BuffaloBill Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Let me just acknowledge that when it comes to food best consumed with beer that I think Buffalo wins and easily. Not that I am biased or anything. One - a Chicago dog is basically a hot dog dressed with a couple of tomato slices, hot peppers, onions, sweet pickle, a dill pickle spear, celery salt a poppy seed bun and relish that is neon green. I love loaded dogs but just don't get the tomatoes and neon green relish and if I am being really picky the peppers just don't go either. For me give me a good sahlen cooked over charcoal slightly charged with mustard, dill relish chopped onions on a good old white bun and I am very happy. Two - this deep dish pizza thing is an enigma to me. Great concept that is not so good in reality. After one slice you feel like a bloated cow and there is no way to escape massive indigestion if you try to down a couple of beers with it. The other thing I do not like is that the bottom crust is a soggy pile of dough. The foundation of great pizza is dough and sauce. Chicago style pizza overuses both and the end result is in my opinion ruined. The Chicago beef sandwich basically a soggy roast beef sub. Very messy thing to eat. Beef on weck blows it away any day of the week. Now I will give credit where credit is due. You can get some fantastic tube forms of meat in this town. The Poles and the Germans did a better job of upholding this awesome tradition here as compared to B-Lo. Not to say you can't get get tube meat in B-Lo just that the variety and widespread availibility of really good forms of it here in Chicago beats Buffalo. Also there is nothing here that truly compares to the fish fry phenomena that exists in WNY. Surprising given the Catholic history and presence in Chicago. They do tend to do fried perch here but the whole mystique that surrounds WNY fish fries is missing. Just a few thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Somewhat agree... Yet, I can't touch other than an all beef dog... Sorry Sahlen's... Something about the taste. It is where the hot dog was invented... They used to make the brand: Best's Kosher beef Hot dog... I am not sure you can get them anymore?? Now my favorite is Red Hot Chicago. I will still eat char-grilled, but it has to be boiled (dirty water dog)... Drag it through the graden! Oh... You can get Italian beef in: Dry, Wet, & Dipped mode. I still think Weber's is missing when it comes to mustard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 As someone that used to live in Vegas. A place that's "known for food" I can say that I can't believe those poor people that were born and raised there have to go on believing that food is actually good. I feel sorry for people that don't have any clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Portillo's is the best for Chicago style hots and Italian beef sandwiches. I like both of those, but don't get to ShoeKaGo much now. WRT the fish - the haddock that fuels the western NY fish fry phenomenon depletes the supply coming out of Boston. They have cheaper freshwater fish... perch (doesn't hold a candle to haddock), so they go with that. Cheer up. Soon EII will have those flying carp flying onto dinner plates in the Windy City! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Also: Isn't a "classic BFLO fish fry" made w/haddock anyway. Portillo's is the best for Chicago style hots and Italian beef sandwiches. I like both of those, but don't get to ShoeKaGo much now. WRT the fish - the haddock that fuels the western NY fish fry phenomenon depletes the supply coming out of Boston. They have cheaper freshwater fish... perch (doesn't hold a candle to haddock), so they go with that. Cheer up. Soon EII will have those flying carp flying onto dinner plates in the Windy City! FWIW... Have you read the new ECALS July Final Report... Very technical and science orientated when dealing with the eDNA and what not... BUT, the conclusion is that the leading edge of Asian carp have not progressed since 2006. 2006. 2009 is when the eDNA was first used and the "carp" hit the proverbial fan. :-P :-P Read it... Again, very technical... As someone that used to live in Vegas. A place that's "known for food" I can say that I can't believe those poor people that were born and raised there have to go on believing that food is actually good. I feel sorry for people that don't have any clue. I somewhat agree... But BFLO food is really "bar food"... Good bar food @ that! I am not saying Chicago or any place else if super better or worse... Just different areas do things another way. Like now, I can't touch other than an all-beef hot dog... I appreciate the taste better... Bill... I don't get where you are saying the Chicago pizza dough is soggy? It is the exact opposite... BFLO pizza is like that. I actually prefer BFLO... Cheaper and doughier... Chicago pizza is also more known for "cracker" thin crust. NOW... There is also "stuffed" pizza... You are in The Loop... Have you tried Edwardo's on Dearborn? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 Portillo's is the best for Chicago style hots and Italian beef sandwiches. I like both of those, but don't get to ShoeKaGo much now. WRT the fish - the haddock that fuels the western NY fish fry phenomenon depletes the supply coming out of Boston. They have cheaper freshwater fish... perch (doesn't hold a candle to haddock), so they go with that. Cheer up. Soon EII will have those flying carp flying onto dinner plates in the Windy City! Actually in Japan carp is a delicacy especially in raw form. Maybe EII and I should get us an Illinois redneck supplier and start exporting it. Reminds me my other "beef" with Chicago is that the frequency of good sushi joints is a little slim. Actually asian food here in general has not really caught on. I would kill for an easily accessible ramen or pho joint near my office. There are a couple in the loop but not near my office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Best Player Available Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 I love Chi-Town for many reasons. Blues clubs being just one. But when were talking tube steaks. Sahlens cannot be beat anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Actually in Japan carp is a delicacy especially in raw form. Maybe EII and I should get us an Illinois redneck supplier and start exporting it. Sorry to sidetrack.. Just to clear up some of the Asian carp myths: The Asian carp causing the "problems" are not common carp as we think... They do not muck the botton outside of grass carp that switch to all vegetation after they mature. There are sub-species of Asian carp and two that they are really worried about: bighead & Silver (which are filter feeders)... They vacuum up off the top plankton, just like the alewives do. They won't bite a hook... They filter and vacuum only. Remember, salmon only eat the alewife, are very picky spawners, and it is the reason why the salmon (cohoo & chinook from the Pacific NW) were introduced to Lake Michigan/Huron/Erie in the late 1960's... To control the alewife explosion... Dead alewives (invasive through the Seaway/Welland) were washing up on the beaches of Lake Michigan and Huron in huge fish kills... Causing quite a mess/stink! Introducing salmon from the Pacific in the late 1960's then created an industry for charters and what not... Tourism and the "Great Lakes Fishery" as we know it today. Salmon have to be restocked in the middle lakes, fisherman have to purchase stamps and licenses... What not. Now, bighead and silver feed right off the plankton, they are safer to eat than salmon do to having less Hg, heavy metals, pollutants, what not... AND contain 75% more omega-3. These types of Asian carp are the most widely eaten food fish in the world outside of North America (where they are considered too "rough"). They actually tried to get bighead and silver carp tp take off in the Nile back in the 1970's as a source of food... No go... Too polluted? What has happened to our "big" (MS, MO, IL, & OH) rivers in the last 30 years? We have cleaned them up to pristine status... Any wonder why Asian carp take off in the heartland of the US? Put 2x2 together... If Asian carp get in to the middle lakes, they out compete alewife and its food source and then the salmon charter/tourism industry evaporates faster than you can say "Detroit filed bankruptcy!" NOW... Perch and pike, more "native" species in the Great Lakes will be fine... They will feed off the small Asian carp which the salmon will NOT. Any wonder why they favore invasive NorthWest salmon in the lakes fishery over more native pike and perch? Because they are in direct competition to the salmon that were introduced back in the late 1960's. Blue pike used to be the best eating fish out of Lake Erie until it went non-existant in the Erie shortly after the salmon were introduced... True over fishing had a lot to do with it... Another two Asian carp are grass carp (in all the lakes now for many years, except Superior) and black carp... Grass feed like silver and bighead, except switch to all plant after a few years... They becoming underwater lawnmowers... Black eat mullosks only. Not too worried about those guys (black carp and grass). I ramble...;-) I love Chi-Town for many reasons. Blues clubs being just one. But when were talking tube steaks. Sahlens cannot be beat anywhere. I used to think that... A good Kosher beef frank is an aquired taste, but way better! And less "yuck factor." Skinless @ that too... :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 Also: Isn't a "classic BFLO fish fry" made w/haddock anyway. FWIW... Have you read the new ECALS July Final Report... Very technical and science orientated when dealing with the eDNA and what not... BUT, the conclusion is that the leading edge of Asian carp have not progressed since 2006. 2006. 2009 is when the eDNA was first used and the "carp" hit the proverbial fan. :-P :-P Read it... Again, very technical... I somewhat agree... But BFLO food is really "bar food"... Good bar food @ that! I am not saying Chicago or any place else if super better or worse... Just different areas do things another way. Like now, I can't touch other than an all-beef hot dog... I appreciate the taste better... Bill... I don't get where you are saying the Chicago pizza dough is soggy? It is the exact opposite... BFLO pizza is like that. I actually prefer BFLO... Cheaper and doughier... Chicago pizza is also more known for "cracker" thin crust. NOW... There is also "stuffed" pizza... You are in The Loop... Have you tried Edwardo's on Dearborn? Chicago pizza was at Giordonos (sp?) at two different times and two different locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Go to Gibsons and have one of these: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 (edited) Chicago pizza was at Giordonos (sp?) at two different times and two different locations. Try Edwardo's "Natural Pizza"... On Dearborn @/near "Printers Row." They have a specialty pesto stuffed pizza (we love... But takes 45 minutes) and the traditional Chicago thin/cracker crust. Really, traditional Chicago pizza is thin and more cracker crust. Many local places are better than the big names IMO. I am not crazy about Giordono's. Same Aurelio's here in the South... Sauce too dark and too sweet Go to Gibsons and have one of these: Ooooh! Now you done it Nanker! YUM! I take you are off the hominy diet! ;-) ;-) Oh... If you you like Greek food... Hit South Halsted and Greek Town... Edited July 21, 2013 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 Go to Gibsons and have one of these: That is a piece of moo.... Wow. Now I am lusting for some good dry aged beef. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 That is a piece of moo.... Wow. Now I am lusting for some good dry aged beef. Don't forget to take out a second mortgage... ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Don't forget to take out a second mortgage... ;-) was just about to ask what the cost is. Peter Lugers is my favorite steak of all time if money is no object. For inexpensive great steak, the Bone in Ribeye at Texas Roadhouse is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garion Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 I love a Chicago style dog in Chicago. I generally don't love dogs except for white hots but that's a good style dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 I don't know about anyone else, but all I got from the original post in here is that Buffalo Bill enjoys Chicago Tube Meat............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Portillo's is the best for Chicago style hots and Italian beef sandwiches. I like both of those, but don't get to ShoeKaGo much now. They opened a Portillos here in SoCal, and a friend of mine from Chicago raved so we headed out there one afternoon, and that was some damn good eating. Their beef/sausage combo sandwich with sweet peppers is virtually 'last-meal' worthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted July 22, 2013 Author Share Posted July 22, 2013 I don't know about anyone else, but all I got from the original post in here is that Buffalo Bill enjoys Chicago Tube Meat............. Hey I should ban you for that ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Go to Gibsons and have one of these: I've been to Gibsons! Best $70 dollar steak I have ever eaten. Way better than Ruth's Chris and a few other high end steak joints I've visited. When I was there, the cast from Oceans 11 was having a private party. They were shooting a few scenes in Chicago that week. Was pretty neat to see Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia, and a few other celebs. To interject on the "tube steak" discussion, Hot Doug's is the heavyweight world champion (IMO) of tube shaped meats on a roll. Also, their French fries cooked in duck fat are incredible. Try the fois gras dog if you're ever lucky enough to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Don't forget to take out a second mortgage... ;-) Those places are for when the company's paying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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