More Interesting Illinois Eats

The Disaster

If you're a culinary explorer like me, then you already know that you can enjoy amazing and plentiful regional specialities in practically every city and town across this great nation. There are TV shows dedicated to premise and many online resources, too. One in particular is Roadfood, the brainchild of Jane and Michael Stern. (I actually met them years ago while living in CT, when Jane was an EMT-in-training with my best friend. In fact, their book pointed me in the direction of Harry Caray's for Chicken Vesuvio.)

So, to wrap up my feasts from the road before I head back to the kitchen, here are a few of the other delicasies we sampled and where you can find them.

Italian Beef: This garlicky, shaved-meat sandwich also is unique to Chicago, so of course there are many places where you can get one. (Roadfood offers several options; Michael is a Chicago native.) Ours came from Dear Franks in Deerfield. They didn't dip the entire sandwich in the jus, which makes it less authentic but much easier to eat, but the flavor of the meat was outstanding nonetheless.

Biscuits and Gravy: You can get this dish almost anywhere in the country, but it's probably most delicious in the midwest. (Maybe they got their recipe from the South...?) The gravy isn't gummy or floury, and the sausage is divine. And, the biscuits? Fluffy and light and so so tasty. We got ours at Courier Cafe, an Urbana institution for more than 30 years.

The Disaster: Trust me, there's nothing tragic about this breakfast! We stopped at Sarkis Cafe in Evanston the morning we left Chicagoland. They offer this incredible, homemade Armenian sausage that's sublime. Top it with cheese and fresh peppers, tomatoes and onions and pile it into a crusty sub roll and you've got yourself a Disaster.

Now that we're a bit more settled, I can cook again! So, stay tuned tomorrow for our next destination.

Cheers, everyone!