Is there such a thing as a good breaded steak sandwich?

Every once in a while, I break down and do something stupid, something I know is stupid and have sworn I will never do, but hope possesses me and I just have to try it. A lot of times it is driving - through the spaghetti bowl, or maybe not taking the local lanes at the Hillside strangler. But sometimes it is food, and I order something all my experience tells me will be bad, but I want it to be good.

Alton Brown did a great show on swiss steak a while back, and every time I see it in glorious HD, I yearn to order a swiss steak, or a chicken-fried steak, even though I know that what I will get will not be that, but rather something akin to a piece of astroturf that has had an encounter with some truly awful gravy, red, brown or of some indeterminate color.

It does not have to be so - certainly making a good fried steak is no more challenging than a good schnitzel, and there is no lack of places that do that well. But I have yet to find one place that makes a good, fried steak sandwich with decent red sauce.

So, where should I go to enjoy a good breaded steak sandwich? I need to know.

And any suggestions for other good fried steaks, including chicken-fried and swiss, would also be appreciated, though I know you can get a decent chicken-fried steak at Wishbone and a few other spots. Maybe if we could convince them to serve it on a roll with some red sauce...

Ricobene's has one. Some people love them, others do not. I'm in the latter camp. There's a location at 60 East Lake.

Ricobene's
60 E Lake St
Chicago, IL 60601

(312) 346-1446

Three words...Cemita de Milanesa at Taqueria Puebla

In the beefathon thread that dickson linked to above, we tried three, I think. Ricobenes (complete inedible), Freddie's (only slightly less inedible than Rico's), and Uncle Johnny's (actually quite good).

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=32790#32790

Best,
Michael

Yeah, actually the chicken version of the Ricobene's sandwich is much more tolerable, but either one will put you in a food coma.

I'd say a milanesa, Puebla is tops, but I've had good ones at La Oaxaquena and, just Saturday, Taqueria San Juanito.

stevez wrote:Three words...Cemita de Milanesa at Taqueria Puebla

It should probably be noted that Puebla's (awesome) Cemita Milanesa is pork, not beef.

Speaking of which, based on conversation at a recent visit, I understand the seeds are going in the ground this week, so papalo should hit the cemitas around late May.

The Torta Oaxaquena has a lovely milanesa as part of it's being - crisp and beefy. My favorite Torta on their menu, by far.

I was just rereading Jeff B's post on Milanesa's which fortuitously came up in response to the post on Taco Grill and thinking I had shown my ignorance in not even considering Milanesa's.

Unfortunately, all my Milanesa experiences had been of the "fry up a bunch, hold 'em all day" school. I suppose Peter and Jeff hit on the key - do they fry up the steak to order, or fry and hold forever, then warm them up.

And, yeah, in regards to Ricobene's, that for me was the paragon of the fried carpet square school of steak sandwich.

Dicskson,

In order to consider you requirements are you also eliminating veal Parm sandwiches? I've tried a few, and have found them much more tolerable than the fried carpet we sampled during the beefathon. Technically, the veal parm sammy would still be beef.

The ones I've enjoyed have been at this little deli off of Bloomingdale Rd & Lake street, but the name has slipped my mind.

Flip

Slightly OT, but "Swiss steak" doesn't say "sandwich" to me; it brings back memories of a large, no doubt inexpensive (there were 9 in my family) piece of meat, with one marrow bone in the middle, that my mother would pound flour and salt and pepper into, and then pound the heck out of, before cooking. It seemed very good and tender and almost crumbly after all that heavy-handed tenderizing. Plus I think it might have been a stress outlet for my mom, in the days before counseling and meds. (One time the dog managed to swipe the whole thing off the kitchen table and eat it before my mother got back from the laundry room ... but that's another story).

Does anyone bother to make "Swiss steak" for a crowd out of a cheap piece of lean round anymore? Should I try to dig up a recipe, or stick with my memories?

Katie, a grandchild of the Depression

Katie wrote:Does anyone bother to make "Swiss steak" for a crowd out of a cheap piece of lean round anymore? Should I try to dig up a recipe, or stick with my memories?

Katie, a grandchild of the Depression

From time to time, I make swiss steak for the Chow Poodle using her Mom's recipe. For her, it's real comfort food with a boatload of childhood memories. When her Mom died last year, we inherited her electric skillet, which was the tool she used to make her swiss steak.

I don't claim to be very knowledgeable on the topic of breaded steak sandwiches, but I had a very good (IMO) version of Milanesa steak at Scott Dogs in Lake Villa. It is a fast food place that succeeds in being better than average with its offerings.

The sandwich was made fresh, served on garlic bread and topped with chimichurri. The owner is a culinary school grad who incorporates food from his family's Argentinian roots to complement the otherwise typical fast food menu.

It is not destination dining, but if you find yourself in the vicinity, it it worth giving it a try.








http://www.scottdogs.com/

when i was in high school ine the 70s we would sneak out at lunch time and go to ricobenes. the sandwich is a chicago exclusive. i still stop and sometimes see guys that grew up in the neighborhood. a chicago place with famous breaded steak sandwiches. best with red gravy (local jargon) mozzarella, and fried peppers. also good with beef gravy dipped with chopped onions. dont forget those delicous greasy fresh cut fries!! take it from a guy who knows

They serve a pretty good Italian style breaded steak sandwich from the lunchtime steam table at MJ2 (formerly Sonny's) in the Morningfield's Shopping Center on devon in Park Ridge.

yum?

Rudy wrote:Ricobene's has one. Some people love them, others do not. I'm in the latter camp. There's a location at 60 East Lake.

Ricobene's
60 E Lake St
Chicago, IL 60601

(312) 346-1446

I thought the breaded steak sandwich from Ricobene's was tolerable (especially with all the red sauce and peppers), but it was actually upstaged by the Italian beef, in my opinion, when I had a chance to dine in at the 26th Street location. Depends on who you ask, of course, but that beef wasn't too bad, even with the custom hot-pepper topping.

--Dan (who normally goes to Al's or Original Jim's when in Bridgeport)

gleam wrote:
yum?

Ed,

Are you showing us your new carpet?

Frank Ricobene, co-owner of Ricobene's with his identical twin Sam, passed away on Sunday. From the obit, it looks like they invented the breaded steak sandwich in 1976.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/obituaries/387189,CST-NWS-xrico16.article

dicksond wrote:Alton Brown did a great show on swiss steak a while back, ...

That was a great episode! Cubing Around.

We have tried all three recipes and while it was hard to keep it simple (extra spices, grilled onions) they all tasted great and were very tender.

Every time I read the Dickson's subject line, Is there such a thing as a good breaded steak sandwich?, the word NO pops into my head as if by magic.

G Wiv wrote:Every time I read the Dickson's subject line, Is there such a thing as a good breaded steak sandwich?, the word NO pops into my head as if by magic.

Same here...

I have tried Ricobene's twice, since they're about ten blocks from my house. I have been very disappointed both times. The steak is just too tough.

This thread has had its own happy ending for me, though. The Milanesa at Taco Grill is excellent, and I had a pork sammy last week which was just as good, and let's say Taco Grill is a permanent, if slightly inconvenient addition to my lunch circuit.

So when you go to Katy's, leave room for a torta.

G Wiv wrote:Every time I read the Dickson's subject line, Is there such a thing as a good breaded steak sandwich?, the word NO pops into my head as if by magic.

Has anyone had a good BSS? What would be considered good?

Years ago, before Ricobene's redecorated their 26th Street restaurant, ...

Ahhh. The narrow, stool height, tables. The crowds. The simple menu.

... the breaded steak was pretty good. Tender meat and good sauce. Top it with sweet peppers and some cheese, it was great.

Granted that when you take something thinly breaded, dip it in sauce and fold it several times to fit it in the bread, the breading will break down into a tomato slurry. Still crispy on the edges though.

You just have to like that sort of thing. Sauce all over your face and a huge sammy you could just barely finish.

How do you see Food Network in HD? My Comcast HD doesnt have FN in HD yet...though I would Love it!

Snark wrote:How do you see Food Network in HD? My Comcast HD doesnt have FN in HD yet...though I would Love it!

Dish Network.

Have you tried the breaded steak sandwich at La Milenesa on May St., south of 31st? I recall the owner saying that they pound out ribeye steaks to make them. I haven't had it for a couple of years, but I remember it being better than Ricobene's, which I don't care for. Ricobene's always has a coupon in the Bridgeport local paper, so how good could it be? BTW, La Milenesa is only open M-F and closes early. P.S. Don't be tempted by the pizza; it's a little raw in the middle.

La Milenesa has been gone for quite awhile now I've enjoyed the made to order BSS at Ferros.

Ferro's
200 W 31st St
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 842-0702

Snark wrote:How do you see Food Network in HD? My Comcast HD doesnt have FN in HD yet...though I would Love it!

fyi, Comcast users in boston just got Food HD (along with HGTV HD and A&E HD), so it'll probably roll out to the Chicago area in the next month or two.

Two suggestions from recent experiences:

1. A torta de milanesa at Taco Veloz (Ashland and Chicago Aves), without beans, but with rajas (roasted red pepper strips). They have wonderful bolillo rolls, and what you end up with is buttery grilled bread around an extra-thin marinated steak with good breading, topped with avocado, sauteed red pepper, and fresh sour cream. Their salsa is a trifle weak but you can get bottled hot sauce as well from the kitchen.

2. Chicken-fried steak at Dixie Kitchen (Harper Court in Hyde Park, essentially 51st Street and Lake Park) on a South Carolina Pulled Pork Roll, which they toast. You have to ask for this specially but it's really quite good, especially with the vinegary pulled pork sauce.

I have to speak up for Freddie's. They serve an excellent breaded steak sandwich.

701 W 31st St
Phone: (312) 808-0147