Bilmes and Sue Boyle
, March 04, 2009 12:48
Joseph Zucchero, one of the owners of Mr. Beef, said $600,000 worth of loans matured last year and Midwest Bank is not willing to refinance them. The bank has filed a foreclosure suit against the company. Mr. Zucchero is attempting to find financing elsewhere. In the meantime, he claims Mr. Beef is in no danger of closing. Mr. Zucchero is also testifying before congress today to discuss the impact of the federal bailout funds on small businesses.
Michael Stern, in his Roadfood.com review, says "Mr. Beef is one of Chicago's premier sources of the great, sloppy and delicious Italian beef sandwich."
Posted by Bruce Bilmes and Sue Boyle
, June 06, 2008 15:17
Chuck Cohen of The Christian Science Monitor compares the food of his native Chicago with that of his current home, Marin County in the San Francisco Bay area. Chicago's foods are drippy, juicy, overflowing messes. Marin's vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian (vegetarian plus fish) restaurants, on the other hand, seem to be prepared by the late Phil Hartman's Anal Retentive Chef.
California's consciousness-raising cuisine can be just too, too much for someone raised on a soaked Italian beef and sausage combo with extra giardiniera. He tells of one vegan restaurant with the following menu items (anyone with a delicate gag reflex should stop reading right here): "I Am Bright-Eyed" (this is pecan porridge) , "I Am Fun" (this is a slice of onion sunflower bread), and "I Am Passionate" (marinara pizza). Of a hemp ice cream he tasted at the Marin Farmer's Market, he says, "surprisingly, it tastes worse than it sounds."
The full article can be found here.
Posted by Bruce Bilmes and Sue Boyle
, June 04, 2008 15:06
NBC5 in Chicago has posted a day-by-day plan for eating out cheaply in Chicago. Monday means Italian beef, Tuesday it's Chicago hot dogs, Wednesday calls for burgers... Other days cover pizza, fish fry, prime rib and barbecued ribs, and fried chicken. Specific restaurant suggestions are offered for each food category/day. Many (but by no means all) of the suggestions are listed here at Roadfood.com. It's worth checking out if you're planning a trip to Chicago.
Pictured above is a double Chicago dog with extra sport peppers from the Vienna Beef factory store (one of the places noted in the NBC5 article). Check out our Roadfood.com review.
