The Vitals: the spot: Uroko 1023 Springdale Road Bldg 1 ste C Austin TX 78721 the eats: Omakase(chef's tasting menu) the bucks: $95 per person, 45 minute duration the full nelson: Bang for your Buck lux sushi experience Shame on me for sitting on my New Year's Eve dinner post for this long. That's pretty much how it goes when you have a queue of food pics like my phone does. Now that I'm no longer ashamed I'll get right to the heart of this post:

What $95 worth of sushi looks like

And PS: that's a bargain of you are talking about a chef's tasting menu. I posted about Uroko a few years back and then, as in now, they offer great value for the quality of sushi you are getting. Uroko is affordable because they are smart about the experience. Most days the menu is limited to  Temaki or handrolls. On Friday and Saturdays they offer 45 minute Omakase Chef tasting menu experiences. 45 minutes is certainly short but it's why it's affordable: you fill up on just enough and it's quality over quantity. There are more than a few sushi restaurants in Austin charging $200+ a person, before drinks, so understand that $95 a person for respectable deal when you consider the context. Maybe there won't be 4 courses of bluefin tuna belly but you don't have to eat copious amounts endangered mercury laden fish to have a good time. I'm going to just run through each course, describing simply what each one consisted of. Spoiler alert: it was all good. Of course as the meal goes on, and the meatier and richer courses arrive, those notes hit the hardest. Ready? Ok. Irasshaimase! (welcome to the restaurant)

Chef's choice appetizer

Seared beef, soft boiled egg and pickled Japanese vegetables. Yeah, take it or leave it but it came in such an adorbs basket! Meh, it was part of the meal so fine but I wouldn't order this one on its own.

Hirame Nigiri

This is halibut sushi with a shiso leaf in between the fish and rice and a dollop of wasabi on top. True sushi heads will appreciate the subtle clean flavor experience of halibut. It is mild but it can be good, at least a bit more memorable than bad Hirame which seems to lack any flavor at all. This is a time where one might appreciate the quality of the sushi rice and how one can relish the fish even when the flavor isn't massively over the top. It's about the rice too kids, it's about the rice too.

Hotate Nigiri

Things got nice and buttery with this scallop sushi. Hailing from Hokkaido, I know the scallop is gonna be good because that's an area in Japan that sushi restaurants and upscale fishmongers name drop. Prized for their size and meaty flavor, these scallops a mollusk status symbol to die hards, like me.

Ika Nigiri

Raw squid doesn't have a ton of flavor, actually neither does cooked squid. But there is texture to be harnessed. We have all had bad calamari(pro tip: don't fry it to death) but how does calamari become memorable in sushi? Scoring the flesh with a knife helps. The wasabi was placed underneath the squid and the rice, a nice touch.

Sake Nigiri

Sake also means salmon, so let's just clear that up. Also this salmon was dank. Yeah, I said dank. Sweet, rich, fatty and a crowd pleaser. This is when one rolls their eyes back. All those other pieces were leading up to this.

Hon Maguro Nigiri

Even the thrifty Uroko Omakase had to get into some kind of bluefin tuna. Toro, or bluefin tuna belly gets all the love like Kim Kardashian but hey, you can have a good time with Chloe and a piece of regular bluefin tuna. The salmon set off the rich factor, now the tuna set off the hearty meaty factor.

Kanpachi Nigiri

Similar to yellowtail, Kanpachi which is also known as amberjack is a tuna. Not as meaty as yellowfin or blue fin, Kanpachi has a sweeter taste and is overall more mild though not to the degree of Halibut. This is a crowd pleaser too.

Katsuo Nigiri

Katsuo is a Skipjack tuna and shares the red hue of yellowfin and bluefin tuna. Like those tuna, Katsuo is one meaty mofo. It's hard to get this fish outside of a good sushi restaurant as the fish is difficult to keep fresh. This one is a lip smacker for sure. I want to say there is ankimo, monkfish liver pate on top. Known as the foie gras of the sea, ankimo is awesome on it's own. Yeah, we are getting to heart of the lineup here.

Tanin Bune Nigiri

I have had Uni(sea urchin) with Ikura(salmon roe) before but I didn't know it had a name till I deciphered Uroko's menu. I love Uni and Ikura so this was damn awesome. Like I said, heart of the lineup here.

Wagyu Nigiri

10 years ago if you would have said the words "wagyu nigiri" I would have run. Maybe it's all the brisket but Wagyu isn't all that to me anymore. Also I think you need a bit of a sear to render some fat and really get some of the flavor in. But you know what? It was also Wagyu nigiri and that is never a bad thing.

Tamago Nigiri

Great nights end with a breakfast at dawn. This wasn't Denny's but it was also much better and a nice way to end the meal. Tamago is a Japanese omelette, served cold and it's kinda delightful. Great egg dishes explore texture and great sushi is about texture as well. I wouldn't order tamago ala carte but it makes sense at the end of the meal. And speaking of . . .

That's all folks.

Was it worth $95? Hell yes. And I would do it again in a heartbeat. I'll leave you with the sake list to peruse. All good stuff and very smooth. Also worth researching at your local wine shop:

You're welcome.

https://www.tiktok.com/@alikhaneats/video/7135197424821226798?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en

The Vitals: the spot: Sweet Amalia Market  994 US Route 40 Newfield, NJ the eats: Fried Clam Roll, BLT, Calamari the bucks: $15 for a sandwich the full nelson: The ultimate Jersey Roadside produce stand to grab lunch

It was actually a dripping cheeseburger that caught my eye at Sweet Amalia Market, and not even in real life but rather on an Instagram post. Not just any Instagram account either. This was posted by longtime Philadelphia restaurant critic Craig LaBan, who included Sweet Amalia Market in his list of top ten restaurants in 2021. I happened to be driving from Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore over the summer and made a stop at this roadside produce stand. I didn't get the burger but I didn't regret my stop either.

Roadside Jersey Produce stands are a thing

I'm somewhat new to the experience of getting produce at a roadside stand but believe me it's what you should be doing if you're in New Jersey during the summer. Tomatoes and corn are in season and you will notice a difference compared to the supermarket stuff. I'll get to the power of tomatoes in a bit but for now, let's talk seafood.

Do yourself a favor: try everything

You are bound to find favorites at Sweet Amalia Market and ultimately some dishes here simply out best others. We all have our biases and mine came to finding out that I love a BLT during the summer more than perhaps any other seasonal food. Still you should know that Sweet Amalia also has an oyster farm(though in a different location) which means you should think hard about trying the seafood.

Crowd pleasing Calamari

I had to get something for my kid and wanted him try something somewhat adventurous so we landed on calamari. It's common to find fried calamari on menus but seldom is the calamari tender and meaty. Check both those boxes at Sweet Amalia Market. I want say the cocktail sauce was housemade too, but if it was from a bottle, I'd buy it.

Fried Clam Roll

I wonder if I would have liked the Fried Clam Roll more if I didn't also nosh on my kid's calamari. I might have had fried seafood overload as I found the ratio breading to clam favoring the former but I'm also a bit of fried clam roll noob. The bread was excellent, I'm gonna say that again, the bread was excellent. The horseradish and dill cream sauce and pickled onions were beautiful touches. They even snuck some bacon in there. I would probably try the fried oyster next time but if you're fried clam roll fan, give this one a test drive.

The secret to a perfect BLT?

It's all in the tomatoes. I love BLT sandwiches. I like 'em on cheap white bread from a diner. But the BLT at Sweet Amalia Market was a revelation and that ain't just hyperbole. Unless your allergic or were scarred from watching Attack of the Killer Tomatoes as a kid, few things are as tasty as a tomato in season. Jersey tomatoes are legendary and that is the star of the show when it comes to the BLT at Sweet Amalia Market. Like the clam roll, excellent bread is part of the experience as well. This was not only my favorite thing at Sweet Amalia Market but the best BLT I have ever had.

Trust me: make a stop here.

This is worth taking an hour out your day whether you are on your way to the Jersey Shore or if you're looking for an excuse to buy fresh produce and treat yourself to a solid lunch. They also sell bottles of wine and do oysters and clams on the half shell. I can't imagine a more picturesque summer lunch. I'm already looking forward to going back next summer.

The Vitals: the spot: Sidney's Coffee & Eats 705 Commonwealth Ave, Strathmere NJ 08248 the eats: Avocado toast w/ egg and bacon the bucks: $11.50  the full nelson: Trendy coffee shop fare comes to the South Jersey shore and I'm all for it

My visit to Sydney's Coffee & Eats turned out to be well timed. These days I count my calories a bit, enjoying a midlife health revival. Over the course of this year, I've lost nearly 30 pounds and my cholesterol levels have hit all time highs and lows in all the right places. I won't sit here and prescribe some miracle diet though, just share how some meals I enjoy strive for balance.

Not your Dad's Jersey Shore breakfast & lunch joint

Apologies for posting the lunch menu instead of the breakfast menu but a quick scan will prove that Sydney's Coffee & Eats is indeed offering Jersey Shore diners a more contemporary balanced fare. Amongst the hot dog and soft serve ice cream spots, sandwiches like the Fairmount are welcomed find. Multigrain bread, sprouts and avocado that also get a double protein hit with turkey and bacon are the meals that are gonna fuel me up for full days at the beach. The added addition of the bacon makes me feel more confident in a fullness that allows me to skip the chips.

An California staple on the Jersey Shore

I lived in LA when Avocado toasts became the talk of the town. I was a bit skeptical on the idea of paying $15 for guacamole on bread until I started to make them at home. Add an egg and some salsa and you have a fantastic hearty breakfast and that can become well balanced with the inclusion of a slice of hearty whole grain bread. At Sydney's Coffee & Eats, you can get that plus some bacon for under $12 bucks, well under that $15 mark. Take that Hollywood.

A well balanced bacon and egg breakfast

I make these a lot at home and I can tell you that one egg and two strips of bacon is all you need. Sure there are times when you gotta hit it hard at the diner but that's when overkill and breakfast induced naps occur. There are even greens on here too and they season the toast with Everything Bagel Seasoning. That's a tip I plan to bring to the Khan kitchen soon. I have a few spots down in the Jersey Shore that have become traditions like Giovanni's Delicatessen and Berardi Brothers for pizza. Sydney's Coffee & Eats is a welcomed addition to that lineup and the best part is that it comes without the guilt of a cheat day. As I write this it's still August so if you're down in South Jersey and are looking for hip coffee fare food, I'd hit Sydney's Coffee & Eats for breakfast or lunch.

The Vitals: the spot: Sanguich de Miami 12057 SW 8th St. Miami FL 33135 the eats: Cubano, Pan con Bistec the bucks: $10-$14 (give or take .50 cents) the full nelson: if there is a better Cuban sandwich, I'd still go here too

If there was one flaw to my Cubano sandwich experience at Sanguich de Miami, it's that I didn't eat it right there on the spot. Then again the highlight of my Cubano experience at Sanguich de Miami was eating their Cubano sandwich at 30.000 feet. I love a carefully planned meal on a plane. I don't mind being "that guy" who opens up a bag or box of deliciousness down in coach or first class for that matter. Some people have rolled their eyes but all I can say to that is "you chose to pay for Chili's To Go, I chose to have my Lyft driver stop at one of the best Cuban sandwich joints in Miami" on my way to the airport. Sorry not sorry, people.

"Everything is made in house. Down to the mustard"

Over DM's on Instagram I gathered some impressive details about Sanguich de Miami. I was curious about the spot on sliced ham that joins forces with the signature slow roasted pork, commonly referred to as lechon because of the whole Spanish thing, to which I received the response: "Everything is made in house. Down to the mustard". That's impressive folks . . . they make the damn mustard. I will stop myself and add that the bread is made elsewhere but to spec and that the lard rendered from the pork and ham is used to toast the bread. What does all of this mean? Well, along with the spot on layers of cheese and pickle, the sandwich is perfectly balanced yet hearty as hell and hits like a perfect homemade holiday meal slapped between two slices of bread baked with love. A damn fine, perhaps perfect sandwich. And I had it cold on the plane. Well, let's call it room temp.

Tomorrow's sandwich: a worthy sequel

Of course I had to get two sandwiches and I chose the Pan Bistec. Sous vide steak gets hit with mojo rojo, shoestring potatoes and swiss cheese. Mojo is a popular sauce and marinade in Cuban cooking, often using garlic and citrus to flavor pork dishes. I've never had mojo rojo but don't think this is as spicy as it looks. It's more like an earthy chile profile like guajillo used in Menudo or birría. It gives the beef a subtle depth of flavor. So I did eat this a full day after ordering it which meant a night in the fridge(gasp) and a trip to the microwave(double gasp). It was still good AF. I mean, its beef and potatoes in bread from a joint that goes to the trouble of making their own mustard. As I dug through my bag I realized I left out the garlic aioli which is a condiment you can get on the side. The sandwich didn't need it but also I wasn't wowed by it either. I'll also add that this sandwich is good but the Cubano takes top honors.

Until we meet again

I'll just have imagine what it's like to have a cafecito post Cubano at Sanguich de Miami. I'll definitely need to eat these sandwiches on premises to get the full Sanguich de Miami experience. But you know what? It's a sandwich, the perfect portable food and possibly the best takeout you can do on a plane for your own sake for the sake of your fellow passengers. So try Sanguich de Miami at 30.000 feet. Be that guy. It works for me. And my guess is a Cubano from Sanguich de Miami at 30,000 feet will work for you too.

The Vitals: the spot: Midnight Shift 1610 Broadway St, Lubbock, TX 79401 the eats: NY Strip Steak, Burgers, Charcuterie the bucks: $$$ the full nelson: pricey comfort food for the upscale tourist or the trendy Lubbock local

I really like Lubbock TX. I guess you could say I was just surprised that this blip on a map had some respectable dining options. When we drove through Lubbock on the way to ski the slopes of New Mexico, I experienced a meal at the West Table that I would easily return to again and again, price of gas be damned. It wasn't a life changing meal per se, just a remarkable find for a small city like Lubbock. The restaurant knows they are setting the bar high and take pride in doing it in a market where they don't have to. Midnight Shift doesn't hit those notes but it is a bit cheaper(by a hair) and pretty friendly by design. It's more a bar lounge with a decent menu. The safe bet would be to stick to burgers but I was feeling more like a bourbon and a steak that night.

Old Fashioned anyone?

I love these cocktails. Some bourbon plus simple syrup, some bitters and an orange peel make for a cocktail with a punch. Especially in the hands of an experienced bartender. Like the service at Midnight Shift, the bartender lacked experience but the drink went down well enough. I guess I just really like whiskey.

You get what you pay for

Even though my gut said keep it basic, I reached for the stars and got a NY Strip steak. This cut was my first steak crush growing up. I love ribeyes and skirt plus other lesser known cuts like flap meat but you don't find those out often. I tend to criticize getting a steak when it comes to bang for your buck because it's pricey and I can flip a steak with the best of them. But you know what? This steak did the trick. And the well roasted brussel sprouts topped with a heavy hand of parmesan and the sweet potato terrine were decent sides. If I made them at home I would pat myself on the back. At the end of the day, splurging for the steak probably left me more impressed with Midnight Shift. I just didn't think they would be doing anything game changing. So why not let a good cut of beef and some whiskey bring a smile to my face? Midnight Shift might be named so because when it's late you take what you can get. That's the case here. It's not horrible but better options don't exactly pop up that frequently when you're covering this many checkboxes in Lubbock TX. It's a hotel restaurant and while some hotel restaurants snag celebrity chefs, they are by design mean to be crowd pleasing and convenient to a weary traveler. And for one craving a steak and a whiskey on his way back to Austin, Midnight shift was certainly both pleasing and convenient.  

The Vitals: the spot: El Naranjo 2712 S. Lamar Blvd Austin TX 78704 the eats: Duck Mole, Cochinita Pibil, Octopus & Potato, cocktails and Mexican Wine the bucks: $$$ the full nelson:  Regional Mexican cooking that tows the line between rustic and sophisticated well with a cost to match

Back in April I visited El Naranjo in Austin TX. The Oaxacan restaurant had been on my list for sometime. First off, I'm always ready to try regionally specific cooking of any country. Oaxaca isn't just any region though. Famed as the land of a thousand molés, there's more to the Southern Mexican state than the dark brown sauce that coats braised chicken and seared duck. First off there is more than one kind of mole and the dark brown stuff with hints of chocolate and cinnamon are the tip of the iceberg. In fact so is mole when it comes to Oaxacan cuisine. Before this becomes a deep dive into a state in Mexico that counts dozens of languages predating the Spanish conquest, a remarkable amount of microclimates and biodiversity and perhaps the country's most famous chef as a native son, let's just go into a picture driven play by play of what I ate at a restaurants whose chef eventually would win a James Beard award for Best Chef Texas this year. Yeah that was a mouthful, but so was this:

Tuna Ceviche to start

I'm always up for a taste of raw tuna to start a meal and I adore ceviche. I can't say this was the best dish I had that night nor was it among the better ceviches I have had in town. You could skip it but don't skip this.

SANGRE OAXAQUEÑA: a fine cocktail

Excuse the all caps but this drink deserves that say it loud effect. Mezcal, a liquer made from Ancho and Poblano peppers, hibiscus tea, and lime juice make for a drink you could drink all night. But I had other plans.

Skip the beer and margs . . .

You can get beer and margaritas at any Mexican restaurant with a liquor license. Take advantage of El Naranjo's Mexican wines like this Syrah blend from Baja California. Back when I lived in Los Angeles we would take excursions down to Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico's wine country which is also home to an incredible Mexican meets Mediterranean cuisine. I also got married at a winery down there so I can't not try a bottle. Think of this red as something closer to a Southern French red from the Rhone Valley. This is the kind of red wine that won't be the heaviest on its own but will pair very well with intense meats dishes like braised lamb and steaks cooked over charcoal. Or a seared duck breast in a molé . . . but I am getting ahead of myself.

My second fav dish of the night

Octopus is cooked in a sous vide and then sliced and tossed with diced roasted potatoes in a chili oil. My eyes rolled back in my head as I ate this. Octopus is butter when it's cooked till tender and that is a painstaking process. A sous vide is what you pay the big bucks for at a place like El Naranjo and it works. The chili oil reminded me of the separated layer of oil in a Bengali curry my aunties would make. This dish is a must order.

Tlayuda Oaxaquena

I'm not biased for blue corn but at times it is a sign of Nixtamalization which is corn made the right way. That means making tortillas the old fashioned way which is fast becoming extinct thanks to modern conveniences. Beyond altering corn production into a dark dystopian future, shelf stable tortillas taste like eating cardboard compared to the real deal, and drowning it with salsa is often how one makes it palatable. Not the worst fate but there's a better way to eat masa. What happens when you use heirloom corn and it's nixtamalized? The toast off the blue corn gives off a wonderful nutty aroma. The fiery salsa roja cuts through the beans and queso nicely. The only downside to this dish is that it is filling and does bring up an interesting point: menu labeling. Some plates are bigger than others and you can easily fill up if you happen to be a party of two. This Tlayuda could put a dent into you soaring through the menu. Luckily I had a dish to reinvigorate my appetite.

Cochinita Pibil

This rendition of the Yucatan classic wasn't like the stuff I've had down south but somehow I could not put it down. In Quintana Roo, which neighbors the Yucatan, I visited a woman who made Cochinita Pibil on Sundays. Her verison, served to me in a plastic bag which I took home and promptly devoured on bolillo rolls, was cooked underground and remains the gold standard. So why was I constantly nibbling on this despite an approach to total fullness? Great meals find a way I guess. This dish is a crowd pleaser and I would encourage you to order it, especially when dining as a group.

The Best Molé I have ever had

And of course it was with Molé Negro, what some consider the Holy Grail of Mexican cooking. While there are many moles of many different shades, Molé Negro is a blockbuster hit and for good reason. At El Naranjo, 30 different ingredients including almonds, pecans, peanuts and Oaxacan Chocolate combine forces for a most complex tasting experience. Chef Iliana de la Vega also sources a rare chile called Chilhuacle that grows in Oaxaca for this molé as well. Don't think of it as just spicy, this pepper also adds notes of cocoa, tobacco and dried fruit. Sounds like a wine description right? That should foreshadow how deeply complex this sauce tastes. Now I have had molé several times over the years but no dish hit quite like the one I had at El Naranjo. What made this so special? The right protein that deserved to be hoisted up with such a magnificent sauce. I became a fan of duck breast cooked medium to medium rare(yes you can do that) in my youth going to French restaurants. I'm a steak lover and duck seared like this is right up the steak lover's alley. Like an Au Poivre(French Peppercorn sauce), the right sauce makes a protein elegant beyond approach. I previously held this distinction for French dishes like steak au poivre. I now consider this molé as part of that cannon, maybe even the crown jewel. I could just come to El Naranjo and order this duck with a glass of Mexican red wine and be happy as can be. And I know that because even after I ordered this dish, I ordered more.

Gorditas de Chicharron

Underneath the shredded lettuce, crema and that dollop of pico de gallo lies two gorditas stuffed with chicharron. I was two full for the thick masa discs stuffed with fried pork skin so I'd advise ordering them early on and know that they will fill you up unless you are part of a big group. And that's probably the only issue I had a El Naranjo, there was too much to try and it's hard to experience it all with a small party. So plan multiple visits or bring a group. Just know that the duck mole will that dish that will mark your experience until you get to Oaxaca itself. Like Oaxaca, El Naranjo is a special place.

The Vitals: the spot: H3 Ranch 105 E. Exchange Ave Fort Worth TX 76164 the eats: Chicken Fried Steak the bucks: $19.99 the full nelson: affordable steak joint in the heart of the tourist friendly Fort Worth stockyards 

Back in March I was invited by my pal Trey Chapman of Trey's Chowdown to judge a burger competition down in the stockyards of Fort Worth. I was joined by Celebrity Chef John Tesar and Trey at the judges table. It was a day of eating but you know what? A picture is worth a thousand words so . . .

I swear I kept in under control

We judged these burgers like true professionals. A first round of judges eliminated 30+ burgers to just three. Then each were quartered up. The shocking truth? I walked out of a burger competition a touch hungry. So yes, after a burger competition I went hunting for Chicken Fried Steak.

Warning: H3 Ranch is temporarily closed but . . .

You can try out their food at Red Booger Saloon. The menu is the same and if you're on the Cheap Eats hunt like I was, you will wisely forgo the pricier steaks for the chicken fried steak. Priced at $19.95, the chicken fried steak comes in at half the price and includes sides. Now about that chicken fried steak . . .

Make it a meal

I skipped the fries and made it more of a meal with H3 Ranch's beans and corn on the cob. I liked the contrast of these sides vs grabbing a fistful of fries. Now a fact about chicken fried steak: great texture comes from a freshly pounded steak. The Country gravy wasn't half bad either. Mostly I loved that this meal fit the surroundings of the Fort Worth Stockyards and didn't break the bank. And it paired well with a bottle of cheap domestic beer; a whole other category of dining if you ask me.

My Question to you:

Have you ever had a game changing chicken fried steak? A version that makes you think twice about getting a proper steak, regardless of cost? Can't say that I have and yet I believe it's out there. Until I find that, a $20 version of H3 Ranch's Chicken Fried Steak and a couple longnecks of American Domestic will just have to do.

The Vitals: the spot: Mr. Beef on Orleans 666 N. Orleans St. Chicago Il 60654 the eats: Italian Beef  Combo, Italian Beef, dipped the bucks: $9 the full nelson: An Italian Beef located close to downtown, tourist adjacent and legit too

I love Italian Beefs. Whether it's Nottoli & Son which was featured on Cheap Eats Chicago, a late night run at Portillo's or the well regarded Johnnie's Beef in the west suburbs, Italian Beef's are the sandwich of Chicago. Cousin to the French Dip but with remarkably more flavor, Italian Beef's date back to when Italian Immigrants created wedding feasts called peanut weddings under modest circumstances(they were poor) by slow roasting beef, slicing it thin and serving it on bread with the flavorful seasoned au jus. Nowadays you can skip the peanut wedding and just pick a spot. Great Italian Beefs can be found all over Chicagoland.

Mr. Beef on Orleans

I happened to be staying in downtown Chicago while attending the James Beard Awards. Known as the Oscars of the food world, I was honored to be a member of the judging committee this year. I had a few hours to kill till my flight home and Mr. Beef was pretty close to me so I gave it a shot but also at the behest of hilarious food writer Dennis Lee of the Takeout. His office, which also includes The Onion, is a short stroll away. That can be pretty dangerous if you have the habit of gaining weight by reading menus.

Mr. Beef got fans

This is a montage of three walls worth of notable fans of Mr. Beef. I spoke with owner Joe Zucchero, who dished out a ton of goods when it comes to the history of Mr. Beef. Considered the baby of the block when compared to other Italian Beef joints, Mr. Beef opened in 1979. A few years later an up and coming comic named Jay Leno would visit. Joey took care of Jay and Jay said "when I make it, I'm gonna put you on the map". A review in the early 1980s gave Mr. Beef 4 stars across a myriad of factors including beef, bread, peppers and au jus. Celebs started to roll in and Mr. Beef on Orleans became a Chicago Italian Beef Institution.

Good prices and Pepsi= classic Italian Beef menu

Look, this ain't bad for 2022. One beef plus sharing an order of fries, or if you're feeling emboldened, cheese fries will do you right. I also tried a pizza puff too . . . when in Rome I guess. But really you are here for one thing and one thing only.

Italian Beef Combo Juicy

I went for it. Italian beef with Italian sausage and dipped in the gravy(au jus) plus hot peppers. Out the gate for the die hards, the hot giardiniera at Mr. Beef ain't that spicy. But it's made every week, got great crunch and does the job. The lack of heat is by design, Joe tells me. He wants you to taste the beef. Speaking of, he uses Sirloin Butts unlike some other places that use a cheaper cut. The sausage isn't necessary but it feels so over the top which speaks to a fine quality about Chicago dining: gluttony.

The gravy is the whole damn point

The gravy, which in actuality is more an au jus, is the whole damn point, and that goes for any good Italian beef in the city. At Mr Beef, when the sirloins first go into the 500 degree for an initial heat blast, it's actually unseasoned. After an hour and half of high temp then medium temp roasting, the seasoning comes in along with a pan with water to catch the drippings. That's where the flavor really builds so make sure to dip your sandwich in it by ordering it juicy.

The price of flavor: a beef grin

You will want a roll of paper towels handy but at the end of the day, you're here for an Italian Beef facial. Mr Beef used bread from Libiorio bakery and it holds its own despite taking a jacuzzi in the Italian Beef gravy. The price of indulgence is messy but worth it. If you are a Chicago native you no doubt have your favorites. Joe told me that "Italian Beefs are a very territorial thing". If you're a visitor like me, they are all worth trying. A good beef stand captures the soul of the city. And Mr. Beef's Beefs got a lot of soul.  

The Vitals: the spot: Tam's Deli 8222 N. Lamar Blvd Austin TX 78753 the eats: Bánh Mi Sandwich the bucks: $7.75 the full nelson: A Cheap Eats certified Bahn Mi and Vietnamese Cafe with a lot more Tam's Deli in Austin TX has been on my must try list since I moved to Austin in 2015. Geez, am I freaking slacker. Coming from LA I had to find me a Cheap Eats certified Bánh Mi joint. If you have never had a Bánh Mi you are missing out on perhaps the greatest sandwich rival to an Italian Cold Cut combo. And for the record, I ain't talking no BMT from Subway.

A classic Cheap Eats dining room

Sparkling linoleum, a cash register that draws the eye when you walk in and just enough kitsch knick knacks to let you know the part of the world you are dining, Tam's Deli is a glorious Cheap Eats dining room. No need for fancy interior design ideas here. The promise of affordability is enough draw.

A sandwich in balance for under $10

Every Bánh Mi sandwich gets house mayonnaise, pickled carrot, cucumber, cilantro and jalapeños. The baguette most likely lands around 9", not quite a footlong but almost enough to share. I'm partial to the Bánh Mi with cold cuts and pate, and it's my go to order at Saigon Le Vendeur. Tam's isn't quite as stuffed with meats like that one but they do an interesting twist: adding roast chicken. I couldn't put it down.

The rest of the menu beckons.

All the classic elements are here with Tam's Deli Bánh Mi: a light airy baguette with the perfect crisp exterior, the masterful layering of cold crunchy uplifting vegetables, pickles(carrots) and herbs, the creamy layer of mayonnaise and the funky savory meat mix of pate, ham and chicken. Much like an Italian cold cut combo that makes creamy mortadella, savory salami and spicy coppa work, Bánh Mi is a masterful meat lovers sandwich paired smartly with bright fresh contrasting plant life. Tam's Deli doesn't serve fav Bánh Mi in town but it's still damn good. And I'm far more curious about their extensive menu of Pho, Rice Bowls, and house specialties like Vietnamese Crepes. Tam's Deli is priced well within the Cheap Eats margins and in 2022, that is a miracle.