Food Wars - Travel Channel [Al's v. Mr. Beef]

LTH,

Watched Food Wars Chicago and, aside from the wrong beef stand winning, found myself aghast, yes aghast, at the Chicagoesque caricatures protrayed on the show, in particular the straight from Saturday Night Live Super Fans. Speaking of caricatures, the host of the show, Camille Ford, seemed a lost in translation Travel Channel exec's idea of a female version of Adam Richman on Man v. Food, a show I, with some embarrassment admit, regularly watch.

High point of the show was LTHer Panther in the Den articulate interesting spot near the beginning of the episode and the Italian Beef gastroporn.

Oh, and Mr. Beef beat Al's on Taylor, a shanda in my book.

Enjoy,
Gary

Chris, the owner/owner's son at Mr. Beef appeared to almost be embarrassed to win. He seemed happy to just be there.

Indeed, the wrong beef stand won.

And Man v. Food? Strangely compelling...I can never turn it off when it's on.

Our office moved into the Mr. Beef neighborhood this past year.

While my adolescence was spent on Taylor Street beef joints (more Vittori's than Al's), I was still excited about the prospect.

I had one lunch at Mr. Beef's and will never go back. The beef was cut thicker than what I'm used to, the juice was nothing special and the gardinier (sp?) was disappointing. It had been years -- decades -- since my previous visit and I remembered leaving happy previously.

Probably all qualitative but I didn't like the sandwich and wouldn't go there again. Even the franchise Al's, I think, are a better tasting sandwich than the original Mr. Beef. But again, personal preference.

G Wiv wrote:Watched Food Wars Chicago and, aside from the wrong beef stand winning, found myself aghast, yes aghast, at the Chicagoesque caricatures protrayed on the show, in particular the straight from Saturday Night Live Super Fans.

Enjoy,
Gary

My sentiments, exactly.

Once again, Chicagoans are portrayed as a bunch of provincial rubes and boobs.
I was not only aghast, I was downright embarrassed.

I've been told when I travel that we do have an accent.

auxen1 wrote:I've been told when I travel that we do have an accent.

Ya, I heard dat too when I gone by couple-two-tree udder cities, but what do dose guys know, dey're da ones wit da accents. Plus dey don't even got Polish sassiches or Jewel's stores. Da Bears!

There were a lot of food references in this glossary of Chicagoese that nonChicago friend sent me.

1. Grachki (grach'-key) is Chicagoese for "Garage Key" as in, "Yo, Theresa, waja do wit da grachki? Howmy supposta cut da grass if don't git intada grach?''

2. Uptadaendada (up-ta-da-en'-dada) as in, "Joey, you kin ride yur bike
uptadaendada alley but not acrost or I'll bust yur butt . . ."

3. Sammich. Chicagoese for sandwich. When made with sausage, it's a sassage
sammich; with shredded beef, it's an Italian beef sammich, a local delicacy consisting of piles of spicy meat in a perilously soggy bun.

4. Da. The definite article is a key part of Chicago speech, as in "da bears" or "da bulls" or "da Mare" - the latter denoting, for as long as he wants it to, Richard M. Daley, or Richie, as he's often known.

5. Jewels. Not family heirlooms or a tender body region, but a popular appellation for one of the region's dominant grocery chains, to wit, "I'm goin' to da Jewels to pick up some sassage." As in most Chicago pluralizations, the "S" is pronounced with a hissing sound, rather than the usual "Z" sound of American pluralizations.

6. Field's: Marshall Field, a prominent Chicago department store. Also Carson Pirie Scott, a major department store chain, is called "Carson's," etc.

7. Tree. The number between two and four. "We were lucky dat we only got tree inches of snow da udder night."

8. Prairie. A vacant lot, especially one on which weeds are growing.

9. Over by dere. i.e. "over by there," a prolix way of emphasizing a site presumed familiar to the listener. As in, "I got the sahsage at da Jewels down on Kedzie, over by dere."

10. Kaminski Park. Perhaps the high concentration of ethnic Poles makes people want the White Sox to be playing in this mythical ballpark, rather than in their true home, Comiskey Park, now U.S Cellular Field, my friend

11. Frunchroom as in, "Getottada frunchroom wit dose muddy shoes.'' It's not
the "parlor." It's not the "living room." In the land of the bungalow, it's
the "frunchroom," a named derived, linguists believe, from "front room.

12. Uze. Not the verb but the plural pronoun "you." "Where's uze goin'?"

13. Downtown. Anywhere south of the zoo and north of Soldier Field near the lake.

14. Braht: Short for Bratwurst. "Gimme a braht wit kraut."

15. Cashbox: Traffic reporter slang for tollbooths. "Dere's a delay at da cashbox on da Skyway."

16. Goes: Past or present tense of the verb "say." For example, "Then he
goes, 'I like this place!'"

17. Guys: Used when addressing two or more people, regardless of each individual's gender.

18. Pop: A soft drink. Don't say "soda" in this town. "What kinda pop you got?" A soda is made with ice cream and flavored carbonated water.

19. Sliders: Nickname for hamburgers from White Castle, a popular Midwestern
burger chain "Dose sliders I had last night gave me da runs."

20. Mighty One-Bites: Another nickname for hamburgers from White Castle.

21.The Taste: The annual Taste of Chicago Festival, a huge extravaganza in Grant Park featuring samples of Chicagoland's fine cuisine. Takes place around and before the Fourth of July holiday.

22. "Ji-eetyet": this is used to ask "Did you eat yet?"

23. Winter and Construction: Punch-line to the joke, "What are the two
seasons in Chicago?"

If the show had any entertainment value the rest could be forgiven, but they commit the ultimate sin of not being interesting in any way.

Was @ Al's today talking to Chris the owner. When I mentioned the food wars he just laughed and said "we got them yesterday". Apparently it has something to do w/a food network Iron Chef and Al's. More to come...

The beef, as we all know, was simply the best in town which was my opinion and the James Beard award winning chef that was with me.

Speaking of caricatures, the host of the show, Camille Ford, seemed a lost in translation

Whadya mean? From Camille's "take on Chicago":

"Chicago has been a city full of turmoil and intrigue since the 1800s. With the biggest and brightest World's Fair in the late 1800s and a competitive beef market since the early 1900s. . . . Don't miss the museums in Chicago, they are really phenomenal!"

We were in good hands.

auxen1 you actually made me laugh at 8:00 AM!

Cool! Just caught the episode tonight.

I am glad to have my 6 seconds of fame. That is me about 23 seconds into the spot. "A perfect blend of spices".

I am glad they did not use the forced 'Mr Beef stinks' they insisted that I say.

spinynorman99 wrote:If the show had any entertainment value the rest could be forgiven, but they commit the ultimate sin of not being interesting in any way.

It could have been worse. Imagine Rachel Ray hosting it.

Artie wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:If the show had any entertainment value the rest could be forgiven, but they commit the ultimate sin of not being interesting in any way.

It could have been worse. Imagine Rachel Ray hosting it.

"Hey, youse guys...I'm gonna show you how to make an Italian Beef sammie that your friends will LOVE. Delish!!"

Peppers, schmeppers...I'll take my beef samwich with cleavage any day!

I was at Al's the day they shot it. I shoulda run over that annoying chick when I had the chance.