> I wasn’t sure how much curiosity there’d be in regards to a Chicago-centric food newsletter.
So here's the thing. I have been SO pleasantly surprised at the variety and quality of food out here. I thought I was leaving a foodie holy ground and going to have to settle for cooking anything delicious myself, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, the only place I can get a Chicago hot dog is a single overpriced food cart (It's good tho, and they have real Il Taco puffs), nobody knows what a Kronos Gyro is, and even though we have great smashies, still nothing touches RHR... but besides that I have not been left wanting at all. I think Chicago could even learn a thing or two (Don't hit me), and some fresh inspiration from Portland could be awesome.
I am in complete agreement about Chicago being able to learn plenty from Portland! We need food carts, and a food cart pod would be absolute heaven. We did notice a place called Michael's Italian Beef and Sausage Co. out there, though, and I am assuming they also had Chicago stuff! That was a brick and mortar spot and not a cart.
Also, if people don't know what a Kronos gyro is, what do the Egyptian carts sell?
Some of them have those "preshaped" frozen cuts that you can buy frozen that pretend to be strips cut off a spit... The ones that sell proper gyros meat (not off a spit, mind you) give you a tight pita wrap with salad (sometimes Mediterranean, sometimes just lettuce), sauce (usually pink), etc. You literally can't get one with just tzatziki, onions, and the optional tomato.
Michaels apparently used to be good; seems he passed in 2020 and the place is apparently very very bad and very very dirty now. Even still, their version of a Chicago dog has giardiniera on it...
You can usually get pickled green tomatoes at any decent Jewish deli. Claussen used to sell them by the jar but it looks like they were discontinued. A few other brands still sell them--Bubbies, ba-tampte, and jake&amos.
You can buy them in deli containers ready to go at Romanian Kosher Sausage 7200 N Clark
I’m going to Portland next month, for a very brief three days. Please tell me where to eat!
> I wasn’t sure how much curiosity there’d be in regards to a Chicago-centric food newsletter.
So here's the thing. I have been SO pleasantly surprised at the variety and quality of food out here. I thought I was leaving a foodie holy ground and going to have to settle for cooking anything delicious myself, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, the only place I can get a Chicago hot dog is a single overpriced food cart (It's good tho, and they have real Il Taco puffs), nobody knows what a Kronos Gyro is, and even though we have great smashies, still nothing touches RHR... but besides that I have not been left wanting at all. I think Chicago could even learn a thing or two (Don't hit me), and some fresh inspiration from Portland could be awesome.
I am in complete agreement about Chicago being able to learn plenty from Portland! We need food carts, and a food cart pod would be absolute heaven. We did notice a place called Michael's Italian Beef and Sausage Co. out there, though, and I am assuming they also had Chicago stuff! That was a brick and mortar spot and not a cart.
Also, if people don't know what a Kronos gyro is, what do the Egyptian carts sell?
Some of them have those "preshaped" frozen cuts that you can buy frozen that pretend to be strips cut off a spit... The ones that sell proper gyros meat (not off a spit, mind you) give you a tight pita wrap with salad (sometimes Mediterranean, sometimes just lettuce), sauce (usually pink), etc. You literally can't get one with just tzatziki, onions, and the optional tomato.
Michaels apparently used to be good; seems he passed in 2020 and the place is apparently very very bad and very very dirty now. Even still, their version of a Chicago dog has giardiniera on it...
These are honestly my second favorite thing on the menu, after the onion chips. Above even the dawgs.
If you love the onion chips, don’t sleep on the super veggies. They’re out of this world. Also, the pineapple shake.
You can usually get pickled green tomatoes at any decent Jewish deli. Claussen used to sell them by the jar but it looks like they were discontinued. A few other brands still sell them--Bubbies, ba-tampte, and jake&amos.
Yes, please write a Portland food spot piece!