Al's beef question + West Suburban Italian Beef [+ Niles]

So what's going on with Al's Beef?

Tonight I drove past a new location opening in downtown Downers Grove. I've heard that they've been opening in several suburbs. Now I hear one is opening near I-88 in Warrenville.

Is Al's beef going the way of Pizzeria Uno? In my neck of the woods, good beef is hard to come by. (Portillo's or Buena Beef is the best I've found.) I think the area is in desperate need of a great Italian beef shop. I had high hopes from Al's beef, but now I'm worried that I'll be disappointed.

Does anyone have any insights?

Tim

al's is my life. i was going to the original al's before the circle campus was built. when they had the giardinara on the counter, and a combo was about $2.00. the restuaurant used to be on the other side of the counter where the prep kitchen is now. staffed entirely by old italian women... and chris, the owner. the taylor st. dukes were in the hood and you couldn't find a cappuccino for miles.

i can't vouch for the new ones in the burbs w/valet parking and fondue, but as far as i know, it's a franchise, so they get the recipe w/the payment. what they do w/it is entirely up to them. hopefully, since they're smart enough to want and buy it in the first place, they'll remain true to it. it would make sense in a perfect world. i don't know if they police it or not. i'm hoping they do. the only one i've been to besides the original is the one on onterio. i'd say it's nearly identical. save for the history, which makes the other my hands down favorite.

here's a little something i wrote for a book as an ode to al's a couple years ago:

Italian Beef

An homage to Al's on Taylor Street in Chicago,
which I grew up eating
dream of often
and go to immediately upon arrival back home.

To be eaten with Mario's Italian Ice,
from directly across
the street.

Over the years, I've gotten it down to a science.
You park @ Al's
walk across Taylor Street to Mario's
get your ice
walk back to Al's
order and eat.

That way,while waiting, you need not be denied
any sensory indulgence..

"Anything worth doing, is worth overdoing." *

The only thing that changes here are the faces and prices.
The aforementioned beef is similar to a French dip.

But to say that, would humble its gravitas.

My earliest memories involve a combo dipped,
hot and sweet,
and fries, thanks.

Seasoned and slow roasted, sliced paper thin
and dipped in it's own pan juices.

A "combo" is the addition of a grilled spicy Italian sausage
to the thin sliced ambrosia on gravy laden roll.

"Hot and sweet" refer to the peppers that are additional
and necessary to attain true Al's enlightenment.

"Sweet" are the red and green peppers sauteed in olive oil
for an hour or so until they become one with the pan.

"Hot" is the fresh giardinera that has chopped garlic,
celery, onion, plum tomato, oregano etc.

"And fries, thanks"

How do I describe the definitive fry?

The fact that they are whole potatoes, peeled skin on,
blanched in oil, drained and then refried at an even higher temperature is shocking enough for a neighborhood joint.

These are frites,
done correctly,
like in a French Bistro.

With the addition of the beef juices dripping
from the sandwich onto them...

It catapults the entire meal into legendary status.
It's greater than the sum of its parts.

It's the bees knees.
The real deal.
The Mahatma Gandhi.




*Oscar Wilde

Inspiring. I am, what you would say, "an Al's noob"; the reported prices just get the cheapskate in me down. Thankfully, I now have uplifting poetry to set me straight the next time I'm downtown.

look @ it this way. how many other things give you that much pleasure for under $10?

... although, i did have a brilliant $1.50 barbacoa taco the other day.

I've eaten at the brand new Al's Beef in Franklin Park near my office a number of times. I find the beef to be every bit as good as it is on Taylor Street. The fries are also outstanding.

They have a combo special of a beef, fries and pop that runs about 5 and a half bucks. Ordering ala carte can get expensive. But, there are franchsie fees and lots of leasehold improvements to be paid for in these shiny new places

Reading this topic pushed my decision for lunch today. I have never eaten at the original Al's. I have picked up a quick lunch at the franchise in Addison a number of times, but mainly ordering there burgers.

I must say that with the addition of Al's and Culver's, this section of Lake Street is picking up ground in chow-worthiness.

Back to the beef. To my memory the last IB I ate was during Beefathon II. Having had my fill of IB for a few months I decided to try one from Al's today. I will say that this was a unique beef in my book, not to say that it was bad. In fact, it was most delicious.

Upon arriving I ordered what I would call my standard IB with hot peppers, dipped. The beef itself was sliced nicely and perfect in texture. While eating I noticed a flavor never before present in an IB. At first I thought it was a note of cinamon or nutmeg, but in my last few bites I noticed fennel seeds. This leads me to believe that they are storing their precooked sausages in the gravy. In my mind this could cause the only complaint I have about the sandwich. It was dripping with grease. Usually IMHO IB's are oily if you add hot peppers, but this stuff congealed on the wrapper into solid blobs of fat. Not that I mind fat, it was just unappealing in it's orange color.

Now that I think of it the entire sandwich had an orange hue to it. None the less this is probably the best Italian beef sandwich I have had in the Bloomingdale / Addison area. Though it is no Jonnie's, it is completely servicable.

Flip

Flip wrote: While eating I noticed a flavor never before present in an IB. At first I thought it was a note of cinamon or nutmeg, but in my last few bites I noticed fennel seeds.

Flip,

What you were tasting is the taste of Al's. Their beef is unique in having that taste. Some like it and some don't, but it is one of the things that sets Al's apart from all other beefs (not to say it's good or bad...just different.)

I'm glad to know that I'm not crazy.


I also detected the taste of cinnamon emanating from my Al's (Park Ridge) beef sammy. I personally didn't care for it, but, to each his own.

Wow, looking at their website it looks like there are now a bunch of locations. Nothing about a downtown Downers Grove one, though...any idea where it is at and what it replaced? I'm visiting the family in DG at Christmas and this will be a whole lot more convenient than going to the UIC/Little Italy area.

http://www.alsbeef.com/locations.html

Al's giardiniera has fennel seeds, and some have suggested fennel root or maybe fennel pollen. I have noticed what I thought was allspice or clove, but not cinnamon.

If Al's adds the sausages (great sausages) to the gravy, they wouldn't be alone. Johnnie's does that.

RSMBob wrote:Nothing about a downtown Downers Grove one, though...any idea where it is at and what it replaced?

I believe it's in the new building that just went up in the former empty lot north of the RR tracks. The "Al's" sign was up, but it didn't looked like it was close to completion.

Tim

Wow, in the Staion Crossing condo complex? I could live there...Al's Beef, Shoo-Fly pie for sandwiches and great homemade pies, a great ice cream place (Every Day's a Sundae)...and of course the Tivoli Theater and Aurelio's for pizza right across the street.

By the way, a shameless plug for my former hometown...if you've never seen a movie at the Tivoli, it is a wonderful experience. A huge single screen theater that is what "movie palaces" used to be...beautifully restored, top notch seating and sound, and get this, FREE refills on soda and popcorn. They show recent releases for about $3 or $4 and have organ concerts before the movies on weekends. It was the 2nd theater ever built in the USA made for sound movies. It is literally steps from the Main St train station on the BNSF Metra line and worth a trip for a date or with a family. There is also an old-time bowling alley downstairs.

Well, I know there is talk about Beefathon III already going on, but I think Beefathon IV should be a DuPage County session. SO many great places that few people have talked about (other than Carm's in Hillside).

I'm in town around CHristmas (12/23-1/1)...anyone want to try and set up a DuPage Beefathon for sometime around then? And more importantly, how 'bout listing some great Italian Beef places in DuPage CoOunty!

Alas, Hillside is in Cook.

The beef place in the strip mall at Ogden and Cass in Westmont, next to Katy's, Johnny's (not that Johnnie's, note), is supposed to be very good. All from scratch.

This is one of the great dining strip malls in all Chicagoland, btw. The whole better than the parts, with S. Indian, N. Indian, Thai, Beef, ethnic groceries, and more.





http://www.johnnysbeef.com

Gotcha on Carm's...wasn't sure whether that was the east end of DuPage or W end of Cook...come to think of it the dividing line is probably around I-294. Fine by me since it has been covered already. As for Johnny's, that was one of the few I was going to suggest (other than your Portillo's/Buona chains) along with Teddy's in DG mentioned earlier (although their italian ice surpasses their beef IMHO). Another place to add to the list is Maxwells Beef. Not sure how many locations they have but I know they are in Westmont and in Downers Grove.

I haven't been around Johnny's in awhile, but while diverse, I always thought it was one of the ugliest, most unkept strip malls around. However, sometimes the hidden jewels are in the most unlikely of places.

I'm with you on Teddy's, in Darien also, I think, which I have long boosted for the ice. The sour cherry is among the best anywhere. Nice with beer, believe it or not. The beef, while house made, isn't always tender enough.

Gee, all these new Beef places I have always just driven by, in my neck of the woods, even.

I will go, try, and report back:

Johnny's - Ogden & Cass (not the same owners as Johnny's at Main & Ogden in Lisle which I do frequent, but have not tried their IB yet.)

Teddy's - Darien

Maxwell's - DG

I do not think that Al's puts sausage into their gravy to get that flavor, any more than the fennel seeds in the giardinera come from sausage. The mix of seasonings is not right, IMO, to have come from a sausage. Personally, I do not like their gravy, or the finely chopped beef, but as an entire sandwich, the effect is quite delightful.

RSM - I am out of town until 12/29, but if you wanted to go sample these beefs around the 30th, say, I am up for it.

I have changed the title of this thread to reflect the new direction it has taken.

Sounds like it might be a plan...

Gotta get some other good ones in DuPage Co, though...Naperville, where are you? Aurora? Elmhurst? Hinsdale/Oak Brook? Addison? Wheaton and more?

Maxwell's is at 63rd and Cass in Westmont and at 63rd and Woodward in DG (a fairly new location). I have only been to the DG one and don't know if there are others.

As for Teddy's I have heard that the DG location (63rd and Main, two blocks from where I grew up) is superior to the Darien location (IIRC on Plainfield Road near Culver's)

jazzfood wrote:i can't vouch for the new ones in the burbs w/valet parking and fondue, but as far as i know, it's a franchise, so they get the recipe w/the payment. what they do w/it is entirely up to them.

Jazzfood,

No idea as to the rest of the crop of Al's franchises sprouting up, but the brand spanking new Al's on Touhy in Niles is quite respectable. Not Taylor street, the beef is missing a certain depth of flavor, but I didn't notice short cuts for the sake of expediency or cost cutting.* For example, fries are cut in-house, twice fried, and, while I'd prefer them a little crisper, are very good.

Niles Al's is never going to be Taylor street, but it a more than reasonable lunch option, or pre Niles Costco eat so you don't spend $200 on ginormous jars of peanut butter/ketchup/snickers, if you find yourself out and about in Niles.

Enjoy,
Gary

*With the exception of gas, not charcoal, for the Italian sausage.

Al's Italian Beef
5948 W Touhy Ave
Niles, IL 60714
847-647-1577

RSMBob wrote:Gotta get some other good ones in DuPage Co, though...Naperville, where are you? Aurora? Elmhurst? Hinsdale/Oak Brook? Addison? Wheaton and more?

I'm partial to Portillo's but they sometimes disappoint with less gravy than asked for but all is a gamble when you do drive up anyway. We have a place in downtown Batavia that does a really decent Italian Beef, always plenty of very good gravy, always extra hots.

Chicago Char House
34 N. Island Ave.
Batavia, Il
630-879-9000

There's a "Al's Coming Soon" sign on a storefront on Davis St. in Evanston too. (A door or two east of Koi.) There's a "Now Hiring" sign too for those of you who really can't get enough Al's in their life.

Although it's been coming soon for a suspiciously long time

Flip wrote:Reading this topic pushed my decision for lunch today. I have never eaten at the original Al's. I have picked up a quick lunch at the franchise in Addison a number of times, but mainly ordering there burgers.

I must say that with the addition of Al's and Culver's, this section of Lake Street is picking up ground in chow-worthiness.

Back to the beef. To my memory the last IB I ate was during Beefathon II. Having had my fill of IB for a few months I decided to try one from Al's today. I will say that this was a unique beef in my book, not to say that it was bad. In fact, it was most delicious.

Upon arriving I ordered what I would call my standard IB with hot peppers, dipped. The beef itself was sliced nicely and perfect in texture. While eating I noticed a flavor never before present in an IB. At first I thought it was a note of cinamon or nutmeg, but in my last few bites I noticed fennel seeds. This leads me to believe that they are storing their precooked sausages in the gravy. In my mind this could cause the only complaint I have about the sandwich. It was dripping with grease. Usually IMHO IB's are oily if you add hot peppers, but this stuff congealed on the wrapper into solid blobs of fat. Not that I mind fat, it was just unappealing in it's orange color.

Now that I think of it the entire sandwich had an orange hue to it. None the less this is probably the best Italian beef sandwich I have had in the Bloomingdale / Addison area. Though it is no Jonnie's, it is completely servicable.

Flip

the Als in addison is excellent..id be hard pressed to find much of a difference in the sandwich there and Johnnies (which I grew up on)

Apparently Al's Beef has a deal with Nancy's Pizza.

I was driving on the SW side and saw an Al's Beef that was closed with Nancy's Pizza 'Opening Soon' sign in the window.

I Googled and the location list for Nancy's lists Al's beef being sold at several locations.