Five More Sandwiches (Part 2)

-The Sammy's of Chi

Did you know that National Sandwich Day is November 3rd? So in honor of this bizarre food holiday (does every food have its own day?) I thought we'd get another post from the S'C'&C series "Five More Sandwiches" You can click HERE for the last series of sandwiches. We go and get a different sammy from five different spots previously featured on my site. I find myself going to these five featured spots often which is why I have new pics of eats not seen in the previous threads. So here we go again, five more sandwiches from places already featured here on S'C&C wit Da King. Click the link mentioning the spot to see the previous post on that particular place. A Happy Sandwich Day to all.


We revisit these five spots already seen on here for more good eat Sammy's
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El Cubanito

I lived in Tampa back during my first year of college and developed a deep love for its regional locals favorite foods. The most popular being all the little tiny Cuban cafe/sandwich shops throughout the area. Not only do these places have great food and coffee but they are also always full of energy and there will always be people just chilling and talking about whatever the days topics are. Whenever I want that mixed in with a great sandwich, El Cubanito is my spot. The little shack on Pulaski just past Wrightwood is one of the best sandwich shops in the city. It was jam packed on my last visit with the dude slanging the bootlegged movies inside and taking up half the space. I went with their newest available sandwich, a tripleta. This style of sandwich which means "three meats" is popular in the Latin American influenced Caribbean countries. Very good and quite the bang for your buck ($6). It was like a Cuban stir fry on bread. Next time I'll try one with eggs.


Tripleta sandwich: steak, ham and chicken...damn!
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Toons Bar & Grill

What else can I say about Toons? It's one of the very best neighborhood bar and grills in a city filled with them. However despite there being so many it seems that these spots are always lacking something or another. If they have good beer and food, the TV's might suck or vice versa, its always something. Not at Toons where the beer is abundant in selection and always cold and the games will be on, if yours isn't, ask and it will be. Then you top all that off with the food being great, bar food at its best. Since this spot is one of my hangouts and I love doing so I've ripped thru the menu but there's always something new or on special on the hand written menu of the days specials. Alot of these times the food specials will be mouth watering sandwich creations like the Georgia Reuben seen below. They take some house smoked turkey meat and pile it on some toasted rye bread and cook it up with some Swiss cheese and sauerkraut and comes with their fantastic fresh cut fries. Just add some bacon and you will be a happy camper.


Toons Georgia Reuben sandwich
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Tony's Submarine

I originally tried this popular Northshore sandwich spot after reading about how it was one of Chicago's premiere chefs, favorite spots for a Italian beef. The beef was good as seen in my post on Tony's over at "What's Your Beef?" I've been back a few times since my initial visit and on one of my stops I tried their number one seller the Italian. It was a sandwich I was able to eat but I didn't like the fact they pack the meats for the sandwich beforehand in individual bags. It made the meat which was all clamped together into one slide out from the bread. I would get the Italian beef on my future visits.


Tony's Italian sub
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Athenian Room

This is another spot I frequent quite often since its connected to another one of my local drinking hangouts. I've also been eating here since I was a kid and have been thru the entire menu more than a few times. In fact this is the third separate post I have made on the AR since my site started. The feta burger and gyros have already been featured. I go through different ordering phases from this place and of late I've been on the chicken kebab sandwich with cheese. Its a little lighter than some of their other selections and every bit as satisfying.


Chicken kebab sandwich with cheese from Athenian Room
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Chicago's Legendary Maxwell st. Polish Stands

Chicago's famous combo sandwich now has a brother. I came up with this one night when I wanted the best of both stands. You see I love both the Polishes and pork chop sandwiches at both Jim's and Express. I like the all beef Polish from Jim's Original a little more and I like the pork chop sandwich from Express Grill a little better than the others. So why not have the best of both worlds?

Introducing: Da Combo Part II

Directions

-Take an all beef Polish sausage with everything from Jim's Original ( My pref. for a Polish) and a pork chop sandwich with everything from Express Grill (My pref. for a pork chop) and remove the bottom bun from the pork chop and place the chop on top of the Polish and eat. Follow with a package of Rolaids and sleep.

Note: beware of the bone in da chop and watch your teeth.


The combo: a second coming
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El Cubanito
2555 North Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60639-2115
(773) 235-2555

Toons Bar & Grill
3857 North Southport Avenue
Chicago, IL 60613-2823
(773) 935-1919

Tony's Submarine
1480 Waukegan Rd
Deerfield, IL 60015
(847) 940-7352

Athenian Room
807 W Webster Ave
Chicago, IL 60614-3628
(773) 348-5155

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

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

Brown's Chicken & Pasta

Regional Fast Food
-Chicagoland's Fried Chicken franchise

Brown's Chicken and Pasta was recently sold off at auction to a former exec. The fried chicken franchise known by most people in Chicagoland (and many throughout the country, though for different reasons) has had a storied past to say the least. It was sold for just over half a million and the company has 38 locations two of which are owned by them and the rest franchised. I decided to get at this post today since I saw a free coupon for an order of their famous fried mushrooms on the cover of this past Sunday's Chicago Tribune and also since they are starting over yet again. Of course it will always be hard to escape that cold winter day back in 1993 in Palatine, IL when the Brown's Chicken Massacre took place. It was a horrific story and one that captured national media attention from the day it happened in '93, up until the killer was finally found in '02 and then sentenced to life in prison in 2007. Whenever I hear the name Brown's Chicken I cant help but think of the murders and the same goes for Palatine. But I am posting because I like Brown's Chicken and am always tempted to stop for some of it if not most definitely the mushrooms.


Location in Skokie, IL

Birthplace: Chicago, IL
Type: Franchised
Founded in: 1964
How Many Today: About 40
Locations in: IL, IN
Menu item that made them: Fried Chicken

The companies history as told by me

Originally founded by John Brown and Frank Portillo in Chicago they had expanded to many locations by the 70's. After nice start up success they added pasta to the menu in the 80's and also added it to the name. The 90's were tough with the massacre and then they tried to rebuild their image after that and added a "Chicago way" part to the menu that included Chicago fast food favorites like Italian beef and hot dogs. Frank Portillo is a brother of Dick Portillo who is the founder of the famous Chicagoland Portillo's restaurants. At some point there was a battle between its owners and it went bankrupt and and were sold earlier this month. The new owner was quoted on his purchase saying “Brown’s is an iconic, Chicago-based brand that we feel can be brought back and be everything it was and more, if done right, We’re focused on doing the right steps to stabilize and maintain the company.” I think he's right and if handled properly this is a nice purchase for what they got it at. Just don't change a damn thing with the fried mushrooms. Got it? Good.


Brown's famous fried mushrooms...my favorite app. in fast food

I have always been a fan of Brown's and used to get it as a kid when there was one in my vicinity that I could get too on my bike. But then after the murders they kind of disappeared for a while and then made a comeback when they added the beef, hot dogs and stuff and more of them started popping up again. But just like any franchised place it all depends on how each location is run. It was probably close to a decade in between visits for me but I like Brown's alot when the location is ran right. When the chicken is hot out the fryer it's some of the best in fast food chicken right there with Popeye's for me and way way better than KFC. Their slogan is "It tastes better" and it really does. But it's those magical mushrooms that keep me coming back since my first visit in forever a year or two back. They take fresh never frozen 'shrooms which are batter dipped and fried to a perfect golden brown. I pop them like popcorn, cant get enough. I'll even get some of the mostaccioli with a meatball or two when I'm hungry. Different locations can have slightly varying menus with stuff like livers and gizzards available at some stops. Don't let what that nut job did stop you from getting some fried chicken that just tastes better. Simple as that.


Brown's fried chicken

Click HERE for the company website.

Bill's Pizza Pub

-The other Chicago-style pizza: Tavern Style

It was last summer that I visited Bill's Pizza Pub in Mundelein. In an area (Chicagoland) rich with tavern pizza joints, most of which are from the 50's, I was excited to experience Bill's and taste what many longtime fans call the best pizza in Chicagoland. Its the perfect place for both a family night out and a guy's (and girls too!) night out and its been this way since 1957.


a locals favorite in Mundelein, IL

Bill's doubles as a family restaurant and tavern with its Northwoods feel inside the large building it sits in. They have plenty of room and a gaming section for the kids and a long bar with all the sports action on the TV's for adults. The beer is ice cold and served in frosted mugs and peanuts are a part of the place. You see they have baskets of them at every table, all along the bar and in the video game rooms too. You just grab some, eat them and throw the shells wherever the hell you want. It's always been like that. I love places like Bill's that don't let traditions like these die and why don't more bars serve peanuts? I love them when watching the game and the more of them I eat, the more beers follow.


Tradition carries on at Bill's

I visited here with my guy who like myself grew up on tavern style Chicago thin crust and we loved everything about the place upon entering and I myself had a good feeling before we even took a seat. I felt like I was up in the Northwoods of Wisconsin and I guess that to some people of Chicago, Mundelein might as well be. Bill's was started by Bill and his wife as teenagers in '57. The original location was a one time garage. It's still all in the family and they use use the same recipe from when they started. So we grabbed a booth and took a look at the menu while chomping away on some peanuts. I took a little video shot of the inside area at Bill's which can be seen below. Really cool interior at this place.


View from a booth at Bill's


Video view inside Bill's Pizza Pub

The menu's main draw is obviously the pizza but they also have appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, soups and salads. We knew what we were there for and didn't waste anytime ordering some beers from the tap and a large thin crust sausage pizza. Within a minute or so she was back with our frosted and filled mugs and shortly thereafter our pie arrived.


Large thin crust sausage from Bill's Pizza Pub

It was the sign of good things to come when the waitress put our pizza down on the table and the strong aroma of a freshly baked pie filled the booth. As always I let it cool down so I didn't burn the roof of my mouth and after a couple minutes I shook on my red pepper flakes and oregano. I was really impressed with this pizza and had no problem eating my entire half in my sitting. I thought that its biggest strength was the oregano seasoning that came on it baked into the pie as seen in the pic above.


a piece of tavern style thin from Bill's

The sausage was very nice just like it is at all tavern pizza places and the cheese was a little more abundant than most spots I've been too. It was nice that they didn't skimp on the well seasoned sauce either which would of let the cheese totally takeover. The crust was crunchy and it passed the crispiness test with a center piece staying straight when held up in the air. Bill's serves what I consider to be an excellent tavern style pizza pie. I haven't been back since my initial visit because I have not found myself in the area but I now realize I don't need a reason and its worth the drive. I will get back here soon and encourage anyone who hasn't been to do the same. For all of y'all that have been going here forever-you know whats up-if I may say.


Bill's pizza is good stuff indeed

Luckily for all the neighbors and those close to Bill's they also have a pickup garage where you can call in for pizza and or get hot dogs and other Chicago fast food stand items. I'm not sure if this is where the original Bill's stood but they have the old neon sign that must of lit up the street back in the 50's that still lights up today in front of the place. They also have a location (Bill's North) in Third Lake.


Old neon sign at the to-go garage

Rating Scale 5/5

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

Score: 17/20

Bill's Pizza Pub
624 S Lake St
Mundelein, IL 60060
(847) 566-5380
Website

Scudiero's Italian Bakery & Deli

-The Sammy's of Chi (land)

Over here at S'C'&C we like to give the much deserved praise to the family run joints that have consistently put out a good product. Today we head out to Melrose Park to a spot that's been around since the 50's. It all started in the 1930's in Serino, Italy when a third generation Italian baker was handed down the family bakery from his dad who got it from his dad. After the war he decided to move the family to America and in 1954 he opened his small Italian bakery in Melrose Park on Lake St. It was called Melrose Park Italian Bakery and they offered many specialty Italian products but it was his old world recipe from Italy for Italian bread that gave the place its place in Chicagoland restaurant history.


Melrose Park Italian Bakery aka Scudieros's via the 50's (Pic from Website)

Umbaldo Datoli passed away in 1969 and the bakery was taken over by his daughter. It was then in 1976 that her husband Joe would quit his job and help out with expanding the business. By 1978 they changed the name to Scudiero's Italian Bakery and Deli. The fresh baked Italian treats like an array of cookies as well as cannoli's are loved by everyone in the neighborhood from youngin's to old timers. Joe was a diehard baker and as the years went on Scudiero's continued to be a neighborhood favorite. So much so that they even stayed opened on Sundays so that people going to tailgate and having parties at their places for the Bears games would have his bread, subs and pizza for the game.


Scudiero's on Lake St. as it still stands today

The bakery went from just that to a hangout where people spent the day munching away and chatting up whatever was on their minds. The place was loved by everyone and the spot you went to if you wanted to run into an old neighborhood friend you haven't seen in years and was visited by 1000's and 1000's of people including the late great Frank Sinatra. They posted pictures covering the walls of customers and celebs holding a Scudiero's fresh baked bread bag of which they just bought. In 1998 the place went under a total remodeling and it is what it is today. It was a sad day when Joe passed away in 2007 but the place stayed all in the family and is run by two of Joe's six sons who happen to be twins. Anthony and Aldo, who is a fifth generation baker still use the same recipes that have been in the fam for over 150 years.


Pizza, Subs, Salads...it's all good


Sicilian style pizza is available as well as round individual pies


as well as salads, dried sausage and cheeses

I like it all at over there but what really keeps me coming back when in the 'hood is the Italian sub. As you might expect the bread on the subs at Scudiero's is excellent and always has the perfect texture and when paired with good quality meats, some addictive oils and seasonings as well as always being made to order it becomes an excellent sandwich.


Scudiero's Italian sub

I find myself in Melrose park a few times a month and I love stopping in here. You'll always see some old neighborhood guys chatting it up at a table with come coffee and cookies and the folks behind the counter are great people who will remember you when you come back. The prices are very fair and the quality always good. Its a great neighborhood joint that we should hope we never lose. It's the places like these that you just don't see too much of anymore. So here's a toast to Scudy's living on forever and staying all in the family in doing so. Cheers.


Get in my mouth!

Scudiero Italian Bakery
2113 W Lake St
Melrose Park, IL 60160-3618
(708) 343-2976
Website

Chick-fil-A

Regional Fast Food
-Finally! Chicagoland gets a Chick-fil-A

Most everyone already knows that the Chicagoland area is now the home to a Chick fil A. The first store to open in the area is in Aurora with another opening in Orland Park next month and then the city gets its first in the fall of 2011 when a location open in Lincoln Park. It's said the company is scouting a third location along Michigan ave or in the Water Tower and they will hope to have a dozen in the area within the next five years. Until the opening of these recent ones the closest locations were in Racine, WI and South Bend, IN. To give you an idea of peoples passion for Chick fil A you can click HERE and check out video of people camping out at the Aurora location so they can have free chicken sandwiches for a year (a promotion they run).


Location in South Bend, IN

Birthplace: Atlanta, GA
Type: Private
Founded in: First Chick fil A opened in 1967
How Many Today: Over 800 units
Locations in: Most American states
Menu item that made them: The Chicken Sandwich
My personal take: If you get to an actual store (not a unit at the mall, hospital, food court etc..) the chicken sandwiches are great and the chicken biscuits served in the morning are my favorite fast food item.

The companies history according to its website

Click HERE to find out (their site wouldn't let me copy it).

My Take

I've been waiting for Chick Fil A to make its way around my parts for a while now. Even though I am a little freaked out by their religious obsession I cant say their chicken sandwiches arent great fast food. They have the right model in that they pick something (chicken) and they do it well. No burgers or non chicken choices on the menu. They have a chicken sandwich and it comes on a biscuit in the morning and a bun in the afternoon. You can get a few other choices in chicken form which include chargrilled sandwiches and salads and wraps, strips and nuggets which are all made fresh. The iced tea is also brewed fresh daily and really refreshing and when the peach shakes are on the menu they are must get, one of the best shakes from anywhere.


Chicken nuggets are the best in fast food

If I'm traveling a major interstate or I'm stuck in chainland USA I have no problem taking my ass to Chick fil A. I think that their original chicken sandwich (with mayo and pickles) is better than most fried chicken sandwiches I have had. The fries are waffle style and nothing special in my book but people love them. They also offer it served deluxe with lettuce and tomato which I tried once (when I took these pics) and never again. You gotta get it traditional and its my observation that the full restaurants/drive thru's like the one seen above are better than the units in mall food courts and places like that. One reason is they serve breakfast at the big locations and not at all of the smaller units. The chicken biscuit available in the morning is my favorite fast food item and something I want regularly. Its just awesome and I haven't found anything like it anywhere else. I'm not a big fast food eater but I stop when I see a Chick fil A.


Chick fil A deluxe chicken sandwich (get it traditional, better than deluxe)

Click HERE for IL locations.

Patty's Diner

-The Sammy's of Chi

Its been a while since we had breakfast here at S'C'&C but with the colder months ahead I thought I'd share one of my favorite spots for it. Its the perfect example of the "don't judge a book by its cover" saying because from the outside it looks like nothing much, nor does it look like much inside, but its whats going on in the kitchen space over at Patty's Diner that makes it so special. Run by Patty and her sisters they are the tag team of breakfast champions. They might not always have a smile on their face (although service is always great) but they always cook with love and passion. Its not just no frills in looks and service but its also got the goin' on's of a classic American diner with its menu options and hours of operation which are for breakfast and lunch only. It's located in the Chicago suburb of Skokie. So many people just cruise on by and have no idea what they're missing out on but those in the know are all regulars.


a locals favorite in Skokie, IL

Patty is the woman behind the madness and does practically all of the cooking by herself. Its all in the family as her sisters wait tables and take care of the other needs around the restaurant. I call it madness because on a busy day you will walk in and choose to sit at the tables on one side or up at the bar on the other. I love sitting at the bar and watching Patty take to task order after order and not miss a beat. It looks like shes just running back and forth like a kid with ADD on Kool Aid but that's not the case, shes cooking her tail off to make sure you've had at least one amazing meal to chow down on the day you visit her.


There's always something good cooking over at Patty's

The menu at Patty's place is classic American diner fare. The stuff that used to be served everywhere way back in the day. I'm talking about all the breakfast regulars like pancakes along with eggs & bacon, corned beef hash that is made to order, creamed turkey with real mashed potatoes, hand-patted burgers. I'm talking the whole nine yards. In fact I can promise you will be seeing Patty's again here on chibbqking and that's because I love going there but I cant refrain from ordering the same item each and every time. There's only been a couple times when I didn't make the same order as I always do. If you see something on the menu that you are a big fan of, get it! It will be good. I've never heard feedback of the bad kind about Patty's Diner.


Biscuits & Gravy

Well when I was saying they take no shortcuts there I meant it in every sense. Too many places nowadays surpass doing it like they used to for quicker and cheaper ways of doing so. In the case of ham this practice is way too common. Barely any spots use real ham off the bone anymore when making dishes involving the southern favorite. If you sit at the stools while dining in you'll notice a big old hunk of ham to your left near the back which is the basis for any dish I order at Patty's. Ham is just one of those things that you gotta have the real way aka no cut up deli meats or anything pre-diced and lacking the deep in depth flavor real ham off the bone can have. If your a fan of ham then you really wanna check out Patty's and order one of her dishes that includes it.


Ham on the bone ready for cutting when needed

I'm not a big time breakfast eater but I do enjoy it when I get a chance to eat at a place like Patty's. I like a breakfast sandwich no matter what time of the day it is and just in case you didn't know, it is Patty's where you can find the best sandwich of this kind. I've had many breakfast sammy's during my days and none can come close to what Patty brings when the craving for a meat of choice, egg and cheese sandwich comes a calling. I have to have me a ham, egg and cheese pretty much every visit I make. They are that good. Its starts with the ham sliced fresh off the bone and crisped to perfect perfection and then they put an egg cooked to your desired doneness and melt some cheese and stuff it inside a glorious homemade bun that makes this sandwich one of the absolute best of any kind in Chicago and one of my all time favorites. Go check Patty and her sisters out and you'll become a regular in no time.


Ham, egg and cheese sandwich served on a heavenly bun...I'm drooling as I type this

Patty's Diner
3358 Main St. (just West of McCormick)
Skokie, IL 60076
(847) 675-4274

The Taste of Melrose Park

-Feastin' at locals favorite festivals

In a land where food and festivals are a plenty and thus food festivals are a weekly happening when its not winter there are too many too choose from. The list goes on and on but whenever I'm asked my favorite, some people are shocked to learn it is not the Taste of Chicago which has outgrown me but rather the Taste of Melrose Park. That's right the Western suburb long with a history of Italian Americans and now also the home to many Mexican Americans puts out Chicagolands best food fest. Its not hard to see why when you got those two ethnic culinary backgrounds prevalent in your area. Let me take you around the park during last years fest and suggest you make a real life appearance at it this years Taste of Melrose fiesta from September 3rd-5th, 2010.


The choices seem endless on food


Plenty of pasta for the people

The Taste of Melrose dates back to the 70's and features over 70 different food vendors except these arent restaurants or the same food stands you see at every festival. These are for the most part, families dishing out their recipes that have been around for generations. It makes for a unique festival with a few thousand people and plenty of hearty and wholesome divine food items to eat. Another great part to this festival are the prices. Everything runs from $2-$3 per item. Pictured below are some of my favorite items from the past and a few new ones I tried out last year. I always have to get the artichoke casserole and a fried bologna sandwich or two.


My favorite non meat dish out there, they've been here since the start


best part is the items go fast and thus they are always hot out the oven


Always a favorite of mine to eat


another new favorite non meat dish


zucchini stuffed with cream cheese


Maybe this might be my new non meat dish undisputed champ...


The most beautiful servers...


...and great pasta


Cant get enough


What beholds inside?


The best three bucks you'll spend this year


Baked stuffed clam


calamari


fried peperoni bread...great kids serving it up at this booth


The Silciliano's old fashioned fried bologna sandwich is a must get item


Scatchell's stuffed pepper sandwich


neckbones in gravy


Teriyaki steak on a stick

There is no doubt Mexican cuisine plays a major role in Melrose Park these days and there's a nice selection of it at the fest. Tacos, tamales and sugar treats are just a few of the items you'll find. Looking forward to trying more this year.


these tamales reminded me of the ones that made me love them


Whats a food fest without funnel cake?

But the star of the show each and every year are the Little Sister's of St. Charles and their amazing sfingi or Italian fried donuts. You will know where their booth is by where the biggest line is at. Don't you dare miss these treats or your belly and God himself will curse you to hell.


The best of the best and worth the trip alone. God Blessed y'all...


...and me with your fresh fried donuts


When hot out the fryer these are heavenly...

As always I saw quite a few characters and the whole squad on the grounds last year on opening night, but its the same as it ever was...best food fest in Chicagoland. You cant beat the free admission, the highest priced food item is $3, while everything else is $2 and the most expensive thing is the $4 Peroni's and 'Sconsin beer. I'm glad I made it back after a four year absence.

2010 Taste of Melrose Park

Sept. 3rd: 5p to 10p
Sept. 4th: Noon to 11p
Sept. 5th: noon to 11p

Buon appetito!