Panther in the Den wrote:Stopped at Borinquen Restaurant with my younger son tonight and tried the Jibaritos for the first time.

Mmmm...

I didn't remember clearly what was the ingredients but I knew there was beef involved.

Nice. According to Michael Nagrant's article at Newcity Chicago (great article, by the way), the best of Borinquen can be found at the Western Avenue location: "The best aren't served at the original storefront in Humboldt Park, but at the outpost at 3811 North Western. The key for me is the consistent garlic perfume and the freshly fried crunch that comes and goes at other locations."

http://www.newcitychicago.com/chicago/5590.html

That's why I've gone to the near-Waveland location exclusively after the demise of Cafe Salamera, which only accentuates the lack of avocado and neon-colored salsas at Borin(g)quen. But seriously, a little avocado would go a long way in a jibarito. Also, feel free to ask for sweet plantains as a substitute for rice if rice doesn't strike your side-dish fancy.

Manhattan Project sammy from New York Deli...Roast Beef, Ham, Turkey, American, L&T, Mustard/Mayo on french bread. Im not going to say this is the best sandwich but I particularly like the fresh bread and thinly sliced boar's head meats.

^Nice. I'm actually a big fan of the NY Deli Apprentice sandwich. They switched their bread for a while to a less crusty version of their French bread which really knocked the sandwich down a few notches. They seem to have switched back though, by the looks of your picture (assuming it's recent).

NYD has changed the brand of deli meats they use from Boar's head to Thumann's. I hadn't been since my last post above but I was still very satisfied with my sandwich as I was on previous visits. Although they seemed to have switched back to the less crusty bread, I like the bread both ways so for me this isnt that bad although I prefer it crusty if I was given the choice.

As far as this area goes your not going to find a better assembled sandwich, I should get there more often than I do, quite a nice lunch and pretty filling for my large appetite. I feel the $8 price tag is worth it for the quality and care put into the sandwich along with its size.




Manhattan Project Roast Beef, Ham, Turkey, American, L&T, Mustard/Mayo on Italian with banana peppers.

New York Deli
2921 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60657
773-549-3328
http://www.thumanns.com/

edited to fix address

D'oh! I really prefer the crusty bread at New York Deli and was glad when they switched back. This other stuff really takes my Apprentice sandwich down a few notches.

Thumann's! I love it! Now if they started carrying Thumann's hot dogs, then we'd be talking.

Da Beef wrote:
New York Deli
921 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60657
773-549-3328
http://www.thumanns.com/

I think you had a typo, 2921 N Clark is the correct street address.

So hard to pick just one...two of my current favorites.


pastrami/corned-beef from Max & Benny's... a #1 from Nhu Lan bakery- house special banh mi

Max & Benny's
461 Waukegan Rd
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 272-9490
http://www.maxandbennys.com

Nhu' Lan Bakery
2612 W Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 878-9898

I just had a roast beef sandwich from Bari's last Thursday, yum. I hadn't been there in a while, but what a superior sandwich, and12 inches for $6. Can't go wrong.

Da Beef wrote:a #1 from Nhu Lan bakery- house special banh mi

Da,

I'm a fan of Nhu Lan's #1, but that looks a bit heftier than my typical takeaway. You schoomzing the counter people?

Enjoy,
Gary

Lox, cream cheese, tomato, onion, pickled jalapeno on bialy from New York Bagel and Bialy on Touhy in Lincolnwood. I neglected to ask for the bialy toasted or the sandwich would have both looked and tasted even better, and it tasted pretty damn good.



New York Bagel and Bialy
4714 W Touhy Ave
Lincolnwood, IL 60712
847-677-9388

Seconded. I believe I've ordered the same sandwich, I think subbing jalapenos for capers (or cucumbers, depending on availability) It's a favorite of mine, and theirs is a really good one.

G Wiv wrote:

Da Beef wrote:a #1 from Nhu Lan bakery- house special banh mi

Da,

I'm a fan of Nhu Lan's #1, but that looks a bit heftier than my typical takeaway. You schoomzing the counter people?

Enjoy,
Gary

Funny . . . I was going to ask the same thing about the sammy from Max & Benny's.

=R=

G Wiv wrote:

Da Beef wrote:a #1 from Nhu Lan bakery- house special banh mi

Da,

I'm a fan of Nhu Lan's #1, but that looks a bit heftier than my typical takeaway. You schoomzing the counter people?

Enjoy,
Gary

haha, no but the grandma's always smile amongst each other when I come in and order it, they get a kick out of it for some reason. The M&B was my first time there, I thought it was good and well sized but still nowhere near the flavor or bang for your buck you get at Manny's.

One of the best has got to be the BLT from "The Brown Sack" on Armitage. Just the right amount of smoky bacon, fresh lettuce and mayo. The bread was toasted perfectly! Get it with a side of their coleslaw. It was heaven!!!


Anne

Now that I am working downtown I have been working my way thru the sandwich list at

Fontano's Subs
20 E Jackson Blvd, Chicago
(312) 663-3061
www.fontanosonjackson.com

(less than a block from my work)

The signature sandwiches have been great! The meats, cheese and bread always fresh and the mild giardiniera is mild with a wonderful flavor. Have them go easy on the dressing (oil) as it will make the sandwich rather sloppy.

People in the area also rave about the meatball sandwich and I have come to join that club.

Last week I tried the egg salad sandwich and it was good. Could of used a touch more salt and the bread was less than perfectly fresh (rare!) which made salad squirt out as I was working thru it. Will try it again with a shake of salt.

All in all a great place! An old school italian deli in the heart of the loop. Fast service at lunch too!

Since I don't know where else to put this...

Please keep in mind that this is a foreigner's impression.

We went to Perry's after reading several enthusiastic reviews about it.

Well, how should I put it? I don't want to insult anybody, but already the horrible "meaty"-smell on entering the place made me want to walk out again. But we were hungry, and it is not easy to find a deli or non-chain-sandwich store in chicago (at least in this regard Chicago really can't be compared to it's eternal "rival" NYC), so we stayed.

The shabiness of the whole place (the guys behind the counter included) is really something you have to get used to. We ordered and I was revolted again, seeing how they put every food item in their hands - and I don't mean "touching" it, but almost "massaging" it with their whole, fatty fingers...( seeing the owner touching plenty of other stuff in between making sandwiches, shaking hands, scratching himself, taking calls etc, didn't make it better...)

And the amount of meat they put on those thin slices of bread is downright disgusting. Sorry, there is no other expression to put this. I cannot understand how anyone can find this appetizing.
I could barely eat my sandwich - not because it tasted "bad", but because everything about the place and the way it was prepared was so...gross.

What am I to make of the fact that a place like this is so popular? (When we went around 11am it was totally empty, though)
Chicago seems like a pretty "cultivated" ciy to me, therefore I don't get this...

greetings
kai

PS: I just found out that the owner has changed some time ago. Could this be a reason?

PPS: Now I saw some other pictures in this thread - and obviously sandwiches in the US are supposed to be kind of an equivalent to those crazy big steaks when it comes to the amount of meat that is put on them...

Frankly, if you had a hard finding non-chain sandwich joints in chicago, you weren't looking very hard. This thread includes about 3 dozen...

ab wrote:Frankly, if you had a hard finding non-chain sandwich joints in chicago, you weren't looking very hard. This thread includes about 3 dozen...

Not only that, but Goodwin's is across the street from Perry's, Eppy's Deli is 100 ft away (although they do not get very positive reviews), and Specialty's is around the corner (although a California chain).

i work two blocks from perry's and I have never been, but that description is so intriguing I have to go now. as we speak I am eating a fontano's "big al." Good, but it's no alpine...

Sure, now I see that there are some - unfortunately I didn't check this thread before going...

On the other hand, especially sandwiches are something that you look for rather spontaeneously when you get hungry - and then it *is* a bit tough to find something, for a tourist, trust me.

teatpuller - please go there! Without any irony I would like to hear if I was wrong about the place from a local's perspective.

kai-m wrote:I could barely eat my sandwich - not because it tasted "bad", but because everything about the place and the way it was prepared was so...gross.

So, for real, how did it TASTE to you?
I've never been - just wondering.

I have been going to Perry's since 1996 and I have never had a problem with anything there. The roast beef sandwich is quite good (when they have rare roast beef, always ask) and I like the pastrami. I have not been for 6+ months but can't see it changing too much since then.

Jamie

As I said, this was my very personal impression. And I wouldn't go again.

As for the actual taste: not bad, but way too "meaty" with too soft and too little bread. Biting into the thing was like stuffing your mouth with nothing but roastbeef - which is not what I consider a good thing. The "art of sandwich-making" is to find a balance in the toppings.

kai-m wrote:Biting into the thing was like stuffing your mouth with nothing but roastbeef - which is not what I consider a good thing. The "art of sandwich-making" is to find a balance in the toppings.

I respect your opinion, trust me, but, tomato, tomahto. Your "balance" might be someone else's "not what I consider a good thing." I, myself, like a heaping amount of shredded lettuce on my cold sammies. Others would call it wrong. Standard "Jewish Deli" style sammiches (something that NY might be incorrectly noted for) are piled high with meat. REAL high. At least that's what my impression is. Again, I've not been to the place we're talking about here. Just trying to understand what kinda grub they're slingin. Hope you can find a joint you like.

I had been a fan of the roast beef sandwich with bleu cheese dressing on French bread at Al's Deli. But today I got a sandwich and it's even better. It's the roast beef and bleu cheese sandwich at Fox & Obel. I decided theirs is better in a couple of ways: it's real bleu cheese rather than the sloppy and less concentrated dressing; and it also has caramelized onions on it, which create a nice symphony of sweetness (onions), sharpness (cheese), and savory (beef). Excellent quality roast beef and great French bread in both cases.

kai-m wrote:And the amount of meat they put on those thin slices of bread is downright disgusting.

For reference, here's a sandwich from Perry's from a few months ago:


While I don't dispute the excess (there was no way I was going to eat the second half of the sandwich, but fortunately, a friend arrived late for lunch and bypassed ordering) but note that one of the two layers here is just lettuce and no meat. I'm sure they have even more excessive sandwiches.

I can't recall the name of this one.

germuska wrote:

kai-m wrote:And the amount of meat they put on those thin slices of bread is downright disgusting.

For reference, here's a sandwich from Perry's from a few months ago:

While I don't dispute the excess (there was no way I was going to eat the second half of the sandwich, but fortunately, a friend arrived late for lunch and bypassed ordering) but note that one of the two layers here is just lettuce and no meat. I'm sure they have even more excessive sandwiches.

That really does look somewhat skimpy by Perry's standards. Behold the Ormond Street Special and Frenchie's Fantasy.



Nobody goes to Perry's for subtlety and restraint. They go for massive piles of meat. There are dozens of places in Chicago for "better" sandwiches but every now and then a feeding session at Perry's can't be beat.

Perry’s Deli
180 N Franklin St
Chicago
312-372-7557

A few years ago, when I worked in the neighborhood, New York Deli used to do a hot sandwich on a baguette that they spread a garlic paste on the outside before cooking. Inside was, I believe, turkey and pastrami(?) with a few melted cheeses, L & T, mayo, and an herby thick vinaigrette type of dressing. I'm not seeing it on the current menu and I don't remember the "Specials" name of it and it is driving my crazy right now but it was one good sandwich! At the time they were also making pretty good chicken parm sammys. If anyone has an old menu or can remember what that was, I'd love to know so I can stop by and have them make it.

the two best sandwiches i've had in recent memory are both steak sandwiches.

The first is the Montreal Brisket at Hopleaf. A surrealy tender sandwich with bread that is light enough to let the falvorful and absurdly tender beef speak for itself. With a touch of horsey dressing, it's about as simple and perfect as a sammy can be.

The second is the ribeye steak sammich at Gibsons. This incredibly flavorful ribeye is served falling over the borders of the ciabatta bread its served on. I top it was a tad bit of horsey dressing, and chopped onion and pickle, and contemplate the glory of beef.