Chicago's Maxwell Street Polish

-Eating like a local: Regional food specialties
Chicago's famous Maxwell Street Polish

Its been a longtime coming. Its not just pizza, hot dogs and beef when it comes to Chicago's signature food items. Also in the realm of discussion is the famous Maxwell Street Polish Sausage. Said to have been introduced to the people of Chicago in 1939 by Jim Stefanovich who took over his aunts street stand on Halsted and Maxwell street. Jim's Original as it was and is called eventually developed over time. Soon it would become well known when Mr. Sefanovich introduced the Polish Sausage to the city. From that day forward it became a legendary food stop in Chicago and a trip to the old Maxwell Street Market meant a Polish from Jim's. It still is a legend today. Despite being forced to move from its historic location by Mayor Daley and his UIC cronies (who I'm sure all profited greatly) Jim's Original and Express Grill are still going strong.


One of Chicago's most well known and historic streets is also a namesake signature food item

"Original Jim's is an icon of Chicago, housed in the same location it has always been, in the historic pre-Chicago-Fire building at the northwest corner of Halsted and Maxwell Street. Blues musicians such as Hound Dog Taylor and others would get their electricity from Original Jim's and play in the alley behind it. That hot dog stand is written about in songs, poetry, and novels and is in several movies. " From a press release circa 2001. When Jake and Elwood visit Maxwell Street in The Blues Brothers, there’s a quick shot of the grill at Jim’s.

"Steve Balkin, Vice President of the Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition comments, "This is screw deal by UIC and Mayor Daley. I hope everyone who ever wants to get an authentic Maxwell Polish and can't -- I hope they remember Mayor Daley as the man who caused this culinary and cultural tragedy to occur."-From the same press release.


A picture of Jim's Original in its original location (Pic from wikipedia)

It was on Monday July 30th 2001 that Jim's Original served what many though might be its last Polish. Well Mayor Daley as usual pissed off so many people that eventually a deal was made to move both Jim's Original and Express Grill a few blocks down. Sometime after Jim's Original opened a place called Express Grill opened right next door and served virtually the same menu. The two hot dog stands coexisted side by side for decades until they were relocated by the city a half block east to Union Avenue, adjacent to the Dan Ryan Expressway on-ramp at Roosevelt Road. On a nice summers day with a steady breeze you can smell the onions from the grill all the way onto the expressway. Even a blind man would know when hes getting close to Jim's and Express because when you do the smell just hits you. While they stay open 24 hours a day I have never been to either or while the sun was up or in a normal state of mind. This is where the vampires eat after a night of indulgence.


Just another night outside Jim's and Express on Union ave


Line of people at Jim's on a weekday night around 1a


A cabbie enjoys what could be breakfast, lunch or dinner...I didn't ask

So when there's stands that are right next to each other and spitting images of one another, that serve duplicate menus at identical prices the question is always asked. What's better-Jim's Original or Express Grill? Its a test I'm sure many people have done in side by side tasting comparisons. In fact there's a post about it over on LTH you can check out by clicking HERE. Both spots are walk up only so be ready to eat on the hood of your car. I would recommend doing so no matter what month it is. Those onions have a potent smell and it can stay in your car for days. I always place the exact same order no matter which stand I'm at. That order is an all beef Polish with everything (grilled onions, mustard and sport peppers) and a pork chop sandwich with everything (mustard and onions with sport peppers on the side) and to go with them a can of RC cola. So lets take a look at both spots. Tell me which one you go to and why in the comments section.

Jim's Original

The first thing that hits your nose is the wafting aroma of sweet onions in the air. The first thing you see while in line at Jim's is a banner that reads "We are not affiliated in any way with any other hot dog stand in the area" You see Jim's Maxwell Street Polish became such a household name that now there are Maxwell Street Stands throughout Chicagoland. Many of them are called Maxwell Street Express, some call themselves Maxwell Street Depot others call themselves Jim's Polish or whatever and they're all similar in style but not authenticity or even in quality. So here is a look at the stand that set the trend and has never looked back.


a Chicago staple and must stop for any roadfoodie


Jim's Original is on Union ave. off the expressway...nowhere else


The current menu at Jim's

Just like always I get my all beef Polish and what might be my favorite Maxwell Street menu item, a pork chop sandwich. I would take a pass on the burgers unless your belligerently drunk and you need a burger. I've had them plenty of times and they are average if that. The same can be said for the fries-nothing great but they come with each sandwich so they get ate. Obviously the Polish's are the signature item but also very popular are the pork chop sammy's. I cant figure out which one I like better but I have never had one without the other. They go hand AND hand. Just be aware or don't forget that there is a bone in that pork chop sandwich. I wonder how many plastered people have lost or chipped a tooth or two because they were so hungry they chomped so hard?


All Beef Polish Sausage from Jim's Original


The Polish Sausage is as Chicago as Da Bears, Ditka and da skyline


Pork Chop Sandwich from Jim's Original


all that's left at the end of each order

Express Grill

Located just 1 minute down from Jim's is Express Grill. If your from Chicago then you would know that the debates are just as heated over Jim's/Express as they are over Cubs/Sox and that's no joke. It was during the 195o's when Tom Lazarevski quit working for his uncle Jim Stefanovic over at Jim's Original. He then opened up his own late-night Polish/hot dog spot right down the block from Jim's on Maxwell street. Well as fate would have it the UIC expansion plan would later put them side by side on Union ave. Since Express first opened they have battled Jim's for customers and have always had the same prices and pretty much the same menu. Its alleged that both places use their own recipes consisting of encased beef and different seasonings for their Polish Sausage. The Great Don Barzinini swears by Express and hes a veteran over there. Its much like Pat's and Geno's for cheesesteaks in Philly.


Right next Door to Jim's and also a must stop


Current menu at Express Grill


Grill at Express being tended to...buckets of sport peppers and mustard on the side


Close-Up of the grill at Express on another busy night


Express Grill's all beef Polish Sausage


Express Grill's Pork Chop Sandwich

So which one is better? c'mon you didn't really expect me to remember any mental notes I might gather when eating at either one. Even if I could remember I'm pretty sure all that would have been said about both was Mmm followed by a Mmm then a Mmm. Kind of like in "What about Bob" when hes at the dinner table. That's all you really here around the area at night. Despite 100's of party goers and people out late its pretty quiet because everyone is eating. Your just going to have to head on over and do a side by side taste test for yourself. I'll put my money on either or. You might get a better one at Jim's the first time around and like Express better the second time. The important thing to know is that there is no other place like either of them in the city or the country and thus, the world. See ya next time on S'C&C wit Da King.

Jim's Original
1250 S Union Ave
Chicago, IL 60617
(312) 733-7820‎
Website



Express Grill
1260 S Union Ave
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 738-2112

The Great Wells Brothers Pizza

-The other Chicago (& Midwest) style pizza: Tavern Style

I'm always on the prowl for that tavern style Midwest thin and it was about time I hit up Wells Brothers in Racine, WI to see what its all about. Its been on many, many "best of pizza in the US" lists and I finally got there a while back and now I finally get to share it with y'all.


Since 1921...legendary pizza in Racine, WI

"Thanks again for the heads up. Its interesting that this does seem to be the signature pizza of the Lake Michigan region. Whenever I'm driving around Harbor Country and other areas in Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin along and near the lake I see many old school Italian places that have been around since the '50's."-Reply on a message board along with a thanks for the tip on Wells Brothers in Racine, Wisconsin.

But for the record its not me who found it because they've been around since 1921. Anyplace serving tavern style thin since 1921 is going to get a visit from me, I don't care where it is. Like the middle of a bad part of town. Its nothing to be scared of just a place hit hard like so many other Midwestern towns. On my first trip to WB we strolled the hood and they were closed. They are open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am - 8:45 pm and closed Sunday and Monday. So me and some friends headed back a few days later.The whole fact there was this old school pizza parlor that's been there since 1921 located in a not so great neighborhood made we want to try it even more than I already did. So we made the trek up Sheridan Rd and took 41 North to Wells Brothers which is just off the circle tour route.


old school neon sign...this is always a good sign in my book

Upon entrance you immediately get the feel you would expect at one of these old school Midwest pizza taverns. You are first greeted by the bar upon entry. The night we went the bar was full with people watching basketball and eating pizza and having a beer. They had Spotted Cow on tap so that's another good sign in my book. Lighting was dim and the dining room was old school. The old wooden chairs at the tables with one of those painted murals of Italy on the wall along with a bunch of old school pictures and articles. Before I even had a sip of water I had fell in love with the place. The menu tells the restaurants history on the back of its menu.


a little history lesson for ya...click pic to make bigger


View from my seat...as you can see its old school in there

The people working were very nice and set us up with drinks and took our order within ten minutes despite a pretty packed house. I had explained that we came from Chicago to try this pie. Our waiter replied, "ya y'all got that real thick "za" way down there in Chicago huh?" Which I thought was funny b/c Chicago isn't really way down there, Racine might as well be a suburb since other spots like Schaumburg get included as them. I then explained that this tavern style is actually the real Chicago style where I'm from and also popular throughout the Midwest and he had no idea we have pizza spots like Wells Brothers in Chicagoland. So then the pizza came out within 15 minutes which I thought was pretty damn fast. So how was it you ask?


You just knew it was good when it arrived

I'm not going to sit here and try and come up with some fancy words to describe this pie. It was amazing. I repeat amazing. First thing you notice is the near blackened crust and the fact it is loaded with sausage unlike any other pizza spot I have ever seen. Upon picking up a piece you realize that the bottom crust is loaded with cornmeal. It may sound unappetizing but the bottom of the pie felt like sandpaper. Trust me when I say it was as appetizing a pizza pie as I have had. Excellent pizza with cornmeal at the bottom, crisp near-cracker like crust with slightly burnt edges, good sauce, good sausage - and lots of it.


tavern style pizza perfection

So how did this place stack up with my favorites? It was almost as crispy as a Zaffiro's pie, I might like the crispness factor at Wells a little better just because you can still fold a piece. The sausage was the 2nd best sausage on pie I have found. I still think Pat's is the best but this sausage was just like Pat's in that it was loaded with fennel. It was also the most sausage I ever got on a pie so that as I already said is a big plus.


Notice the corn meal crusted bottom?

My buddy who's a pizza maker himself and lived in Rome for a few years mentioned that "I guess there's no such thing as too much cornmeal when making a pie" and I agree. It was alot like Q's and this is my style. It passed the crispness test of taking a piece from the middle and holding it up to see if it stayed straight. While the neighborhood has changed and the owners have come and gone at Well's, the pie remains the same. Don't be too scared off of the fact its in the hood. They have the whole place lighted outside and they always have a Racine County sheriff escorting older folks in and out and walking around the premises. Just be careful with your camera, a local thought I was FBI or something when I was taking pictures outside. When my camera flashed he took off running faster than Usain Bolt. If your a pizza aficionado, you haven't had them all until you get to Racine and try a tavern style thin crust from Well's Brother's. Going on almost ninety years. Cheer's to ninety more. I'm still a big fan of Zaffiro's but Well's took over as my favorite pie period. As of today anyways. I'm always on the prowl. If your a diehard roadfoodie like me or a bad pizza junkie, well then you need to go to Well's. I don't care where you live.


A piece of tavern style thin from Wells Brothers

Rating Scale 5/5

crust: 5
sauce: 4
toppings: 5
Crispness: 5

Score: 19/20

Wells Brothers
2148 Mead St
Racine, WI 53403
(262) 632-4408
Closed Sun. & Mon.

More of KingT's Wing's & DRose

--Tailgatin' and how to make mofos start playa hatin' (Recipes)

You might remember last year's post that included some wing recipes along with a '08-'09 Bull's season preview. Well the preview was more like a look forward to what Derrick Rose could be. So you can catch my upcoming season preview at the end of the article. Now on to the wings! I'm always looking for great wing recipes and I have a few more to share with you here today. Before I get to those though let me show you how I usually prepare my wings pre-sauce. I always use a standard rub for wings to add an extra coat of flavor before they tossed in buffalo sauce or whatever happens to be the flavor of the day.

The video I took below with my camera is how they should look before they come off of the grill. You cant time them you just kind of know when they're ready. It takes some practice like anything else. As long as that grill is snappling, crackling and popping like it is in the video you should be good to go after 20 minutes or a little after. I still haven't found anything near as good to the chicken drumettes offered at Whole Foods. They make GREAT wings.


Listen to that sizzle baby (wings with my rub ready to go)

Chicken Kings Rub

1 TBLS kosher salt
1 TBLS granulated garlic
1 TSP onion powder
1 TSP fresh black pepper
1 TSP cayenne

Kings Chicken Club Wings

So the first wing recipe I'm going to throw at you is a chibbqking original. I came up with this idea when I was thinking of a way to make wings that I hadn't tried before. An in the works BLT dippin sauce from Wiener & Still Champion gave me this idea. Chicken Club wings which is my wings rubbed with my standard recipe above and then grilled. I took some mayo and blended it with a few baby tomato's and tossed the sauce with fried bacon bits and chopped lettuce.


Bacon bits make everything better

Recipe

Chicken Wings rubbed with standard rub recipe (see above)
mayo with some old bay seasoning mixed in (2 TSP is good)
baby tomatoes or half of a Roma chopped
4-8 pieces of fried bacon, chopped to bits
chopped lettuce

~Grill the wings until done

~10 minutes before taking the wings off blend the mayo and tomatoes and throw some bacon and lettuce on top and mix it up a little.

~Serve the wings with sauce on the side to use for dipping.


Chicken Wings with a BLT dipping sauce blend


These turned out surprisingly good and I'll be making them again...and again

Josh Bousel's Grilled Buffalo Wings

Next up is one of the best wing recipes I have found on the net. I got this from Serious Eat's and made it a few times this summer and have plans for them this weekend. Yes Buffalo wings are usually fried and in a sense they need to be. That's what I thought anyways. I love wings fried but I also love them grilled but I would say I prefer them grilled. One of the reasons for that is this recipe right here. When you char up some perfect looking wings and toss them with this super delicious sauce you get some of the best wings you can make.

Grilled Buffalo Wings
-Sauce recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated
-Recipe from Serious Eats

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken wings (18 wings), cut up
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup hot sauce, preferably Frank's Louisiana Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
Procedure

1. Mix together the cayenne, black pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture all over the chicken wings. Place the wing in the refrigerator until ready to use. (This can be done the night before.)

2. Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the rest of the sauce ingredients until combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Light a chimney 3/4 full of charcoal. When charcoal is fully lit and covered in gray ash, pour coals out and arrange them on one side of the charcoal grate, keeping the other side empty. Place the wings over the cool side of the grill, cover, and cook until skins are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Move the wings to the hot side of the grill and continue to cook until the skins have crisped, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the wings to a bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss to coat evenly. Remove wings to a plate and serve hot.


Grilled Buffalo Wings are a must for any tailgate

Baxter Road Grilled Chicken Wings

If your a BBQ junkie and you don't own the Barbecue Bible go get a copy. I've had one since it came out and I still love going to it for a recipe a few times a year. The author, Steven Raichlen, has traveled the globe eating BBQ and the recipes and info from this book, which he put together from those travels, is excellent. I'm eventually going to try all the recipe and I finally got to one that I had wanted to try since I first got the book. I'm always interested in regional eats and that includes all the countries. I especially love the Caribbean and I want to get to Barbados one day, especially after reading Mr. Raichlen's description. For now I had to settle for this recipe which is a take on the chicken served along Baxter Road to the party people of the island. It's served into the wee hours of the morning and is a Barbados staple. Click HERE for the excerpt from the Barbecue Bible. I might make it over there this winter. I used wings instead of whole chickens.

Recipe from The Barbecue! Bible by Steven Raichlen

Note: You can receive the full recipe with numbers from the excerpt page.

chicken wings
clove garlic, peeled
shallots, peeled
bunch chives or scallions, trimmed
green bell pepper, medium, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
rib celery, medium, coarsely chopped
scotch bonnet chile or 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced (for a milder marinade, seed the chiles)
tbs parsley, fresh Italian, (flat-leaf)
tsp thyme, chopped fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried
tbs lime juice, fresh, or to taste
tbs soy sauce
tbs olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Rinse the chicken pieces under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Place in a large nonreactive bowl or baking dish and set aside while you prepare the marinade.

2. Combine the garlic, shallots, chives, bell pepper, celery, chile, parsley, and thyme in a food processor and process to a smooth paste. Add 2 tablespoons lime juice, the soy sauce, and oil and process until blended and smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, and lime juice as needed; the mixture should be highly seasoned. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the bowl and turn the pieces to coat. Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 4 to 12 hours (the longer the better).


Sauce after blending

3. Preheat the grill, using the two-tiered method.

4. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Remove the chicken pieces from the bowl, reserving any marinade that has drained off. Arrange the pieces, skin side down, on the grate over the hotter section of the grill and cook. Brush the pieces once or twice with the reserved marinade, but not during the last 5 minutes.

5. Transfer the chicken pieces to serving plates or a platter and serve.


Baxter Road Wings

Last but by no means least are the best wings I had on the BarB this year. You can have them at home too. The only problem is your going to have to vacation in Negril and grab some jerk sauce from Bourbon Beach. I still have half a bottle left and these wings I marinated in them overnight were simply divine.


Grilled Bourbon Beach Wings

-Dish me out a combo: Food & Sports

The second year is the most telling year of a future NBA star. Almost all the stars stepped their game up a next level after being in the league for a full year. I think we saw the potential I expected and I still stand by him being one of the games next big things. An Eastern Conference All Star Starter (because he deserves to be not b/c the fans like him) and eventually an all out winner and possible leader of a Championship team. I think this years team is good enough for 5th or 6th seed in the East and may as good as fourth. They could win a series or two. I know we lost Gordon but Salmons is a player who's average has gone up every year in the league and I like him to keep that up this year. Whether or not Vinny's can grow as a coach is TBD. I do like the fact we are preaching D and the team is responding. I expect the Bulls to be much better on D which was our weakest problem last year.


Derrick Rose's Rookie Year Top 10 from NBA.com

With the second year emergence of Rose tagged along with a rising legitimate player in Noah teamed up with Salmons and Miller (acq. at last years trade deadline) I think the loss of Gordon will help on D and hurt a little on offense. However I think it helps more on D than it hurts the O. I'm not sure about the Rook's, while I don't not like them I don't love them, but hey that's cause there rookies and a DRose only comes around once a decade. I expect Rose to step it up and take it to the hole very often and Salmons to find a home and others to contribute like Noah. I could easily see him averaging a double double this year and I am most impressed with his play this preseason. No one has made bigger strides than he has from the Celtics series up to now. I still think we need a experienced or an up and rising young coach who has served his time. Oh and a Boozer, Bosh or whoever comes on the block or hits FA next summer will really help too.


Remember the 90's? we have another franchise guy

I do expect a playoff series win this year and Rose to become one of the games best. I'm predicting 41 wins. We always have a brutal schedule to start the year due to the circus trip but this year is as hard as ever. Get out and get to a game. You'll be able to tell your kids you watched a legend grow. Chicago Bull's Basketball.

"Little" Three Happiness

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where the locals eat.

It wasn't hard to find what is most definitely one of my favorite Chinese joint's in the city. If you do a search for Chinese food in Chinatown you may find a few results that come from LTHforum.com. Well that's because LTH-as its known-is one of the great food boards on the world wide web. Its based right here in Chicago but it also has amazing info on "Eating out Beyond Chicagoland" and also recipes and all the general food talk you could ever care for. The regular posters over there take their food seriously and you can find everything from info on Coney Dog's to amazing pictures and better reviews of the high end joints like Alinea and everything in between. Including a great Chinese restaurant that also happens to be the sites namesake. You see there are two "Three Happiness" restaurants and they also happen to be not too far from each other. So the distinction between the two is too call the smaller one located at 209 w. Cermak "Little" Three Happiness. Its a place that specializes in Cantonese cuisine.


Big flavor happening inside this little Chinatown gem

LTH is a site where I find alot of info and always get an answer. You better believe that a food joint that is the namesake of a site with this much knowledge is going to be pretty damn good. Well its really good and one of my favorite eating spots in the city. There isn't going to be anything fancy about the dining room. It has maybe 10 round tables and there's usually Chinese programming on the TV next to the cash register. A few old ladies sit at one of the tables peeling vegetables or prepping things for the kitchen while watching the tele. It does a pretty good takeout business and is a great option for it but I try to go there with a few people so we can get a few things. Just like any other Chinese restaurant its about knowing what menu items to get. One thing I always recognize is the difference in the customer base. Everyone from White folks to Black families to groups of Asian friends eat here. It is loved by all. I cant imagine anyone going there and ordering the RIGHT dishes and leaving not liking what they had.


Little Three's GNR award (for being a great spot to eat at) from LTH

Since their is so much useful discussion on this excellent neighborhood joint, I'm going to show you some of my favorites and lead you to the posts that will give you all sorts of other rec's. If your going into Chinatown with a group of people and want to keep the price reasonable and the food great-then try LTH. Some of the dishes that are on my must try list are-Salt & Pepper Shrimp, Crispy Skin Chicken, the Roast Duck/BBQ Pork Fried Noodles and the Stir Fried Blue Crab-served dry. I always like to order some pot stickers and am a big fan of their fried rice. I consider both from LTH to be better than good.


Pot Stickers

^The Pot Stickers aren't the best I've had but I really like them. A huge part of this is because I mix up the soy sauce, vinegar and Gary's chili oil. It creates a delightful sauce that pairs well with the crispy skinned pot stickers. Whats Gary's chili oil? click HERE to learn about that.


BBQ Pork Fried Rice

^If your a consumer of fried rice like myself then I imagine you've had some bad fried rice at one point or another. I don't know why it is but lot's of places screw up this simple dish. Not over at LTH where I have found their fried rice to be a very fine example of it. When you order the rice while dining in the plate is loaded high into the sky. Portions are very generous on top of the food being prepared very well.


Crispy Skin Chicken

^Another one of my favorites and almost always a must have is the CSC. I don't know much on the preparation of this Cantonese dish but I can tell you its good. I think they flatten a half or whole chicken and then cook it on high heat in a wok or something to that extent. Spices are also a factor and the end result is the most amazing crispy skin chicken with juicy meat inside. When you add the juice from the lemon and salt they provide it really goes from choice to crack. Its addicting and well leave it at that.


Salt & Pepper Shrimp

^The one thing I always know when I'm headed there is that I will be getting Salt & Pepper shrimp. The only thing that switches is whether I get it with the shell or without. With the shells they become messy but that's evened out by the extra flavor they pack. Yes I do eat the head. But if you don't like the shell then its also amazing without them. In case you don't know what S&P shrimp is-its fried shrimp (w or w/o head) stir fried to a beautiful color and seasoned with salt and pepper. It also has sauteed onions and jalapenos and is served with white rice. It just might be my favorite shrimp dish in the city. I cant think of one I like more. Little Three Happiness are experts at this popular Cantonese dish.

If you wanna know more about this Chinatown crowd pleaser with a cult like following then I suggest checking out the GNR page over at LTHforum. Just click HERE to do so. It will tell you everything you need to know and give you an idea if its your type of spot for Chinese. I didn't even get into the clam's with blackbean sauce Evil Ronnie style or the dry stir fried blue crab along with so much more.

'Little' Three Happiness
209 W Cermak
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 842-1964‎

Beef from Rosangela's Pizza

--Got Beef? Italian Beef
as seen on 'What's Your Beef?'

Rosangela's is a pizza place in Evergreen park that also happens to serve a pretty good Italian beef sandwich. While its more like a seasoned hot roast beef sandwich in texture, flavor and preparation its still pretty damn good. You might not expect it to be much so it doesn't come with high hopes and it really exceeded my expectations on the particular day I visited. Just like I had very clear memories of eating at Rosangela's way back in the day I also had a memory that I really enjoyed the Italian beef as a kid. I remembered that I liked it because it was so different and the fact that the bread was toasted creating a crunchy exterior with a juicy interior.


Hidden beneath the pizza is a good beef


Rosangela's is known for great pie but the beef is damn good too

Just like I had remembered the pizza hadn't changed a bit the same goes for the Italian beef. Rosangela's offers up a homemade beef cooked in a subtle tasting red gravy which is served on the aforementioned toasted bread with some nice hot peppers which may or may not have been made in house. I have rule that I rarely if ever order an Italian beef from a non-beef joint. Despite the fact beef sandwiches are available on almost every Chicago fast food and pizza place in Chicagoland most of them are anything but authentic and more important- tasty. Rosangela's is an exception to that rule. I look at it as a "grandmas" beef, something that an Italian grandma would make for a Sunday night family dinner. I'm willing to bet that the Italian beef in general beef has evolved in some ways in Chicago and this might be the most classic example of an old school sit down beef that could be had at many of the pizza taverns around town in the 1950s. I have yet to find a better beef that comes with waitress service or a better appetizer at any of the great pizza places around town. Its worth getting a sandwich or two as an appetizer for your group before the pizzas.


half of a beef with hot from Rosangela's

Rating Scale 5/5

beef: 4
bread: 3
gravy: 4
hot peppers: 3

Score: 14/20

Rosangela's Pizzeria
2807 1/2 W 95th St
Evergreen Park, IL 60805
(708) 422-2041

Mr. D's Shish Kabob's

-The Sammy's of Chi

I want to take this post to introduce to all those not in the know-Mr. D and his fine sandwiches and french fries. Located on Diversey and Normandy in the Montclaire neighborhood, it is the granddaddy champ of all street and sans type eating spots. The hugely popular and very small joint is run by Mr. D and his wife. Not only is the food where its at but the lovely Macedonian couple couldn't be any nicer. Its a place that many people drive by and might not even see and if you do, you might not be tempted to stop. It sits on the corner in a residential 'hood and is well known to its neighbors. Looks can be deceiving to those not in the know. In a spot with maybe four tables total it can get packed during lunch hours but seats always pop up and its never too bad of a wait and its just as good to go. Its a small storefront so they have a grill, a fresh cut fry slicer and char grilled shish kebab sandwiches, steak sandwiches, charred burgers and Italian beef and sausage and hot dogs. Not to mention what is most likely the best batch of fries in the city. No room for a pop machine so they also happen to have cans of RC...now that's my style.


One of Chicago's great neighborhood joints

Lets start off with the perfectly fried fresh cut fries that come with each order. These fries are your typical "Chicago style" and the potatoes are sliced fresh in a slicer throughout the day. Since they are only open til maybe three its a lunch only spot and one of the best priced meals in the city. Each order comes piled high with the wonderful fries and nothing will set you back more than $7 or $8 bucks. In a feature on fries around Chicago in the Tribune last May, Mr D's was one of the stars of the article. The newspaper got this one dead on because they are the most consistent and tastiest fries in the windy city. They proudly display the article in a plaque on the wall and that's about as much decoration as your going to get here. So hipsters who care more about the looks and illumination of where they eat wouldn't be too happy. Until they tried a shish kebab sandwich packed with with those fries.


Fry town article in the Trib featuring Mr. D's

I have heard good things about the burgers and beefs but just cant ever pass on a kebab sandwich. The times when I don't order a shish kebab sandwich I will get a steak sandwich. The kebobs are marinated in a special sauce and grilled to order and the namesake of the spot is obviously the most popular menu item. You can expect tender pieces of meat loaded with flavor along with some lemon juice served on a French roll with tomato's and a wedge of lemon. The juice from the beef soaks into the bread making the first and last bites the best part of the sandwich. The bread holds up great and the outside stays crusty while the inside soaks up the gravy. There are times when I'm just fiending for a shish kebob sandwich when its after closing time and so it stays with me until I finally get one in me. I would easily put it in any Chicago's best of sandwiches list. Not to mention they also do a great steak sandwich served the same way with sliced onions in place of the lemon wedge. That sandwich is no joke either. If your going to be a little Ma & Pa type spot that's been open over 20 years than you must be doing something right. At Mr. D's they're doing everything right.


Mr. D's Steak Sandwich with fries


Mr. D's Shish Kebob Sandwich and fresh cut fries are the real deal

Mr. D's Shish Kabob's
6656 W Diversey Ave
Chicago, IL 60707
773-637-0042