related items
Once again, I must say how wonderful it is that people who move to Orlando bring their indigenous cuisine with them. We're not talking Jamaican goat or Irish coffee. What I love is how Americans from the contiguous 48 are so loyal to dishes that turn scarce just a couple states away. Some are so steadfast that when they move here, they open a restaurant — even if it takes a couple decades.
Italian Beefstro sits a couple lights off I-4 on Colonial in what used to be a darts and billiards emporium. After years of bull's-eyes and bank shots, the Chicago couple that owned the place sold out to the bare walls and spent a couple years converting to cook that Chicagoland classic, the Italian beef sandwich ($4.95).
Italian beef is similar to a French dip sandwich, but don't confuse them. French dip is good. Italian beef is magic. Thin, sliced roast beef and sautéed green peppers fill a length of crusty roll and then the whole thing is dunked in the garlicky juice than runs off the beef. Because the bread is chewier than your average French loaf, it all holds together — a little drippy but not too sloppy.
If you've never had an Italian beef sandwich made by someone who cares, you're forgiven for not understanding what makes this sandwich so great. I've had lesser versions with chewy, artificially brown beef and salty “juice” that were edible, but just barely. Italian Beefstro roasts its own beef so it's tender and still a little pink, collects real juices from those roasts, uses quality “sweet” peppers, and has sourced just the right bread. The ingredients are basic, but when they come together properly like this, it's a distinct experience.
The combo sandwich ($5.99) is priced outside my usual $5 Cheap Eats cutoff, but it's another Chicago import you should know about. It's that same dipped Italian beef sandwich, but with a link of dense, caraway seed-studded, grilled sausage under the beef and peppers. Mixing beef and pork, it's like eating two sandwiches at the same time.
Italian beef connoisseurs know you really shouldn't devour either sandwich without the 30-cent addition of giardiniera. Peppers and veggies (carrot, celery, and cauliflower) in oil, it both makes the flavors pop and the top of your head sweat.
While I recommend your first (and second) trip here be for the Italian beef, the meatball sub ($3.89 or $4.49 with marinara sauce and cheese) is pretty good too. The red sauce is a little sweet for my taste, but the meatballs are moist and large.
Italian Beefstro also traffics in that other Illinois classic, the Chicago hot dog ($3.89, or $5.89 with fries). In the past, I've praised local places for compactly fitting all the Chicago dog ingredients (mustard, pickle relish, onions, tomatoes, pickles, peppers and celery salt) into a poppy seed bun. Italian Beefstro gets them all in there too, but instead of a tight arrangement, the toppings are generously loaded into a big bun. It's almost a salad.
Dish: Italian Beefstro has outdoor tables and even a fountain, but if you sit inside, the lunch counter has a row of tiny flat-screen TVs for your individual viewing pleasure.
Damage: For $4.95, the Italian beef is so good; I don't even mind that my budget prevents fries or a soda – or beer. Yep, for $2.50 you can get a domestic bottle. Wine is $3.50 – three reds, two whites.
Decision: Former Chicagoans have already discovered Italian Beefstro. I met one guy who eats multiple sandwiches per week since finding his taste of home. As I write this, Italian Beefstro is only open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Those hours make it tough to stop in unless you work downtown – which is why the owners plan to expand their hours a bit after Labor Day. You still won't be able to stop in after a late night of downtown drinking, but it'll be a start.
What other people are saying...
Miriphoto from college park - August 27, 2009 at 1:13 PM
I had the Chicago Dog and the Italian Beef Sandwich, both were superior! I can't wait to go back and try some more. Yummmmm.
Report This Comment