Italian Beef
Name: Portillo’s
Location: Greater Chicago
Meal: Multiple (Italian Beef, Chop Salad, Garbage Salad)
Type: Local Restaurant
Portillo’s is one of my favorite restaurants when it comes to Chicago food. What they do best, is doing so many things well. Not only do they serve one of the best Italian Beef sandwiches around, they also serve great Chicago style hot dogs, and they also serve some of my favorite salads. They do this while providing some of most consistently great service I’ve ever experienced. In the two years that I have visited the Chicago area, I would say that I’ve eaten at Portillo’s more than five times; once even for lunch and dinner in the same day. For someone who prides himself of being the Hungry Traveler, always looking for another place, that is saying something.
Lots more after the jump.
The Italian beef is one of Chicago’s best; most will agree that an Italian beef isn’t complete until it has either the sweet or spicy peppers on it (or both). As a reader of this site can quickly figure out I don’t often order a salad. My aversion to salads is not a result of any dislike of them; rather most salads on menus across the country tend to be fairly boring (and you can’t deep fry a salad…yet!). The salads are Portillo’s are anything but boring. The first is the Chopped Salad made with lettuce, chicken, bacon, tomato, Gorgonzola, green onion, and pasta. Yes, they mix cold pasta into their salad with terrific results. The second is the Garbage Salad with lettuce, fresh radish, salami, provolone cheese, roasted red pepper, and celery. Both of the salads are familiar to me but notched up just a few levels by adding the right ingredients for taste and texture. Portillo’s also is unique with what they serve their salads with. No hard hunks of bread here, Portillo’s serves their salads with a warm lemon poppy muffin. You wouldn’t think a muffin would work with a salad but it does.
Portillo’s really is great food. If you were going to Chicago and only had time to try one restaurant I’m pretty sure Portillo’s would be recommendation, if only for sheer number of option within their menu. Portillo’s really says Chicago better than most restaurants; and Chicago has a lot to say.
Garbage Salad
Chopped Salad
Close-up of Chopped Salad
Italian Beef
Sweet Peppers make an Italian Beef
Portillo's at night
I’m a big fan of Portillo’s. My in-laws live in the south suburbs, so we’re there a lot and if I don’t have time to really go anywhere, there’s definitely a Portillo’s stop.
However, there are some beef’s that are better. Maxwell Street and Al’s are two of my favorites. If I have time, I find one of those….if not, Portillo’s is on my way out of town and I’m not leaving Chicago without an Italian beef!