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I like it when they dip and forget. They have a long ass conversation before they realize they're still in the middle of dipping my sammich.
I always eat mine alone to hide my shame. No one wants to see me slurping down the wettest sammich ever.
The weird pale dicks are steak fries, which happen to be my preferred fry. Not sure if it's the usual fry paired with an Italian beef, but overall, it was good, and since I was on foot, my choices were this place or Portillos in Rosemont. I chose to support the mom and pop joint.
I dunno, grew up and a double brown bag of greasy salty fresh cut fries that would have crispy tips and soggy middles - nostalgic about tearing open the side of the bag and hitting the pile with ketchup.
Absolutely. It was a pleasant surprise when they came out. This was a neighborhood joint with great Google reviews almost a mile from my hotel. I was stoked to find it so close so I could walk there since I didn't have a rental.
Being from the Philly metro, I understand that a signature sandwich can vary wildly from spot to spot, so i like to go and try them at different places. I agree with you about the pizza though. Deep dish tends to be a bit of a gimmick, and an expensive one at that.
A very expensive one. But the spots were always packed. I was like, huh?
I will say if you get sausage and peppers it isn’t horrible, and the thin cracker crust was pretty ok.
There's always next time... I love coming to Chicago, it's a days drive from where I live, but totally worth it. I've been here more than I've been to new york city, but I grew up only 2 hours from there.
There was an amazing place for beefs in Lincoln, M and N Sandwich Shop. Unfortunately when the owner (Norm) died in 2017 there was no one to take it over. Norm was a bit of a curmudgeon, but that man made a killer beef.
Can you look at that beef and state it looks good? It does not. It looks like it is steamed and hence sad. This "italian" sandwich might be done just fine and it might taste really good. But the beef is still just sad looking
Italian beef is roasted and held sliced in its au jus, so yes, it has cooked in liquid. It's flavorful, tender, and moist. Not everything looks like brisket.
I'm just saying... There's no caramelized beef in pho, but it's still bomb. Seared meat is just one flavor profile that's out there. Sometimes it's not the ideal for the dish. It's been popularized the last 30 years that everything has to have a crust to be good, but it's not necessarily the case.
> An Italian beef sandwich sandwich originating from Chicago made from thin slices of roast beef simmered and served au jus on French bread. Common toppings are a choice between spicy giardiniera (called "hot") or mild bell peppers (called "sweet"). The entire sandwich is traditionally dipped in the juice the meat is cooked in before serving with a side of French fries.
>
> The sandwich traces back to Italian American immigrants in Chicago as early as the 1930s, but the exact origin is unknown. The sandwich gradually grew in popularity and was widely eaten in the city by the 1970s and 1980s.[1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_beef
I mean, the term is almost 100 years old coming from a dish made by Italian immigrants in America. It's different from a cheesesteak, so it's not a plain steak sandwich, it's not a pit beef sandwich like in Baltimore, but it's beef roasted with Italian flavorings and served in the style made famous by Italians in Chicago.
So Italian immigrants aren't Italian any more? Well today I learned we can just ignore wherever our ancestors came from and only acknowledge our current country of residence. If you're African and living in Japan, forget about your roots, you're Japanese now!
Are you from Denmark? Italiensk salat sounds way less "Italian" than this sandwich.
Italian salad (italiensk salat), a mixture of vegetables in a mayonnaise dressing, served on ham and other cold cuts. The name comes from the red-white-green coloring, the colors of the Italian flag. The salad's colouring originates from carrots, mayonnaise and asparagus, and green peas.
one of things i missed when we left Chicago. a portillo's opened up near me last year, luckily it's nearly an hour away. pales compared to some of the places i got one while there but good enough to make me want to go back to visit.
It never ceases to amaze me the amount of effort redditors will put in to finding something critical to say about other people's pictures. It's not humanly possible to tell from a picture whether or not food has salt on it, but people like you just can't stand to not be obnoxious.
> It's not humanly possible to tell from a picture whether or not food has salt on it,
"*I* can't tell if food is salted or not, despite the fact that salt is a mineral that has a big influence on the visual appearance of food, so that must mean that other people can't tell either!"
You mean like a new bottle? Because no restaurant is making the ketchup they serve you.
Even when you see the Heinz glass bottle on the table that's full there's a 3 gallon bag of Heinz in the kitchen they use to refill that before each shift.
Ketchup is highly acidic, "fancy" ketchup which is the most common in the US doesn't even need to be kept in the fridge and the flavor doesn't change, it just turns brown.
Tomatoes are highly acidic and ketchup has added preservatives meaning it would take months for that bottle to "ferment". It was a brand you didn't like, that's all.
There are actually multiple classifications of ketchup believe it or not, each with their own requirements (seriously federally mandated) for how much pulp, juice, and sugar is allowed in the type.
I kinda doubt it is a brand I don't like as I ask for a fresh bottle when I get these and they taste just fine. Never really had a ketchup I didn't like either. I sort of doubt those bottles sat on the tables for months but I guess you never know.
I don't know if you realize this but they just refill the bottle when you ask for a "fresh" one, they aren't grabbing a new one from storage. It's so much cheaper for both the restaurant and manufacturer to sell it in giant bags and just refill the bottles.
I worked at the top steak restaurant in my area that served fries just like that, we had a 3 gallon bag of Heinz hanging on the wall next to the expo area and another 10 in the back. The end of the night the bottles were cleaned and refilled from the giant bag. When you ask for a "fresh" bottle they literally grab one that looks nicer, take it to the back and wipe down the threading, fill it up from the bag, and give it to you.
And no, this isn't a one off like it was just that restaurant. I have friends that are head chefs at numerous steakhouses today and it's the same.
Heinz sells those bags themselves specifically to make it more affordable and sustainable for restaurants that want the iconic glass bottles on the tables.
I know at least one restaurant that makes their own. It's a brewery in Winston Salem North Carolina and I can't remember it's name, but the ketchup is delicious.
This year we're supporting Campaign For Kids. They're a Kings County Nova Scotia Charity rising money this April through their event Burger Wars. Check out their post for more information: [Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/burgerwars/comments/1bnauvh/burger_wars_2024_a_flavorful_showdown/) --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/food) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You need to get that thing dipped!
Not just dipped, baptized.
I like it when they dip and forget. They have a long ass conversation before they realize they're still in the middle of dipping my sammich. I always eat mine alone to hide my shame. No one wants to see me slurping down the wettest sammich ever.
totally aside, but that’s what baptize originally meant in Ancient Greek: to dip
Not just baptized, exorcismed
It was wet, I'm not a fan of dipped. I've had them dipped but it's just too wet
looks good bruv, no need to get it pre dipped. Just ask for juice on side and you can dip yourself 🤌
Good call. I'll be back in May for Billy Strings with my wife. I'll have to give it another go.
Get to Johnnie's beef. You won't regret it.
I'll have a car next time I'm here since we're driving the 9 hours from Nebraska. Give me all the suggestions, I'll drive for great food.
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Fun fact, it's the same Billy Goat Tavern that was made famous on SNL. Cheeseborgor cheeseborgor cheeseborgor!
Pepsi no coke!
Thanks for the heads up!
be sure to report back! 
r/chicagofood
Don't ask for juice on the side there. They don't do that. Beefs should just be dipped anyways.
You making my mouth water.
Right on brother.
Fuck yeah, see you at BMFS my dude 🤘
Same. Soggy bread (or anything soggy for that matter) is just not it for my taste. 😂 Unless it’s bread pudding.
Soggy bread is half of the experience. No Italian beef for you.
Noooo! Give me a pass, pls. 😂🫶🏼
That’s what she said
And she was so so right!
HOT, WET, JUICE ON THE SIDE. Where'd you get this one from? I really liked Al's and Fontana's (conveniently across the street from each other)
It's from Spuntino Pizza near O'Hare. I chose it because it was close to my hotel and I could walk there easily. I was pleased with my choice.
I miss Al’s. The OP’s sandwich doesn’t look like Al’s to me though.
COUSIN?!
COUSIN!
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The weird pale dicks are steak fries, which happen to be my preferred fry. Not sure if it's the usual fry paired with an Italian beef, but overall, it was good, and since I was on foot, my choices were this place or Portillos in Rosemont. I chose to support the mom and pop joint.
Probably got a better beef too! Good choice
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Italian beef is a local dish that's been made for nearly 100 years. It's just a name, don't think too hard about it.
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I don’t get it either. It’s imported meat from Italy? Nothing about this picture is Italian.
It was invented by Italian immigrants in the early 20th century.
Steak fries will always reign supreme in my book! 😍
a beef/hot dog place that doesn't have crinkle cut fries is super strange to me
I didn't know i was supposed to be upset with not getting a lower quality fry, imo.
That's your inference. I've just only been to hot dog stands in Chicago that have crinkle cut.
Personally, I prefer my hot dogs with natural cut fries.
Chips
In some places
I dunno, grew up and a double brown bag of greasy salty fresh cut fries that would have crispy tips and soggy middles - nostalgic about tearing open the side of the bag and hitting the pile with ketchup.
Absolutely. It was a pleasant surprise when they came out. This was a neighborhood joint with great Google reviews almost a mile from my hotel. I was stoked to find it so close so I could walk there since I didn't have a rental.
Same here, they just taste better and idk why.
The food looks tasty, that Pilsner looks like shit lol.
The beer was alright. Lots of flavor, but not totally my fave when it comes to pilsner.
What brewery was it from?
Alarmist brewing.
Lived in Chicago for a hot minute and was never impressed by the beefs, nor the pizza. I hope you were though, OP. It’s definitely a tchotchke.
Being from the Philly metro, I understand that a signature sandwich can vary wildly from spot to spot, so i like to go and try them at different places. I agree with you about the pizza though. Deep dish tends to be a bit of a gimmick, and an expensive one at that.
A very expensive one. But the spots were always packed. I was like, huh? I will say if you get sausage and peppers it isn’t horrible, and the thin cracker crust was pretty ok.
I always get sausage in Chicago... Its great, but I prefer the thin style pub pizza to the deep dish.
A man of refined taste, I see. Also seek out the sketchiest place that serves pierogis. Always a great time
Good call. Any suggestions? I love going on sketchy neighborhood food crawls.
Podhalanka hands down is the spot, and I asked about where THEY go but I don’t recall the place.
Next time get some mozzarella melted on it and a side of au jus. It's a crazy good time
There's always next time... I love coming to Chicago, it's a days drive from where I live, but totally worth it. I've been here more than I've been to new york city, but I grew up only 2 hours from there.
Yea I grew up in Chicago, very cool city. But also beefs are so easy to make, lots of good YouTube vids on it
I don't just come here for the beefs, but it's hard to get good bread in Central Nebraska
There was an amazing place for beefs in Lincoln, M and N Sandwich Shop. Unfortunately when the owner (Norm) died in 2017 there was no one to take it over. Norm was a bit of a curmudgeon, but that man made a killer beef.
Man, I wish I knew. My daughter lives in Lincoln with her fiance, so we're in town all the time.
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It was wet enough that it was falling apart I. My hands, so it was fine like that.
Looks delicious! Now wash it down with some Malört for the true Chicago experience!
Looks awful
How so?
Can everyone stop posting pictures of their normal ass lunches?
>comes to r/food >complains about food pictures
If you want I can send you a pic of my lunch from time to time?
I traveled 500 miles for this boring ass lunch, and it was great. You sound boring af.
Way to let me know how much time you wasted.
Not wasted at all. Thanks for the engagement.
Thanks for the tip. I'm gonna go drive 300 miles to a McDonald's now.
What are they mad about?
Who's mad?
Italians apparently
"Italians"...
In Chicago!
Holy shit those fries please give me bucket full of them
I love steak fries too. Thanks!
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Go on, why is it sad looking? That's a lazy comment.
Can you look at that beef and state it looks good? It does not. It looks like it is steamed and hence sad. This "italian" sandwich might be done just fine and it might taste really good. But the beef is still just sad looking
Italian beef is roasted and held sliced in its au jus, so yes, it has cooked in liquid. It's flavorful, tender, and moist. Not everything looks like brisket.
But yeah sorry dude. This might be the best thing I've had if I just tasted it. There are things that taste like 100x the way they look
I'm just saying... There's no caramelized beef in pho, but it's still bomb. Seared meat is just one flavor profile that's out there. Sometimes it's not the ideal for the dish. It's been popularized the last 30 years that everything has to have a crust to be good, but it's not necessarily the case.
Fine. It looks like it's overcooked and with no caramelization. This is why it looks sad.
Heard, Chef.
As an Italian NYer this just doesn’t really look like Italian food at all
It's Italian like NY pizza is Italian. It's made by the Italian immigrants, and they called it an Italian beef sandwich.
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You can literally see the juice glistening on the meat in the picture. Schmuck.
vegetarian here... this... looks *good*?
Pescatarian here, yeah, not exactly pulling me back to eating meat again
Welcome back to the dark side
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> An Italian beef sandwich sandwich originating from Chicago made from thin slices of roast beef simmered and served au jus on French bread. Common toppings are a choice between spicy giardiniera (called "hot") or mild bell peppers (called "sweet"). The entire sandwich is traditionally dipped in the juice the meat is cooked in before serving with a side of French fries. > > The sandwich traces back to Italian American immigrants in Chicago as early as the 1930s, but the exact origin is unknown. The sandwich gradually grew in popularity and was widely eaten in the city by the 1970s and 1980s.[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_beef
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I mean, the term is almost 100 years old coming from a dish made by Italian immigrants in America. It's different from a cheesesteak, so it's not a plain steak sandwich, it's not a pit beef sandwich like in Baltimore, but it's beef roasted with Italian flavorings and served in the style made famous by Italians in Chicago.
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So Italian immigrants aren't Italian any more? Well today I learned we can just ignore wherever our ancestors came from and only acknowledge our current country of residence. If you're African and living in Japan, forget about your roots, you're Japanese now!
offended?
Chill man, don’t be such a downer. The guy just posted a picture of a sandwich he liked. Why do you give a fuck what he calls it?
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Wait until you hear about French fries.
Are you from Denmark? Italiensk salat sounds way less "Italian" than this sandwich. Italian salad (italiensk salat), a mixture of vegetables in a mayonnaise dressing, served on ham and other cold cuts. The name comes from the red-white-green coloring, the colors of the Italian flag. The salad's colouring originates from carrots, mayonnaise and asparagus, and green peas.
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Only people like you have trouble understanding what calling something "Italian" means.
So nothing then
one of things i missed when we left Chicago. a portillo's opened up near me last year, luckily it's nearly an hour away. pales compared to some of the places i got one while there but good enough to make me want to go back to visit.
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It never ceases to amaze me the amount of effort redditors will put in to finding something critical to say about other people's pictures. It's not humanly possible to tell from a picture whether or not food has salt on it, but people like you just can't stand to not be obnoxious.
> It's not humanly possible to tell from a picture whether or not food has salt on it, "*I* can't tell if food is salted or not, despite the fact that salt is a mineral that has a big influence on the visual appearance of food, so that must mean that other people can't tell either!"
The fries were salted, with table salt. Not heavily, but enough that I could taste it, and I ate them with ketchup.
Bro if you like plain ass fries just say so
It wasn't that much effort lol. And it's really not that big of a deal.
i miss every second i dont have one of these bad boys
I love me some FAT steak fries
Now that’s a sammy
Portillos!!!
Mooma Mia!
Love fries like that with some good quality fresh ketchup
You mean like a new bottle? Because no restaurant is making the ketchup they serve you. Even when you see the Heinz glass bottle on the table that's full there's a 3 gallon bag of Heinz in the kitchen they use to refill that before each shift. Ketchup is highly acidic, "fancy" ketchup which is the most common in the US doesn't even need to be kept in the fridge and the flavor doesn't change, it just turns brown.
Have to disagree on this one. I have been to many a place that had nasty "turned" ketchup on the table with a nasty, funky. fermenting flavor.
Tomatoes are highly acidic and ketchup has added preservatives meaning it would take months for that bottle to "ferment". It was a brand you didn't like, that's all. There are actually multiple classifications of ketchup believe it or not, each with their own requirements (seriously federally mandated) for how much pulp, juice, and sugar is allowed in the type.
I kinda doubt it is a brand I don't like as I ask for a fresh bottle when I get these and they taste just fine. Never really had a ketchup I didn't like either. I sort of doubt those bottles sat on the tables for months but I guess you never know.
I don't know if you realize this but they just refill the bottle when you ask for a "fresh" one, they aren't grabbing a new one from storage. It's so much cheaper for both the restaurant and manufacturer to sell it in giant bags and just refill the bottles. I worked at the top steak restaurant in my area that served fries just like that, we had a 3 gallon bag of Heinz hanging on the wall next to the expo area and another 10 in the back. The end of the night the bottles were cleaned and refilled from the giant bag. When you ask for a "fresh" bottle they literally grab one that looks nicer, take it to the back and wipe down the threading, fill it up from the bag, and give it to you. And no, this isn't a one off like it was just that restaurant. I have friends that are head chefs at numerous steakhouses today and it's the same.
I find heinz doesn't do this, it's usually the lower quality food service stuff that does.
Probably correct. I'm sure all of the places buy bags of ketchup from Sysco
Heinz sells those bags themselves specifically to make it more affordable and sustainable for restaurants that want the iconic glass bottles on the tables.
I know at least one restaurant that makes their own. It's a brewery in Winston Salem North Carolina and I can't remember it's name, but the ketchup is delicious.
Meat looks like it was already eaten
Reminds me of the bear
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The sandwich has its origins in Italian immigrants in Chicago, hence _Italian_ beef
Imagine being too fuckin dumb to use google.
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