A few thoughts on this New York Times piece on the multiculturalization of Chicago’s Italian beef sandwich:
- I love living in an area that has Korean-Polish delis and a 1950s-style diner that serves halal meat.
- I am intrigued by Kasama’s version of “Italian beef” with thinly sliced adobo meat, longanisa, and giardianera. But I won’t try it until I’ve tried their combo longanisa/tocino combo breakfast.
- Portillo’s is not the best Italian beef in the area. Not by a longshot. (Chris converted me months ago to the cult of Johnnie’s Beef in Elmwood Park, but Buona is good, too.) But I’m not as fussy about such things, and I’ll tolerate it more than Chris does.
- I love how protective Chicagoans are about their food.
- All that said, the sandwich purists really need to get a grip.