Turk's Beef & Sausage

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

I had to take a little break from the Beef Bus since I was back and forth some places this summer and time didn't allow me to jump on it and ride. Well were riding again and today we head out to the Southwest suburbs to Orland Park to taste Turk's Italian Beef & Sausage. I actually went here last winter and have a just been backlogged in posts. However like always I recorded the score in my cell phone and saved it so there would be no forgetting. So with that, welcome back. You can expect a monthly flow of posts over at What's Your Beef? on this country's greatest regional sandwich variation.


Located in the Chicago suburb of Orland Park, IL

I had been told about Turk's from various family members and other friends who live or lived out in the area and I got to try it when I was out there with one of them. Turk's has a pretty good reputation and is one of the favorites of the locals so I had some nice hop that it would be another better than good beef to be found out South. I went with my usual of a beef with hot and dove right in to what was a heavily stuffed beef sandwich bigger than most spots. I could see why this is a neighborhood favorite and I enjoyed my beef with hot and would easily have been back if I was from the area. The only thing that I thought was average about it was the gravy which wasn't as flavorful as some other stands around Chicagoland. The beef was thinly sliced and dissolved on your tongue while the hot peppers and bread were also above average and nice.


Beef with hot from Turk's

Rating Scale 5/5

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

Score: 15/20

Turk's Italian Beef & Sausage
14600 South La Grange Rd
Orland Park, IL 60462
(708) 403-6517

The Original Roma

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

Our next stop on the Beef bus is to the Original Roma located out there in Norwood Park. Its not to be confused with Roma's Beef in Portage Park which I will get to one day. I hadn't been to either or since my days of working for the Sheriffs department over summer break. The Original Roma as it called was actually closed for repair or whatever for a while and one day when I cruised past it on Milwaukee ave en route home I saw it was back open and stop in so it could get its score over here at Whats Your Beef?


Located in Chicago's Norwood Park neighborhood

Since it closed and reopened Roma's has done some changes to the menu and they now also carry pizza. I decided to give a slice a try along with my beef with hot and prepared to take my mental notes. The pizza was ok if anything bordering around the not so good line. The sausage was really good however but this is the case on most pizzas in Chicago.


Slice of Sausage from the Original Roma's

It wasn't pizza that brought me in here though, it was the Italian beef. I remembered thinking Roma was good but not great back in the day and so it was time to see if that had changed or not. Immediately upon unwrapping my beef I noticed the giardiniera looked like the pickled carrot and jalapeno tray they put tableside at alot of Mexican restaurants. It wasn't too appealing to see these huge pieces of carrot chips in their hot pepper blend. The beef itself wasn't bad at all and described by me right then and there as good but not great but it was the best part of this sandwich. The bread and gravy were in the pretty good range. All in all the sandwich was ok but the peppers did it in for me. I didn't like theirs at all. Huge pieces of celery and large carrot chips.


Beef with hot from The Original Roma

Rating Scale 5/5

beef: 4
bread: 4
gravy: 3
hot peppers: 1

Score: 12/20

The Original Roma
6161 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60646-3804
(773) 594-2885

fRedhots

-In Chicago: Every Dog Has it's Day

Today's stop on the Chicagoland food tour is to a place that could fit into alot of the featured series' here on S'C'&C. fRedhots is a spot that opened up in the last five years or so and in that time has made quite a name for itself. Located in Glenview the name comes from the owner, Fred, who started his high class fast food shop due to his passion for the food. Fredhots is a place that cares greatly about the food it serves and the customers who eat it. It falls into the "high class fast food" cuisine that Chicago is so well known for. While many people might consider it a knockoff of Hot Doug's, it is anything but. Yes fRedhots does have many specialty sausages on the menu but also oh so much more. It's more like a really good burger/dog/sandwich joint that also has some interesting specialty sausages.


an instant classic in Glenview

I don't even know where to start when it comes to fRedhots so I'll just start out with the fact its one of those places you can bring the entire family too. Grandma and Grandpa on to the youngest child down will all find something they enjoy on the impressive menu over there. You can expect all the usual suspects like Chicago style Hot Dogs, Polish Sausage and good old fashioned char grilled burgers along with fresh cut fries and also Italian Beef but there's alot more. Another popular go to on the menu board are the specialty sausages. Popular examples include the gyros sausage which is like eating a gyro in tube form and the Wild Game Sausage which varies on the specials board. One of the specials during Christmas time is the reindeer sausage. It doesn't matter what you get as your main course your going to want some fries to go with it, or Belgian potato frites as their known at fRedhots. The fries are 5 star worthy and come with a dipping sauce that come in a range of flavors. Some of my favorite dipping sauces are the Spicy Aioili and the Filipino banana pepper.They also have a dipping sauce flavor of the day.


fRedhots excellent french fries

It doesn't end with just the dipping sauces when it comes for ways to pimp out your fries. Here we have one of the many great specials you can find on that aforementioned board. The "Western fries" as they are called include little pieces of debris (fallen from the roasted beef) that is thrown on top of Fred's fresh made fries along with some BBQ sauce and cheese. Its a rich tasting batch of goodness, especially the bottom fries.


Fries with "debris" BBQ sauce and Cheese

Everybody has their go to item at Fredhots and for me that is the debris sandwich. It's similar to the Italian Beef but more like a roast beef po' boy. It was specifically made with the po' boy served at Mother's. Fred takes the "debris" from the beef roasts made for Italian beef which is just all the little pieces that fell off during its long cooking. The little shredded pieces of beef go on a roll that holds the juicy debris well and comes topped with lettuce, tomato and mayo. I like to add onions and extra pickles to mine. The sandwich is one of my favorites anywhere. Since this beauty was thrown onto the permanent menu I've had a hard time further exploring it.


Fred's Debris Po' Boy

However its a must to always peek at the specials board located to the right of you when your ordering. On one visit Fred had a Cuban burger available for order. Fred took the basis for a Cuban sandwich minus the pork (ham, roasted pork*, mustard, Swiss cheese and pickles) and threw a burger patty in there. As someone who has a love for a great Cuban sandwich, it was something I knew was going to be good as soon as I saw it. Well I wasn't wrong.

*They skipped the roasted pork part on the burger, good nonetheless.


Pressed Cuban Burger from fRedhots

I've had quite a few good sandwiches from Fred's and the sammy's might be the places strongest point. Over at Fred's there are no short cuts taken and that includes his Italian Beef. Fred's makes the beef in house and a sign in the spots reads "Our famous Italian beef is the best you will ever taste-Guaranteed" Well I'm a fan but its not the best. What I enjoyed greatly about the IB was the almost roast beefy like French dip feel from it, it tasted more like a pot roast sandwich than a beef but its still da bomb. I enjoy the heavy pepper addition. There's always a good a good sammy on the specials board.


Chicken Club Sandwich


Click HERE to see how their beef rated against others

But you know what? no matter how many progressive menu items this hot dog stand offers, they still gotta make a good dog if they wanna stick around. Well I got a feeling their going to be around for a while. The Fredhot aka a Chicago Style hot dog is one of Chicagolands best example of this style. Even though it actually includes ketchup, although I think they ask, that's still a sin. But we all can have our sins forgiven 'cause the fRedhot is a heavenly hot dog for what it is. Minus the ketchup its an authentic and excellent example of the more well known Chicago style hot dog. The people of Glenview and the surrounding suburbs are lucky to have a spot that cares so much about the product taste and customers of this all star hot dog stand.


a fRedhot aka Chicago style hot dog

fRedhots & Fries
1707 Chestnut Avenue
Glenview, IL 60025
(847) 657-9200
Website

Italian Beef from Portillo's

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

The next stop on the beef bus is to a place known to many. I'm not one to hate on Portillo's despite their fast food status. The truth of the matter is that Portillo's is a fine example of the American dream and a result of what can happen if one works hard. Odds are if you've visited Chicago then you heard of or stopped into Portillo's downtown for one of their famous hot dogs and or many other menu items including beef. What originally started off as a shack on North ave in Villa Park, IL is now a monster in the food game with almost 50 locations in Chicagoland. Its a spot I loved as a kid and whenever I was running around downtown with friends we would eat at the location on Clark street to eat. My order back then was always a dog with everything and a beef with hot. Not much has changed these days except I don't get there as much as I used to and now I always get a chili cheese dog and an Italian beef to go with it. I also always get these in the drive thru nowadays too.


The best drive thru beef in the city


Portillo's Menu

One reason I have always had a great deal of respect for Portillo's other than just their quality despite being a fast food place was also their consistency. Over the years I have had beefs from different locations and they always seem to be the exact same as the others. I also respect a place that can go thru so much beef like they do and continue to put out an acceptable product. If anyone is telling you Portillo's has the best either or well then they just haven't been around or simply aren't from here. However if someone, such as myself, tells you that they have good examples of each (dogs and beef) and its better than some spots and not as good as others, well that's the truth of it. I find that everything from the bread to the beef and the gravy and peppers to be better than average but not great. When put together as a whole its a well made Italian beef sandwich and easily one of the best in the downtown area. Its nice that they are also throughout Chicagoland and are always a good option for a quick drive thru meal. Much better than BK, Wendy's, Subway, Taco Bell, McD's etc...Just another reason Chicago is fast food king.


beef with hot from Portillo's

Rating Scale 5/5

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

Score: 15/20

Portillo's
100 W Ontario
Chicago, IL
(312) 587-8910
Website

locations throughout Chicagoland

Captain Nemo's for a Beef with Hot

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

Captain Nemo's has been serving sandwiches and soup to the people of Chicago since 1971. The original location is the Rogers Park store which is still open but I have been visiting the Lakeview location on Ashland since my early youth. It was a frequent stop after basketball and football games and its always been in my rotation for a few visits a year since. I'm not sure much has changed at Nemo's except the prices. Its been the same since the early 90's as far as both the food and the interior go. Each booth has a wooden painting attached to the backrest. Each booth has different famous people of the time eating a Captain Nemo's Sub. When I was younger I always sat in the booth with the Chicago athletes. I think maybe once or twice I might of ordered an actual sandwich from there because I knew the beef was legit the first time I tried it and that was the first thing I tried. Whats even more amazing is that the taste and ingredients used to make it havent changed a bit.


familiar sign along Ashland in the Lakeview neighborhood


Hey! Ozzie is still in town and so is Nemo's

Captain Nemo's is a great beef during the winter months. As soon as you walk in they offer you a free small cup of the days soups before taking your order. Its always been that way and always makes me order a combo which is a sandwich, soup and drink. I would highly recommend the combo, beef for your sandwich with their split pea soup. Its a great deal, one of the best in the city. The Italian beef definitely has a strong roast beef flavor, more so than most other beefs I have had. It's homemade and is also sliced a little thicker than most places so that also makes it very close to a warm sliced roast beef sandwich in gravy. But the gravy is its strongest element and much better than many other places around town. Just like any other beef joint I have had really good beefs from there and on a few occasions just OK ones. But when the beef is fresh and fall apart tender in the peppery spiced gravy its a great beef and one I get a few times each winter. Its a great takeout beef because the bread holds together the sandwich and they know how to wrap one up right. Wrapping beef in aluminum foil is a complete no no.


Nemo's has always had the stickers and wrapped it right


beef with hot from Captain Nemo's

Rating Scale 5/5

beef: 4 (when on)
bread: 3
gravy: 4
hot peppers: 3

Score: 14/20

Captain Nemo's Subs & Soups

3650 N Ashland Ave

Chicago, IL 60613

Get Directions

(773) 929-7687
Website

Nottoli Italian Foods

-Chicago's Italian Grocers

Its a new year and there are new specials to come with it. Like stops to all the great family run (by multiple generations) neighborhood Italian grocery stores and delis. I am very excited to post about one of my favorite market/deli/sandwich shops in Chicago as the inaugural place in this new series. Located on Harlem ave in Norwood Park, Nottoli Italian Foods is one of Chicago's best little Italian grocery stores with some of the city's best Italian sausage and maker of some mighty fine prepared foods too. The hell with trying to come up with words to describe this places goodness. I'm going to take you on a photographic tour of this small family run Italian grocery store that's been around since the 50's.


In Chicago's Norwood Park neighborhood


Nottoli does both groceries and already made prepared foods


The Hungry Hound named Nottoli the best meatball sammy in Chi

Even though Nottoli isn't too close to my place I still get over there pretty often. Its a spot where I can pick up groceries for the fridge and pantry both perishable and non along with their excellent homemade Italian sausage as well as prepared sandwiches both hot and cold. If you need some produce to go with any Italian meal you may be cooking they should have it over there as well as most of the other ingredients your meal calls for. If your not feeling like making dinner and don't want to settle for fast food, well they have food that's homemade and heats up nice and fast. Such dinners include spaghetti, ravioli, gnocchi deli sandwiches etc...Stock your fridge up by stopping at the deli counter in back and getting fresh sliced meats for sandwiches and pastas and other specialty's of theirs.


If you don't make your own, you aint a real Chicago Italian grocer


Prepared meals for later, dried sausage and fresh cheese is available


No matter how much you need, they got bricks for sale


A favorite back in the Old Country


Fresh sliced deli meats, prepared pastas and everything else you need...


...like some of my favorite hot Italian sausage, made fresh daily


Bottled Italian sodas and marinated everything is also packed in the two aisles


Such as marinated eggplant and artichoke hearts as well as olives


Despite being a tiny little grocer they pack the place and the shelves

On any given day you could find something made fresh in house and available to go and heated if you want it to be. I will usually by a piece of lasagna when they have it in the cooler display in back with the deli meats and sausage.


As seen above, homemade lasagna served in the deli by the lb


I could eat here 7 days a week and not have anything twice in a month

-The Sammy's of Chi


Nottoli's sandwich menu and deli meats to the far right

You'll notice most people stopping in immediately head to the back to make a sandwich order. Nottoli makes their own Italian roast beef and its available hot as an Italian beef or with their sausage as a combo and also cold by the pound and in a roast beef sub sandwich. When you place your order they will slice the meat fresh for you regardless of how your eating it. The little kitchen in the back pumps out some amazing old school family recipes including the extra hot Italian sausage available for home on the grill and in a hot sandwich to there. The man who you might commonly find staring at you while eating around Chicago food stops calls Nottoli's meatball sandwich the best in the city and its a very good one indeed and of course made with the old family meatball recipe.


Nottoli's Homemade Italian Beef in the slicer


Available hot as a sandwich or to take home and make IB's at your house


sliced fresh and extra thin upon ordering (gravy free with 1 lb purchase)


Nottoli's Homemade Hot Italian Sausage grilled in my yard


A made at home combo sandwich using Nottoli homemade beef and sausage


Nottoli's Meatball sandwich

I'm an Italian sub type of guy when it comes to my cold cut sandwiches. The folks over at Nottoli do up a might fine Italian that always comes out perfectly made and satisfyingly delicious. However the Italian roast beef is one their specialty's in my books and this is my go to spot for a cold roast beef sandwich when the hankering comes a calling. Its the same great beef used in the Italian beef sliced fresh and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, provolone, oil and their homemade giardiniera. The family has been providing the neighborhood with their services for decades now. It has always been a popular stop for Bears fans heading down to the lake to tailgate as well as anybody looking to serve up some amazing food at their party. With conference championship week ahead and the Super Bowl coming next month Nottoli is a great place to keep in mind for any future events that you might need to pick up food and groceries for. No ones going to be pissed about the outcome of the food.


Italian Sub Sandwich


Roast Beef Sub Sandwich


The best roast beef sub in the city


Nottoli's does everything up good...check it out

Nottoli Italian Foods
5025 North Harlem Avenue
Chicago, IL 60656-3501
(773) 631-0662

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

Jimmy's Place

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

Its a special month for the people of Arlington Height's and the lifelong patrons of Jimmy's Place. Its this September that Jimmy's celebrates its 50th anniversary. The only way to describe Jimmy's place located on Northwest Highway in the Northwest suburbs is a world class grease dive. I actually got to try Jimmy's for the 1st time ever last week and just loved it. Stepping into this bar/fast food joint is like stepping back in time because nothing has changed. Upon your entry you are greeted by a dark room with a bar with a some regulars drinking and some old TV's showing the games and there's also tables for food patrons. On the walls are a bunch of Jimmy'd memorabilia and newspaper clippings from thru the years highlighting their excellent hot dogs and Italian beefs. Its been all in the family for three generations now.


Everything is old School over there

On top of all that, its been the same bartender and food prep people going on 30+ years so when I say nothing has changed I mean it in every sense. Same atmosphere, same beer, same people, same food. Same as it ever was or so I'm told anyways and I can see why. We were greeted by the lady who had been there 30+ and she was very alive if you know what I mean. I did the ordering so my buddy said he "was fine" when she asked what he needed. Lets just say she told him that she was just fine too. It was all in good fun because obviously they knew we were new. It was really easy to feel that this was a classic Chicago hot dog and beef kind of joint. The dogs are served up somewhat Chicago style minus the poppy seed bun and were a real winner if your in the area and craving yourself a hot dog. Guess what? for the month of September they will be rolling back the prices on the hot digs to the price when they first opened.


Jimmy's Place always gets love when best dog in Chicago is discussed

The hot dog was very good but it was the beef that I came here for. Its very rare that I just randomly drive by a beef joint that's been open for fifty years and I've never been to it let alone heard of it. So it was a special day and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I guess I wasn't expecting all that much because I was shocked at the old school taste of Jimmy's Italian beef. It reminded me of the beefs i used to eat as a kid from the places that are long gone. I especially liked the gravy which was seasoned very well and took me back to a time when everyone made their own beef and didn't order it pre-sliced from one of the many distributors of it these days. It really tasted like a beef I hadn't had in over ten years. The meat was tender and the peppers were average and served on the side even when ordering a beef with hot. So that was its only blemish and I would give it my signature of approval any day of the week should you be in the Arlington Height's area near Jimmy's Place.


beef with hot from Jimmy's Place

Rating Scale 5/5

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

Score: 15/20

Jimmy's Place
640 W Northwest Hwy
Arlington Hts, IL 60004
(847) 398-9783