The Bear: The Original Beef Of Chicagoland

[San Bernardhinault]

I feel like The Bear deserves its own thread. I've seen loads of love for it across the tedious Current Watching thread. Enough that it probably warrants some standalone comment.

Particularly now we have season 2 released in the US.

I had a lot of trepidation about Season 2 - and have not yet finished it. But Season 1 was so tight, so great, and so self-contained that if felt wrong to push us beyond.

But I am getting more comfortable that it's not a mistake. I won't say more on the opening post of the thread because I think most people want to see a show "fresh".

[San Bernardhinault]

So... I'm up to Ep 6 of Season 2. The "Christmas" episode. And it's just incredible. It's interesting that the "present day" episodes mostly don't have quite the frenetic nervous energy that the first season did, but when we drop back in the past it absolutely does have that. The stress I was feeling while also laughing was quite something.

The earlier episodes felt almost too tranquil and relaxed. Sometimes almost looking like a food documentary. There are some absolutely lovely food scenes for food nerds like me. I was worried that too many food nerds were watching and they were pitching it too hard for us, and not enough for the grimy edgy Chicago diner. I now think they've hid a good balance.

Anyway, I love this show so much.

[Hot Pepsi]

I've been to the real Mr. Beef in my carnivore days (roughly 2002, IIRC). It is really good, but of course, nobody should eat beef.

It is a fantastic show, but as somebody who has a lot of anxiety issues, it can be hard to deal with. I think maybe the point of the show is that Carmy and his family grew up in total chaos, so the restaurant world does not seem so terrible.

I'm not very interested in food and I sure as hell never want to work in a restaurant again. I can't think of an environment I'm less suited to.

But I really liked the scenes in Denmark where the guys were making pastries. I don't have any particular interest in fancy pastries either, but I wish I had the patience to be totally focused on one thing at a time like that, being totally in the moment.

I really loved Hiro Dreams of Sushi. There's a lot to be said for learning to do one thing - or just a few things - extremely well and just focusing on that. I don't know how I'd make a living if I tried to do that. I'm told I need to multitask, which isn't really a thing, but it's how it is.



The number of amazing actors with small roles popping up in it is astonishing.
The Christmas episode is full of famous people and then later on, (minor spoiler), I actually exclaimed "Olivia Fucking Coleman?" That was just a heat check.

[San Bernardhinault]

I absolutely loved the Denmark pastry scenes, too. I wondered if non food-people would enjoy them as much and am glad that you did.

[ad hoc]

Haven't seen season 2 yet, but glad to hear it's good. I loved the first series. Watched the first one just after I'd watched the entirety of Treme, which has significant kitchen action (and indeed Anthony Bourdain was one of the writers)

[caja-dglh]

There is a Mr Beef just down the road. I rarely go - if I am getting Beef I will go to Johnnies which is equidistant but has a far better combo. Johnnies is also right next to a sandwich place which ranked # 2 on some recent cold sub list for Chicago (which clearly eliminates all Beef).

To celebrate The Bear coming back the NYT Cooking decided to troll all of Chicago with its Beef recipe. This in some cases went as far as naming it after local suburbs in social media feeds to wind people up.

[San Bernardhinault]

Is there a "Chicago style" beef sandwich? Or is it just this one place - Mr Beef - that the thing riffs off?

I only ask because North Shore Massachusetts (basically, anywhere north of Boston to the New Hampshire border, and mostly east of I-93) has a hyper-regional roast beef sandwich delicacy. It's not particularly great, but it's regional and the locals love it.

[caja-dglh]

It is (very specifically and insistantly) an Italian Beef. Something that no Italian would recognize. It is itself a very Chicago thing, either on its own or with a hot link (combo). There are plenty individual sandwich places plus Buona, which is a ~25 restaurant chain.

[Hot Pepsi]

There are a bunch of Mr. Beefs, but the one on Orleans is the original, I believe. I'm not sure if its franchised or if it's like Original Ray's Pizza in New York. (Locally, we have Brothers Pizza. There are a bunch of them around the county, but they aren't all related, ironically).
https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/the...er-1235652641/

When I went there, I had no idea it was famous. I just looked at it and knew it would be good. And it's the sort of places with pictures of all the famous people who've eaten there.

Yes, the the North Shore of Massachusetts also has a roast beef sandwich tradition, referenced in Good Will Hunting, even though that was set on the South Shore.
Morgan, I'm not going to Kelly's just because you like the take out girl. It's fifteen minutes out of our way.
What the fuck are we gonna do that we can't spare fifteen minutes.

[San Bernardhinault]

OK. So the "Italian Beef" is the Chicago speciality. That looks like fairly big chunks of hot roast beef in the pictures. I don't mind it being called Italian. At this point in the US the term is almost completely detached from Italy or Italians. Like "Italian Hot" and "Italian Sweet" sausages. The language on the delivery menu that still bothers me, even though it shouldn't after well over a decade in this country, is "served with au jus" or "dipped in au jus"

The classic roast beef here is a stack of very thinly sliced rare roast beef on a slightly sweet bun, with a BBQ sauce on the beef then a slice of cheese on top insulating the top of the bun from getting soggy with the sauce. Mayo on the underside of the top bun.

[Hot Pepsi]

OK. So the "Italian Beef" is the Chicago speciality. That looks like fairly big chunks of hot roast beef in the pictures. I don't mind it being called Italian. At this point in the US the term is almost completely detached from Italy or Italians. Like "Italian Hot" and "Italian Sweet" sausages. The language on the delivery menu that still bothers me, even though it shouldn't after well over a decade in this country, is "served with au jus" or "dipped in au jus"

The classic roast beef here is a stack of very thinly sliced rare roast beef on a slightly sweet bun, with a BBQ sauce on the beef then a slice of cheese on top insulating the top of the bun from getting soggy with the sauce. Mayo on the underside of the top bun.

Compare and contrast:

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...ndwich-5644693


https://www.instructables.com/New-En...ef-Sandwiches/

[Hot Pepsi]

There's also an "upstate" style which, I think, is the same as Beef on Weck from Buffalo.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...dwich-11659258

[ursus arctos]

It is (very specifically and insistantly) an Italian Beef. Something that no Italian would recognize. It is itself a very Chicago thing, either on its own or with a hot link (combo). There are plenty individual sandwich places plus Buona, which is a ~25 restaurant chain.

Again, I am appalled that he got citizenship without knowing this

[San Bernardhinault]

Again, I am appalled that he got citizenship without knowing this

Is one meant to know regional cuisine? How many Americans should lose their citizenship for not knowing what makes Kentucky BBQ different, or which state you'd expect to find a runza in?

[ursus arctos]

So you've been to Nebraska

I'm still not sure you don't belong on probation until we figure out what the hell is going on

But we all know how much pull the realtors have over here

[caja-dglh]

Right now we would get Treibeis instead of San B, which might be a good trade given the demise of PGA.

[San Bernardhinault]

So, moving on from the beef sandwich but staying on Italian-American-food-cultural-weirdness. After watching the magnificent Christmas episode yesterday I decided to look up the "Feast of the Seven Fishes". Given how deep rooted it seems to be in the culture I was amazed to discover that there is no literal "seven" fish equivalent from Italy, and even more astonishingly that it's first reference (according to Wiki) was as recent as 1983.

[ursus arctos]

That sounds about right

The relevant community couldn't afford seven fishes before that.

[caja-dglh]

The standard here is Italian Beef followed by some Italian Ice. The next day you take them for pizza (deep dish) followed by pizza (tavern). Chicken Parm isn't really a big specialty here but we could throw that in quite easily as well. Sunday Gravy also.

[ursus arctos]

Right now we would get Treibeis instead of San B, which might be a good trade given the demise of PGA.

This has me imagining Treibeis and Ms. SB playing as a fourball duo.

I would pay real money.

[ad hoc]

It's obviously good that I left when I did. A vegetarian is never going to pass the ursus citizenship test

[ursus arctos]

You once wanted US citizenship?

[ad hoc]

No, though I presume if I'd stayed much longer it would have been an option I'd have to think about. I was happy when I got my H1B though

[ursus arctos]

As were we

I think you would have had a real problem with the oath (mostly because I would)

i hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."]

[caja-dglh]

They don't check that you are speaking.