Maxwell Street Smells

Sounds like the new "hoi polloi" neighbors don't like onions!

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst ... ell19.html

That article has some interesting facts about the origin of both stands.

"That one has more seasoning," said Anderson, gesturing toward Express Grill, which Alex Lazarevski's dad, Tom, opened in the 1950s. Tom Lazarevski's uncle, Jim Stefanovic, opened Jim's Original at the northwest corner of Halsted and Maxwell in 1939.

And an interesting theory about why the lines at Express Grill are usually longer.

Others insist there isn't any difference in the grub. Express Grill often has longer lines, but some theorize that's because it is the northernmost stand and the first one people see from Roosevelt Road. Except for a brief period early on, Jim's Original -- which claims to have invented the Polish sausage -- has always been located south of Express Grill.

I wonder where that theory could have come from? Perhaps an "internet food chat board"?

Let's be honest, it's also probably the most obvious explanation. I don't think it takes any great foodie minds to come up with that theory, and I don't think we're the first to propose it.

Maybe they talked to someone on the street who thought that was why.

i do have to say.. that 'caramelized' onion smell in the morning seriously makes me wanna hurl on the way to work driving by on the 90/94.

Phil wrote: Sounds like the new "hoi polloi" neighbors don't like onions!

Reminds me of an exchange Gary and I had on chi.eats over four years ago --

G Wiv: I would also recommend that anyone who has not been and is interested in eating at Jim's on Halsted hurry up, I drove by there the other day and there are townhouses going up directly across the street. The plug on the iron lung is about to be pulled on Maxwell Street.

Rene G: How much you want to bet the people who move into those townhouses will start complaining about the smell of cooking onions and Polishes all night long, not to mention the unsavory characters that it attracts?

G Wiv: Bet.. absolutely nothing, I agree.

TonyC wrote:i do have to say.. that 'caramelized' onion smell in the morning seriously makes me wanna hurl on the way to work driving by on the 90/94.

Late night?

Different strokes . . . personally when I get a whiff of that aroma it's tough for me not to exit and grab some grub.

I cruised by Jim's and Maxwell St. Express today for lunch. They're both in their new locations, and the old ones are being slowly dismantled. There was still a very strong whiff of grilling meat and onions coming out of MSE, I didn't notice much at all from Jim's.

I did the taste test again and, again, I preferred the MSE sausage. The fries at MSE, while very potatoey, were completely limp. Cooked through, but limp, like they'd been sitting on a steam tray for a really long time. Jim's fries were better than they've ever been. I think both have changed suppliers for their pre-fab fries.

I grabbed a flyer from Jim's (advertising themselves as the original, etc) and as I walked by MSE a very energized mid-70s man fiercely criticized Jim's flyer as full of lies. He went on this tear for a few minutes while I tried to extricate myself. I suggested he make his own flyer and hand it out, and I think he said he would. I'm assuming it was Alex Lazarevski, the owner of MSE.

This is probably what he was complaining about:

Jim's Flyer wrote:DO NOT BE FOOLED BY IMPOSTERS
claiming to be Original Maxwell Street Hot Dog stands using names such as "Maxwell Street", "Original Maxwell Street", or "Maxwell Street Market". Jim's Original is the one and only famous hot dog stand origianlly located on the northwest corner of Halsted and Maxwell Streets, owned and operated by the same family since 1939 and still serving the best sandwiches in town!

It certainly seems to be more aggressive than I've seen from Jim's in the past.

On this occassion there were only a few customers at each stand, but the representatives of Chicago's underground economy were still swarming around MSE. My suspicion is that MSE encourages and maybe even feeds the sellers at a discount, in order to both attract their customers and make the place look busier.

I do think we'll continue to see more people at MSE than Jim's. I think part of the reason for this is that MSE's polish continues to be superior to Jim's. I just wish they'd improve their fries.[/u][/b]

Oh, and this from the article:

Customers seem less moved about the smells dissipating than about the 10-cent price increase that both stands say they will have to impose because of rising food and fuel prices (at both stands, a Polish sausage with fries now costs $2.45). But even that won't be enough to keep them away.

Jim's was charging $2.60 in their new location, not $2.55 as the article might imply. I don't recall what MSE was charging.

Inspired by Phil's post, a pal and I did the comparison test today and, unlike Gleam, both preferred Jim's. The Express Polish was much more coarsely ground and had an unfamiliar flavor profile (beef?). Jim's fries, which seem to be the coated kind, were crisper, although neither were very good. I noticed Express pre-wraps their fries, which might account for their sogginess.
Frankly, I don't relish having to say Hot Doug's beats them both, hams down.

That's interesting, because today MSE's was not quite as coarse as Jim's.

I think there might also be some quality control problems with the meat going into Jim's lately. This visit had a big chunk of gristle in the middle of the polish. My most recent one before this involved a bone chip. More reason to stick with MSE.

I've never had Doug's polish. I always thought it was stock mediocre vienna. Is it more in the style of Jim's/MSE?

Thank god they're installing something to some what absorb the aroma! I'm moving to University Commons next year. University Commons is right next door to University Village and a hope and skip away from the new Maxwell Street Market. Here's something on Metromix...

http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/sear ... 1951.story

mby385 wrote:Thank god they're installing something to some what absorb the aroma! I'm moving to University Commons next year. University Commons is right next door..."

Long ago on another Jim's Original post, I very much worried about the new people who might move in. Especially when they were originally supposed to be relocated back to Halsted Street. As recent as a few months ago, Maxwell Express moving soon sign was next to where Joy Yee's is or is supposed to be located on Halsted.

I was pretty sure the new neighbors would make it tough on their long, long established neighbors. If you will observe the congestion, the short term parking and milling around of people at all hours, I was sure this behavior would send people to petitioning. It never occured to me the odor was a problem, probably because I consider it pleasant. I likened the situation to urban dwellers who move next to a pig farm fully cognizant there is a pig farm nearby. Suddenly the newbies are demanding the long existing farm to change their operations for the new neighbor's.

I'm not picking on you mby385, however your comment accurately reflected my prediction long ago. Count your lucky stars there was a sensible decision made somewhere to keep Jim's Original and Maxwell Express on the frontage road. That location will allow a better neighborhood harmony and allow these businesses to thrive.

Regards,

No offense taken. My theory is if there is a following, they will come. Also I was business major and truely think that the revamping of the neighborhood is good for the economy and for the students around. I went to UIC as a freshman back in 98 and used to park there and it was dangerous. I had several friends have their cars broken into. Anywho... Now I'm moving closer to the city to cut my commute to work (Mag. Mile) and also to go back to UIC for my MBA. Change can be for the better or worse, but I think the pros outweight the cons here.

mby385 wrote: Change can be for the better or worse, but I think the pros outweight the cons here.

I think you might be in the extreme minority around here. Most of us decry the bastardization that these developments have brought to one of the most historic neighborhoods in Chicago.

Paul SL wrote:Inspired by Phil's post, a pal and I did the comparison test today and, unlike Gleam, both preferred Jim's. The Express Polish was much more coarsely ground and had an unfamiliar flavor profile (beef?).

That's what I find too. I find MSE's too smokey in that Wrigley Field smokie link way of lore. It just does not strike me as wholesome.

Still, even a left-leaning guy like me has to appreciate such earnest competition side-by-side. I hope it stays that way for a LONG time.

Rob

I went to UIC as a freshman back in 98 and used to park there and it was dangerous.

I went there the first time with Culinary Historians tour conducted by Steve Belkin, a preservationist from Roosevelt University. When I parked my car on Maxwell St, I really wondered if it would be there by the time I returned.

As I took the tour, I learned the nicely maintained buildings were in private hands. The dilapidated buildings all belonged to the University who allowed them to decay further to prove their point for their renewal project.

The walking vendors were introduced as businesses without a bricks and mortar location. We were advised all you have to do is politely decline and they will back off, which they do. Even the panhandlers situated by Jim's and Maxwell Express back off when politely declined. They know they are in a prime location. If they are annoying the customers, then these businesses will shoo them away, which is counterproductive to their interests.

After this tour, I went down there quite comfortably.

I don't doubt your friend's cars were broken into. My only random act of violence was a smash and grab in a well lit gas station filled with people in the far north suburbs. Crime and its' location is highly random.

Regards,

stevez wrote:

mby385 wrote: Change can be for the better or worse, but I think the pros outweight the cons here.

I think you might be in the extreme minority around here. Most of us decry the bastardization that these developments have brought to one of the most historic neighborhoods in Chicago.

Steve:

Amen. University Village is one of the most depressingly soulless, unattractive instances of corporate induced urban decadence that I've ever seen. Other than that, I think it's fine.



... And, come to think of it, UIC and its associated tumors has perhaps done more to destroy neighbourhoods than anyone since the Luftwaffe.

Antonius

Cathy2 wrote: My only random act of violence was a smash and grab in a well lit gas station filled with people in the far north suburbs.

Cathy,

I'm not sure of the statute of limitations on 'smash and grab', but please keep in mind LTHForum is a public forum. Glad to see you've mended your ways.

Enjoy,
Gary

GAry,

I really do need to be careful around here!

Enjoy your lunch with the Honey 1 chaser!

Regards,

Despite the new buildings and the air filters, I fear that the future is bleak for both stands. The parcel of land east of Halsted and south of Roosevelt is now being developed as the next section of University Village, "Ivy Hall". (Yes, that view of the Dan Ryan immediately evokes Harvard Yard, doesn't it?)

http://www.universityvil.com/home.html

Ivy Hall will have a mix of housing options, including single family homes in the million dollar range.

I somehow cannot imagine the buyers of those houses appreciating the gastronomic pleasures of Jim's Original and Maxwell Street Express. They will probably see nothing except the "unsavory characters" hanging around. I predict the two stands will first be forced to cut way back on their hours and then will be pushed out for good.

Amata wrote:Despite the new buildings and the air filters, I fear that the future is bleak for both stands. The parcel of land east of Halsted and south of Roosevelt is now being developed as the next section of University Village, "Ivy Hall". (Yes, that view of the Dan Ryan immediately evokes Harvard Yard, doesn't it?)

http://www.universityvil.com/home.html

Ivy Hall will have a mix of housing options, including single family homes in the million dollar range.

Ivy Hall...

Only a corporate dork (or is that 'fork') could come up with that one... But I love the fake heraldic symbol... really classy...

Far Above Dan Ryan's highway,
with its haze of blue,
stands our noble Ivy Village
moving all to spew..."

Antonius