You Say Sandwich, We Say Yeah!

This blog has been neglected. I'm sorry, but not sorry, as life took me in a different direction for the last several years, and compounded with the global pandemic, I did not travel for about three years. Homemade sandwiches were made and enjoyed. Many a thick cut bacon and equally thick cut seasonal tomato sandwich on artisanal whole wheat was savoured with a cut of mayonnaise. I became my own favorite lunchtime deli counter, out of necessity. But of course, one tires of familiarity, and eventually, new flavours and textures are desired. In my first 24 hours in Chicago, a night was spent at the redesigned Chicago Athletic Association, formerly a private gentlmen's club. A decadent steak dinner was enjoyed off premise, but breakfast was sampled in its distinctive  Cherry Circle Room . As the original name for the private club's longstanding lounge, the redesign of room and menu plays off the old boys' vibe of exclusivity and Chicago's love for wood paneling, and to...

I love how seemingly each major American city has its own way of doing up hot dogs, pizzas, and yes, sandwiches. With time to kill and hours before my next meal, I tried my luck with a Chicago Italian beef. At last, I understand why Arby's could be so popular after visiting this and the Philly cheesesteak. Thinly sliced beef is here slathered with giardiniera, a mixture of pickled and or hot vegetables and sauce. Reading up on the history of the Chicago Italian beef, the drippy nature of it now makes more sense when compared to the poor man's beef dip. However, if I had known this, I would have never tried it as the dip is not one of my personal favorites from the classics. This thing was more meat than bun, more soup than sandwich, and the giardiniera was not great. I should have known, Chicago, your deep dish pizza's are also pretty gross.