"italian beef sandwich" news and stories

I almost neglected to mention these sandwiches when I made my list of Chicago food, but fortunately a reader reminded me of them yesterday. I drove through Chicago last summer and had the absolute pleasure of trying one of these for the first time. I am going to explain my interpretation of the sandwich, but it is important to note I am not an expert on it. Like most things, I'm sure everyone has their own opinion or style of making it so feel free to let us know your recommendations or adjustments in the comments section.

The Bun: The one I had was a white, Italian crusty roll which held up well against the moisture of the sandwich. You don't want something soft like a regular hot dog bun because it will just turn into mush.

Last year, I went to Chicago. I was intent on eating quintessential Chicago foods, and while I already knew about Chicago dogs and stuffed deep-dish pizza, one thing that came up in pre-trip conversations was Italian Beef, something I had never heard of. Suffice it to say, I went to Mr. Beef and fell in love.

Apparently, Italian Beef has a mild cult status among Chicago-ans, with lots of joints that specialize in it, different interpretations of the basic ingredients, and people claiming to be die-hard fans of a certain place. Chicago food blog Skillet Doux is currently going through what he calls a "Beef-off," going to different Italian beef places around the city, reviewing the sandwich, and ranking them. On his third run, he declared Chickie's number one, calling it "the Italian Beef for beef lovers" and "a superlative beef experience." As of this posting, the current list in order is:

1. Chickie's
2. Johnnie's
3. Mr. Beef
4. Bostons
5. Tore's
6. Portillo's
7. Roma's
8. Al's