Thursday, February 4, 2010

Houston - Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich Shop

I was watching "The Secret of Pizza" on the Food Network one Saturday after the first of the year and realized I didn't know or ever thought about the difference between thick-crust and Chicago deep-dish pizza. After that episode, I had learned something new.

Thick crust is thick. Period. But Chicago deep-dish pizza starts out with a pizza dough pressed down and up the sides of a round heavy pan with probably a 2-3" raised rim. The segment on television next showed a thick layer of cheese placed right on the dough which then went into the oven. After however many minutes, the pizza was brought out, topped with vegetables, meats, more cheese and then sent back into the oven. Now I knew the difference between thick-crust and deep-dish pizza.

We were going to see the Aeroes play the next day so Rich did some quick internet research and found where we could sample a Chicago-deep dish pizza before the hockey game. Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich Shop is in a small and sort of dilapidated strip center in the 1700 block of Airline between W. Cavalcade & North Main. The restaurant (and the strip center) looked like it had been there since the 60's, if not earlier. The first thing I noticed as we walked in was a chalkboard near the order line which read "Whole Roasted Pig, Order In Advance." No problem, I thought, since I've only experienced a whole roasted pig on one occasion and decided it's not my thing. I love ham, bacon, all kinds of pork, I just can't handle the idea of picking meat off a roasted carcass. I know this is a delicacy and very much a tradition in some cultures which I honor, I just can't eat pork that way.

The restaurant was simple with a friendly wait-staff who informed us the deep dish pizza could take as long as 30-45 minutes, which was okay since there were several mounted plasma TV screens around and the Texans were playing New England for their first play-off spot. The extended time also gave me a chance to study the extensive menu and the memorabilia on the walls, which as expected, was rich in Chicago history.

As I said, the menu was extensive with a wide variety of selections that would take some time to decide what to order unless you already knew, like we did. Otherwise you'd be drumming your fingers against your chin trying to decide between gyros, fish tacos, wings, po-boys, burgers, pizza, hot and cold sandwiches, or hot dogs, etc. I felt a little bad for Rich. He was born and raised northwest of Chicago and adores Italian Beef sandwiches. As much as I know he'd have loved Italian Beef, he was a good sport and stuck to the plan...Chicago deep-dish pizza.

The restaurant wasn't very crowded (cold & rainy mid-Sunday afternoon) and the pizza didn't take as long as was promised. After several bites I realized this pizza was different from the one I had seen made on the "Secret of Pizza" segment. Instead of cheese layered over the dough, this pizza started out with a pizza/tomato sauce, then the vegetables, then the cheese. This pizza was warm, gooey and very filling. Small dollups of the pizza/tomato sauce were dropped on top of the pizza which I think could have been omitted and the cheese layer first over the dough might have kept the bottom crust from being soggy. But all in all, it was a good first Chicago deep-dish pizza experience. Especially since the Texans beat the Patriots which had me on cloud nine until the Jets got the crap kicked out of them later that night. So long playoffs...

www.chicagoitalianbeef.org

Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich Shop warrants another trip for us. I'd like to try either the po-boys or the fish tacos. And I know, without a doubt, Rich will be having the Italian Beef.

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