A hoagie worth the hike
A hoagie worth the hike
Get in your car for my favorite sandwich outside of Chicago
Hello, party (cut) people!
Hope you had a killer weekend. If you had anything good to eat, pop off in the comments. I love hearing about where you’ve been. And I love you too.
Today’s edition involves one of my favorite sandwiches, if not my absolute favorite sandwich, in existence.
There is, however, a minor catch: It’s in the far northern suburbs, close to Kenosha, in a town not entirely known for its cuisine (but has some sleeper hits). I promise, like Uncle Jerry’s, it’s well worth the hike.
All things said and done, it’s about 45 minutes away from where we live. But damn, if this sandwich was any closer, I’d be in some serious trouble.
The Original Chicago Hoagie Hut (2807 Grand Ave, Waukegan, IL) is a goddamn gem. I am admittedly very biased, however. I grew up in Lake Forest, Illinois, and there was an outpost of the Hoagie Hut (aka “The Hoag”) in the next suburb over, Highwood. It was situated in this greasy little shack that you probably would have passed without noticing, and I wouldn’t have blamed you. As teens, we’d occasionally hang out there to get a greasy lunch on weekends, and I’ve got a warm spot deep inside my clogged arteries for the place.
If you’re a long-time city dweller, the name may sound familiar to you. There was once a place, long since closed, with the same exact name at 2580 North Lincoln. I assumed it was simply another location of the shop, but I’m seeing some mixed information on the internet about it.
Per the cook here, the Hoagie Hut found in the burbs is not connected with them and has stolen their name, he's quite pissed that they aren't cooking the food as well as it is here.
That info doesn’t quite add up, however. This piece from the Chicago Tribune indicates that this would have happened 56 years ago, when the suburban one I’m referring to was established. I feel like I’d have heard about this beef at some point. No matter what the truth is though, I will always love a weird restaurant feud.
I’ll make the ordering part easy for you: Just get the Chicago Cheesesteak Hoagie.
It’s got shaved steak, American cheese (the yellow stuff), shredded lettuce, tomatoes, lots of thinly sliced onion, mayo, and a generous dash of unspecified sandwich seasoning, probably an Italian blend, all on a toasted French bun. There’s multiple sizes, and you’ll want to pick slightly conservatively, since this fucking thing is as dense as a neutron star. An 8” will run you $8.21, a 16” is $16.42.
My god, is this thing glorious. It’s very aromatic from the raw onions and dry herbs, and as it sits, the carryover heat from the beef wafts the smell up to your face. I’d lean over a bit for your first bite, as these things drip mayo and grease. If you’re wired anything like me, after your first mouthful, you’ll be in heaven.
The American cheese melts almost like a sauce into the beef (gotta love modern food science), and the cold veggies add a cool crunchy texture in each bite. They’re destined to fall off the sandwich, but when you’re done you can scoop up the greasy veggies with your bare hands. You’re going to want every last trace of that thing in your face.
I posted a photo of Hoagie Hut’s Chicago Cheesesteak to my Instagram stories once, and fellow food writer Helen Rosner (who even has a Wikipedia page and is a James Beard Award winner!) messaged me immediately and said, “It’s the hot mayo.” Helen grew up near me. She knows what’s up.
Helen’s absolutely right, by the way. The words “hot mayo” would ordinarily be somewhat repulsive to some people, but that hot mayonnaise, of which there’s a hilarious amount of, takes that sandwich to the next level. Sorry, mayo haters, it’s just not the same without it.
Also, the fries ($2.75) aren’t particularly good, but I always order them, since I’m an idiot. If you order cheese fries, whatever brand’s cheese sauce they use is fucking terrible; it’s almost like a neon gel. Yet I still insist on ordering them.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the sliders ($2.70).
I don’t know if they technically count as sliders due to their slightly bigger size, but these small burgers are pretty remarkable. If you have room for a side burger (which you probably won’t), it’s definitely worth a caloric detour. They’re small smashed patties with onions piled on top, all cooked anywhere between translucent to charred.
My longtime friend Nick Kindlesperger, who’s one of the Chicago Tribune’s food critics, also really likes these things. He and I used to work in Waukegan together. I do not recommend that daily commute from Chicago. It’s brutal.
Now that the weather’s warming up a bit and if you have a wide open Saturday, I’d say you really should make the trek up. Hop into a car with some friends (but not too many, the Hoagie Hut is tiny). That hot mayo is calling your name.
The Original Chicago Hoagie Hut
2807 Grand Ave
Waukegan, IL 60085
(847) 249-8300
Hours:
Open 11 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. every day except Sunday (closed)
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The Hoagie Hut is an important place to me, so I hope at least one of you makes the trip up there and finds it as joyful as I do.
Okay, all, have a fantastic week, and happy upcoming Valentine’s Day! Davida and I are headed to Perilla and we’re very, very, excited. I’ll talk to you next week.