Italian beef: finding a taste of the Windy City in the Rose City
Windsor Morning's Jonathan Pinto discovers a Chicago classic at the Chatham Street Deli
Chicago is known for a number of foods. Deep dish pizza, mixed caramel and cheddar popcorn and Chicago-style hot dogs are among the most famous.
The Chatham Street Deli in downtown Windsor specializes in a slightly less-known Chicago dish known as the 'Italian beef.' It's a simple sandwich consisting of thinly-sliced roast beef topped with a mixture of pickled vegetables known as giardiniera, and served au jus.
"The Italian beef really goes back to the early 1920s when Italian-Americans settled in Chicago... this was their go-to sandwich," explains Sandro Giustini. He opened the Chatham Street Deli with his wife, Melanie, in November.
Though Giustini grew up in Windsor, he has many connection to Chicagoland, including relatives. It was his time spent there in culinary school that really cemented his love for the Italian beef sandwich.
"Spending time in Chicago, living downtown, I was a couple of blocks from a place called Portillo's...I'd go [there] honestly at least three or four times a week," says Giustini. "It's a sandwich where you get so addicted to it that when you move away from that city, you miss that...I [found] myself making trips [to Chicago] just for the sandwich. So when we were deciding to open [the Chatham Street Deli], we said 'hey, we have to do the Italian beef!'"
Giustini says that his recipe was ten years in the making.
It even involved getting his relatives to drive samples from his favourite spots in Chicago to Windsor. Every element of the sandwich was agonized over — even the bread. It's specially made for the deli by Italia Bakery on Erie Street and is designed to soak up the juices without getting too soggy.
The attention to detail seems to be working. A number of Chicago ex-pats have given him the thumbs up.
"I've had 20 to 30 people from Chicago come and eat this sandwich, and it's like I've changed their lives. They've written me long two-page messages, just reminiscing [about] their hometown. It's a staple in the community over there," says Giustini.
Want to try an Italian beef sandwich?
The Chatham Street Deli is located at 20 Chatham St. E. in downtown Windsor. You can also reach them at (519) 258-8181 or via Facebook.
The Italian beef is best enjoyed fresh inside the deli. While Giustini will let you add other toppings, Jonathan thinks you should order the sandwich in the classic Chicago style at least once — just meat, jus and giardiniera.
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