mmm-yoso!!!

Pisa's Chicago Deli

Recently some business found me in the Mission Gorge area around lunch time. I saw a storefront I hadn't noticed before. I think this used to be a location of Submarina or something like that.

  

And since I just can't seem to pass up a chance at a Chicago Dog, I just had to stop.

The interior does seem to scream "sandwich chain", but the menu is bit different. 

  

And so I ordered....what else, a Chicago Dog ($3.49):

 

The good? The standard Chicago Dog roll-call indicated all the usual suspects were present; the dog is Vienna Beef, the roll is poppy seed, the sport peppers were nice and spicy, the neon green relish was in attendance, as was the celery salt and tomato slices.

 

The bad? The dog was "blanched" and flavorless, the poppy seed bun was heated in the microwave and gummy, and it didn't have enough celery salt. Barely passable at best......

A few weeks later, I found myself back in the area, and decided to give Pisa's another try. This time I went for the Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwich ($6.49), which I requested "hot dipped":

 

Even though the beef was basically your standard roast beef, it was sliced fresh. The roll was a standard French Roll, which did fine. The young man working the counter even included a cup of the "broth", which tasted pretty much like the stuff you'd serve with a roast beef dip. I once had a version so full of oregano and garlic flavor.....this wasn't it, but neither was it terrible. The giardiniera was the appropriate "sport pepper" version, which I enjoy.

And though I don't really consider this a "real" Chicago Beef sandwich, it sure was a lot of food:

I also enjoyed the potato salad which was cold, with a nice vinegar flavor.

 

All in all, that beef sandwich sure was pretty hefty. The menu is different from the usual Subway and Quizno's, and the guys that work here were nice and friendly. So if you're in the area, and really need a Chicago Dog........

Pisa's Chicago Deli
10450 Friar's Road
San Diego, CA 92120

Hot Dog!!! A Chicago Dog Comparison: Viva Chicago Dogs, Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria, and Chicago on a Bun

Now I must admit, I'm not a real big hot dog fan....though I almost always must have a Dog at the movies...well, you know, just because. Or even one from Costco, it seems that I'm just unable to avoid a good deal! But the Chicago Dog has a special place in my heart. I'm not quite sure why, but the combination of a beef dog, onions, dill pickle, Sport Peppers(yes, even the type of peppers  matter), mustard, tomato slices, and most importantly, celery salt, holds a special place in my heart. It is a bit odd..... And my introduction to the Chicago style Hot Dog was even more bizarre. After all, where does a kid from Hawaii get introduced to a Chicago Hot Dog? It was at, of all places, an Orange Julius location at Kahala Mall several decades, and some change ago. Now I have been known to grab a Chicago Dog every once in a while, but have never really documented my flirtations with the Chicago Dog until recently.

You might think that plopping a hot dog on a bun, and covering it with said ingredients is a slam dunk. But there are some subtle differences in the 3 different dogs I had. So just to jog your memory, a Chicago Dog must fulfill the following criteria; the base is a steamed poppy seed bun, the hot dog must be all beef, the most well known brand being Vienna Beef. In fact, just as you'll see those Kronos brand Gyro posters in front of Gyro shops, you'll see the large and bright Vienna Beef posters adorning the walls and counters of places selling Chicago Dogs. The Dog is topped with Yellow Mustard, Neon Green Relish, Chopped Onions, 2 Tomato Slices, A Dill Pickle Slice, 2 Whole (they must be whole) Sport Peppers, and a healthy sprinkling of Celery Salt. Usually in that order. So let's get started.

Viva Chicago Hot Dogs:

Located right off Miramar Road, it was the sign for Viva Chicago that first got my latest Chicago Dog craving going. The shop itself is small, but colorful, serving everything from Hot Dogs to Burgers, to Sandwiches.

All these "Chicago" Dog places dress themselves up with memorabilia, which I guess gives them an air of authenticity and charm. The unfortunate thing is, after you've been to a couple of them, you can't help but think that this is more a calculated marketing effort, sort of a calculated "kitsch" restaurant design. At this location I went with the Jumbo Chicago Dog (poster said 1/5(!) of a pound, not 1/4, but 1/5). I heard the distinct beep of the microwave, so I'm assuming this dog was heated in the microwave. And my Jumbo Chicago Dog($4.60) was served.

So how did this dog line up? I found the dog to be on the bland and tasteless side, and it lacked the "snap" that I enjoy from a good dog. The roll was warm, but on the stale side as it kinda crumbled. The Dill Pickle was nice, mild in flavor, though it had a great texture. The amount of onions was perfect. The peppers were hard and chewy, lacking in crunch. And I thought that the dog needed more celery salt. It wasn't bad, but for nearly 5 bucks.......

Viva Chicago Hot Dogs
6780 Miramar Road
San Diego, CA 92121

Mon-Fri  10am-9pm
Sat  10am-8pm

Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria:

Yes, I know, it's a pizza place. And they serve up some pretty good pizza. But they also serve up a Chicago Dog. There are no "size" choices, it is a Chicago Dog and Fries ($4.25):

Though the dog was the standard 2 oz dog, there was a ton of hand cut fries. This dog had the best "snap" of the three that were sampled. It was put together well, the bun was warm and soft, it was "Dragged through the Garden" with everything in good proportion, except for one thing.....where's the celery salt? The fries were scalding hot when they arrived. But really got soggy quickly. Still, a nice potato flavor, and with a liberal sprinkling of Malt Vinegar, they were okay.

This was without a doubt the best "bang for the buck" deal that I had.

Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria
3448 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

Tues-Sat 12pm-10pm
Sunday  12pm-9pm

Chicago on a Bun:

I've posted on Chicago on a Bun before, so if you'd like to see more "stuff" you can find the post here. I hadn't been to this location of Chicago on a Bun in a good while, and have noticed that the prices have gone up a bit. On this day I got a combo, Jumbo Chicago Dog, Homemade Chips, and a Drink ($7.80):

I've eaten here several times over the years, and expected this to be the hands-down best. And as always there was a good amount of celery salt. But on this day I was a bit disappointed overall. The dog was good, just as always, and the dill pickle hands down the best. They have an excellent poppy seed roll, but on this day it was served to me cold, not steamed and fluffy. Also, instead of the mustard residing on the top of the dog, it was smeared on the bun. You may say that it's no big deal, but the mustard made the (cold) bun go soggy and break into mushy pieces. It is already a challenge to get the perfect bite of a Chicago Dog, it's no fun when it disintegrates. As for the chips...my advice is to stay with the fries. Two simple things would have made this the hands down champ....a steamed bun, which I'm hoping is an oversight. And placing the mustard on top of the dog. Looks like I'll just have to keep returning until it's done right!

Chicago on a Bun
8935 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 109
San Diego, CA 92122

Mon-Fri 11am-8pm
Sat  11am-7pm
Sun     11am-5pm 

Have I ever had a Chicago Dog in....Chicago? Well, yes, sort of. On my last trip to Madison, I had a dog from Superdawg in Midway Airport. Like all airport outlets...it was less than stellar. Trying to convince my traveling companions that we "needed" to stop for "just a hot dog" (How dare they), was also not successful. So hopefully someday soon....

Windy City Beef- Angus burgers! (and fresh authentic food from Chicago)

Unfortunately for all of us, Windy City Beef has closed and is going to become another Chicago on a Bun outlet.  Similar, but not as good, in my opinion.  Truly a loss . :-(

mmm-yoso is not on vacation.  Kirk and Cathy are alternating days of reporting some good food we like that is local!  Today, it's Cathy's turn.

Hello again.  I think you know by now that I grew up in Detroit.  OK, that isn't Chicago, but it's close enough..it is about a 6 hour drive and in another time zone, but the Midwest accents are the same and the flavors and foods are Italian, Polish and just hearty American...you know, beef is a primary ingredient.  Well, since February, there has been this place on Fletcher Parkway, just off the 125, (southeast corner) called "Windy City Beef".  I know about the Windy City...I like beef...hmmm. Oh, and I'm doing Part 2 of a Week of Burgers!

Gotta stop in and try it. Hey- they call it "pop" here, not "soda", not "beverages"...pop.  Look at that menu!  Check out the website by clicking here. The family is Italian, from Chicago and they use their own recipes and make it fresh.  Family run...Well, The Mister and I had to, you know... here is a close up of the menu for those of you looking at prices. I didn't realize the photo would not be as clear, sorry. So, its basic food that I grew up with.  Burgers, beef sandwiches, Italian sausage sandwiche, a chili dog, a brat, a Polish dog, pizza, and ... oh and that "Windy City"- a Chicago Style Hot Dog, which is a Vienna Beef hot dog with mustard,  relish, fresh chopped onions, tomato wedges, kosher pickle, celery salt and your choice of hot or sweet peppers, served on a freshly steamed poppy seed bun.  OK, one of those  ($2.95) and an Italian sausage sandwich, called "Da Mayor"...a home made deliciously seasoned Italian sausage, char-grilled to perfection served in au jus gravy on fresh baked Italian bread ($3.95)..and a side of chili cheese fries, just to see what the chili tastes like, of course...($2.85)  :)

You order, pay, sit down and it is brought to your table, in brown paper bags, just like I used to get in Detroit (with your order written on the outside of the bag) at the local Coney Island Restaurant.

Open up those bags, and the packaging..

and look at that- juicy, plenty of food AND the authentic *NEON GREEN* Chicago relish..wow! It smells so good!  It is the Vienna Beef regular hot dog, (not the old fashioned one with natural casing) and the flavors are *excellent*; the taste brings back good memories. The Italian sausage sandwich-oh yes, that is *not* a Costco Italian sausage (which I do buy when I can't get to Little Italy downtown).  You can taste the fennel pieces in it, and its juicy and oh so fresh, and char grilled the correct way.

Oh, here is the a close up of those buns (with a bite taken out of each; we couldn't wait). The Italian bread was definitely fresh with a nice light crispy crust.   The poppy seed roll was steamed and eggy tasting.  I'll get to the chili/fries in a minute.

Previously (for the sake of this blog, heh heh) I had brought home some other basics and photographed them...

The Big John Burger (1/3 pound juicy Angus ground beef with lettuce, tomato, sliced onion, ketchup and mustard, served on an old fashioned potato bun) ($3.95).  They say they cook the burgers to medium well, I asked to be as less of that as possible and it was cooked more to a medium..and gosh was it *very* juicy and flavorful!..Angus beef is sooo much better... (I will get into my meat doneness preferences in another post; the people who work here are following the law about cooking raw meat.  Point is, it was medium done and *still* was juicy and great tasting. )...oh and that potato roll!  My very-very-VERY first job was working in a Polish Bakery..I know bread; I know what I like..and I do *so* like potato rolls and bread.  This was excellent..the burger and everything about it...and for only $1 more, you can make it a 2/3 pound burger! (and its called a "Sears Tower", of course)

This is "Da Boss" The famous thin sliced slow roasted Italian seasoned beef served in au jus gravy on fresh baked French bread and served with hot or sweet peppers (these are the sweet ones) ($5.65).  Excellent.  Juicy.  Perfectly seasoned. A lot of just beef.  That bread. mmm!

So, back to those chili cheese fries...well, guess how the chili is made...um, the trimmings from that thinly sliced beef  from "Da Boss" can't go to waste, you know...yep- look at the chili up close (you can click onto those pictures up there) *chunks* of beef..homemade chili...*mmm-yoso!*  There are pinto beans that are blended in; you don't bite into any whole ones- the beans are used as the thickener and you know they are in the chili, its a nice background flavor...and yes, this chili could win a few contests, I think.  Oh, the fries are double fried, so they stay crispy with the chili and cheese on top of them...a great detail making that little side dish..well, superb!

So, this little placard is on every table. What is that?

Fresh, hand cut potato chips?  I went up to order some, but alas, they were out of those sliced potatoes.  Next time.  However, the owner, who was working, asked me if I liked Cannoli..well, duh...its a dessert  that is not too sweet, a ricotta cheese filled pastry shell...um, OK, I'll take the Cannoli, please.  So, He went in the kitchen area (its an open area; you can watch everything being made) and filled a Cannoli shell for me, dipping each end in pistachios and brought it out to our table.

Oh My!  The freshest, crispiest, most delicate pastry shell, filled with the freshest ricotta, powdered sugar and slight vanilla flavor Cannoli filling I've ever had! (and, I've had a few, thankyouverymuch).

I asked, and the pizza is made from the owner's Grandmother's recipe..the dough risen on the pan (it is Sicilian thick pan style) and then  a light tomato sauce (He said usually his grandmother just put on spaghetti sauce) and lots of cheese.  That's for next time, too.

Windy City Beef- Family owned and operated, helping out the local Community with fund raisers (see the website) and making fresh, good food that people from the Midwest miss, all while serving pop as the beverage...and *really* excellent Angus burgers.

Like the sign says- They don't serve fast food, they serve fresh, homemade quality food- quickly.

Windy City Beef 2872 Fletcher Parkway El Cajon 92021 (619) 465-BEEF (2333) Open 7 days, call for hours. www.wcbsd.com

There is quite a bit of  some great Chicago memorabilia contained within the space...and a very telling poster for those of us who understand....

By Request, The Clairemont Hot Dog Battle: Woodies vs. Tommy's - Will Heartburn Reign Supreme ?

I don't quite remember who requested a comparison of the Chili Dogs at Woodies and Tommy's. But I'm pretty sure it's Diet Chili Cheese Fries, who probably wanted to see the word "Woodie" in print again. But since Tommy's and Woodies are just a few miles apart on the same street, I'm sure a comparison is due. So with Pepcid in hand, I headed out to try out the Chili Dogs at Woodies and Tommy's on a recent Saturday morning.

In This Corner: Tommy's

If you live in SoCal you know Tommy's, so I think no introduction is necessary. But let me state clearly that my poison of choice here is the Tommy Burger. We used to live right up the street from a Tommy's, so I've had my share, but still I don't get to Tommy's very often.

I must say, that even though this location of Tommy's is so very "white-washed" and clean, the napkin dispensers make me feel like I'm eating in a bathroom.

Well back to the subject. Here's the Chili Dog at Tommy's ($2.40):

The Good? I like the chili at Tommy's, even though it's got the texture similar to that of refried beans, or a texture sort of like when you had some bread and milk and mashed it against your teeth in Elementary school to gross people out. There is a hint of pickled Jalapeno in the Chili that adds some zip, but overall the chili is very mild. Of course I love onions, so that goes without saying!

The Bad? I hated the slice of American Cheese thrown in on the bottom of a dry bun, a full one-third of the chili dog had no cheese. The Hot Dog is pretty mediocre, just like you can buy in any market. The slices of  pickles and a whole slice of tomato is ponderous, unless you want to make a mess..

The Verdict? This Dog depends on the chili.

So some Diet 7-Up to clear my palate(we wouldn't want to one taste to corrupt the other....but what to do about burps?) and a few miles later......

In This Corner: Woodie's

A Hot Dog "stand" in the Clairemont Square Shopping Center.

Here's the "Woodie Dog" at Woodie's($2.50):

The Good? A good natural casing dog, with "snap". The shredded cheese that covers the entire dog, and partially melts is an improvement over Tommy's. I also like the care that is lavished upon my Woodie.....it is assembled well, and doesn't go falling all over the place. We all know the problems associated with walking with a "Woodie", so I won't go into those.

The Bad? Well, I think the Chili is a very generic, chili con carne-ish concoction.

The Verdict? A good dog that I enjoy dressed differently.

So which Dog reigns supreme? Well there's a reason they call it Tommy Burgers. I'll leave it at that. On a side note; I noticed a sign that said that the Clairemont Mesa Woodies was for sale, so if you're inclined, you can have a Woodie of your very own!

Original Tommy's
7415 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111

Woodies Chili Dogs
4250 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

Thanks for humoring me! No heartburn to be had as well - I've only had heartburn once in my life, maybe one day I'll tell the story. Tomorrow it's back to Earth, San Diego to be specific.......

"Hey you want a Woodie?"

I Finally Got Around To....

Well a sign is worth a thousand words:

Especially if you live in SoCal. "Tommy-burger" has a real following here in SoCal, you either love it or hate it. As with most burgers of a similar vein, there are stories of the effort that people will go through to get a "Tommy's chili or burger." We had a "Tommy's" right down the street on Fullerton when we lived in LA, and I had a friend come and visit....He had to have Tommy's for breakfast...for 3 days straight! That's right, Chiliburgers; it ain't just for breakfast anymore.....

Tommy's has finally opened here in San Diego, with little mainstream fanfare, but alot of "rumbling" on the Internet. Those who love Tommy's must first profess unrequited love for grease, but delici-yoso grease. The Missus loves Tommy's chili. Alas, the chili does not love Her back, it gives her heartburn! Her inability to painlessly digest Tommy's chili will then make her look upon the chili in a negative light, with the liberal use of that horrible culinary four letter word; "lard". As in "it must have lard in it...." I, on the other hand do not suffer from any immediate adverse reaction from Tommy's, thus to put it into the words of the Missus, "Next life, you be me, Ohhh-Kay!"

I finally got around to Tommy's on a recent weekend. In order to "earn" my Tommy's, I first swept and mopped the house, scrubbed and cleaned the bathrooms, raked the backyard, did 6 loads of laundry, and other various sundry tasks. All self-imposed. As I entered Tommy's the first thing I noticed was that even though it was 3 in the afternoon the dining area was pretty full. The second thing I noticed was that there were several "Guys" eating a Tommy Burger with a fork and knife! Say what! Hey, fork and knife Guy, be a man! You eat the burger like a burger, with no regard for personal hygiene, with your hands. Overwhelmed by my presence in a real Tommy's in San Diego, I had problems even deciding what to order. Yeah, I should have a problem at a place called Tommy "BURGER". I eventually just ordered a #2 combo($5.70):

A double chili cheeseburger, fries, and a drink. I of course ordered the burger the way I wanted it - no pickles, extra onions....but received my burger with pickles anyway. Not that it made any difference. I felt like my burger was a little short on the chili though! The chili on a Tommy's is a gloppy, fairly mild chili "con carne", that has a texture similar to refried beans. I enjoy the acid that tomato provides on the burger, though I wished I had a bit more chili. I hope you enjoy the sheen of grease reflecting off the burger photos:

Though I don't crave Tommy's like many Angelinos, I enjoy a Tommy Burger every once in a while.

The fries I received sorely missed chili, cheese, and onions:

I felt I was committing a crime by eating these without the requisite "parts". I'll make sure to correct this next time!

There's a part of me that believes that burgers have supplanted hot dogs as being the quintessential American food, though that may be heresy to some. But think about it, be it White Castle, Krystals, In and Out, or Fatburger(my fave, though San Diego's Fatburger's have been mediocre); we all have our favorites. I still have fond memories of my beloved W & M Burger. Be it sitting in the car, on the curb, or wondering what wine to match with a Tommy's, burgers have become an obsession for many. I distinctly remember the first time I had a Tommy Burger, though I don't even express a great fondness for them. So strangely enough, Tommy Burger is on that "first time I tried list" along with Foie Gras, Peking Duck, Escargot, and other items....go figure!

And there ain't nothing wrong with a Tommy's once in a while.......

Original Tommy's
7415 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111

Postscript: I've been assured that there ain't no Tommy Burger, like the one served at the "Original" Original Tommy's at Beverly and Rampart.

Woodies Chili Dogs

My phone rings, and the voice on the other side goes, "Hey, you want a Woodie...hehehehe?" Geez, no wonder we have to take Sexual Harassment Training classes every year! Though I'd always give in to temptation and answer with something like "I'd do just about anything for a woody".  The conversation would eventually sink into the depths of deprivation, which I won't go into. Once we get our act together we'll head off to Woodie's. Woodie's Chili Dogs is located right off Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in the sprawling Clairemont Town Square shopping center.

The menu at Woodies is fairly small and basic, and makes for easy ordering.

There are some very interesting items on the "retro" menu, like Frito Pie($2.75) and Corn Dogs($1.75).

Though I usually go for the cholesterol bomb combo. That would be the #2($7.00).

It starts with a Pastrami "Sandwich", we'll use the description of sandwich very loosely here. For me it's pastrami, mustard, pickles, and kraut in an hot dog bun.

The bun is really an afterthought, and I'm always glad that I'm given lots of napkins with my sandwich, because the bun disintegrates after one or two bites. The pastrami ends up being two-fisted fun! Not very oily, and with a passable fat content; the pastrami at Woodies is pretty decent. Though lacking in the slight fatty sweetness that pastrami from The Hat has, it's also less oily, and not as salty. That also makes the pastrami at Woodies less "rich".

But it's still passable, though I find the kraut to be a bit too mild for my tastes. I end up eating the sandwich with a fork...well who am I kidding, I inhale the darn thing, and eat up the remains "Ethiopian Style", using the bun as I would Injera. I don't think it's the best pastrami in San Diego, but it'll do in a pinch.

I really enjoy the fries, thin cut and usually fried to a golden brown.

The pictures are worth a thousand words. You need to eat them right away, they'll get pretty limp after a few minutes, and you really don't want a "limp Woodie"......

Finally, I know you've all been waiting to see my Woodie.......errrr, Kraut Dog($2.50):

The Dog is thin and a little on the small side(I can't wait for the comments on this one), the Dog has a natural casing that gives it a nice "snap". The dog has a nice mild flavor, though again the kraut is a bit too mild, though always nice and crisp. The dogs at Woodies is not everyone's cup of tea. The Missus doesn't care much for Woodies....hehehe, she much rather have the woodies Hot Dogs from Costco of all places.

Overall Woodies is a nice little stop.

So, let me ask you, "do you want a Woodie?" LOL!

Some notes: On many weekends during the Summer Woodies will host many car "cruises". I haven't had the Frito Pie, but it always tempts me. I've had the onion rings, and thought they were pretty good as well. You can also sneak your Woodie(LOL!) into the theaters, they are much better then the mystery meat hot dogs that you get at the movies nowadays.

Woodies Chili Dogs
4250 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

Chicago On A Bun

This past Saturday, I was up in the UTC area around lunch, so I decided to grab a "Dog" at Chicago on a Bun in the Renaissance Towne Center.

Now, I'm not a real "Hot Dog" kind of guy, but I do enjoy a good Chicago Dog. In case you really don't know what a "Chicago Dog" is; it's a Beef Hot Dog in a Poppy Seed Bun, with Mustard, Onion, Relish, Tomato, Sport or Hot Peppers (no jalapeno's need apply), Dill Pickle, and most importantly Celery Salt. No kraut please!

Chicago on a Bun is a Mom and Pop business specializing in Chicago Style Hot Dogs, Sandwiches, and Ribs. It's a little shop crammed full of memorabilia, with a large menu:

So what did I order? A Regular Dog ($3.65), and a drink ($1.35). I placed my order with a sweet and funny older Lady, and had a seat. In few minutes my Dog was ready and I had a seat outside.

Dig that relish will ya'! The dog was a good beef dog, a little on the smaller size, but it could be that I'm affected by the Costco-sizing of the world. I wish the relish was a bit sweeter, and that I had a bit more onions. The peppers were a little spicy, though more pickled than hot. I enjoyed the steamed bun, nice and a bit eggy!

One thing about eating this dog; it's almost impossible to eat it in a neat manner.

You see, in order to maximize the experience, you should get a bit of everything in each bite. Which is nearly impossible, since physics dictates that masses of different sizes and textures will escape through the path of least resistance. In other words, stuff is falling everywhere!

All in all, a nice Chicago Dog, though a bit pricey at almost 4 bucks.

Chicago on a Bun
8935 Towne Center Drive
San Diego, CA 92122
Open Daily - Mon-Sat 11-8, Sun 11-5

Renaissance Towne Center is an interesting place, done to look Old World/East Coast like. Parking is really limited, though there are a quite a few eating places in the mall, it seems like the mall was designed to mainly feed the neighborhood. I really like the Clock Tower:

If you only knew, that at the base of the Tower is a Pizza Hut!

Oh, and by the way; if you're the obnoxious, chubby Chinese Girl stage whispering to your 98 pound weakling of a Boyfriend, "He's so gross", while looking at me eating my Hot Dog. Please take to heart what I said to you; "You want to see gross, try the mirror first!" Try a few servings of class, instead of whatever it is you're stuffing your face with next time, OK?