I'm a Chicagoan born and bred. I've lived here all of my 55 years. Here's my take on great Chicago eats and where to find them: hot dogs from Devil Dogs on the NORTHside of the city, under the L; not all Chicagoans are into deep dish pizza - for great thin crust pizza that is NOT anything like New York's. go to Home Run Inn (a name that pays tribute to Cubs great Ron Santo). There you will find a heavenly thin crust with just the right amount if cheese and toppings. They also have a unique dish - pizzsagna, a combination of pizza and lasagna (really delicious!). They have several locations but the original is at 31st and Pulaski Road in Chicago. As for Italian beef sandwiches, Buona Beef (locations in the city and suburbs) has a really tasty one! Another great place in the hospital complex on the west side of Chicago is Lulu's Italian Beef on Ogden and Taylor avenues in Chicago. Anybody can slice beef paper thin, it's the Italian gravy that makes each beef sandwich different! By the way, the beef LIVES in the gravy - no steaming. I like combos (Italian beef and Italian sausage) on a bun that's been dipped in the gravy (this is called ordering the sandwich 'juicy') and some hot giardinaria (sp?) which is a spicy bottled olive salad. Usually there's tiny hot green peppers, green olives and carrots in a vinegar brine. Some salads have tiny bits of cauliflower as well. And I 'never' add cheese of any kind! This is a meat and bread party! ;-)). Also, every good Italian beef I know of uses Gonnella bread. They make a tender/chewy Italian bread that's very sturdy, has a great flavor profile and won't fall apart even when juicy! I hope you make it back here and can enjoy some these great eats yourself! Just a reminder that this is only MY opinion - your mileage may vary, I hope to be back in Chicago next spring, and am definitely printing out your advice here. I feel an "Italian beef crawl" coming on... Thanks! :) PJH

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