People often think my life revolves around copious chef’s tasting menus night after night.
But not when you’re married to someone nicknamed Meat Boy, whose guilty pleasure is fast-food.
I usually steer clear, but I have been known to snatch a handful of fries or the pickle from his burger now and then.
So when Al’s Beef recently opened its first Northern California outpost right here in San Jose at The Plant, I was game to try it with my husband when I was given a $50 gift card to do so.
Meat Boy and I went on a Wednesday night. Although there was a line out the door for The Boiling Crab next-door, Al’s Beef was fairly empty.
The eatery started out as a family-owned food stand in Chicago in 1938. It now has 17 locations, most of them in the Chicago area.
Step up to the counter to order. Of course we had to try the famed beef sandwich, so we opted for the Regular Al (6-inches; $6.49) with sweet peppers (55 cents extra), plus the Windy City signature, a Chicago Dog ($4.99). To round out the meal, we also ordered a 1/2 Tamale Boat ($4.49), one tamale covered with bean-less chili, cheddar cheese and onions; a large order of fries ($4.09); and a half-size Al’s Chicago Chopped Salad ($5.99).
The tamale was a narrow cylinder of soft masa encircling a ground beef filling. Except for the sprinkle of chopped raw onions, the texture was all soft, soft, soft. There was a hit of heat at the end, but otherwise not much to distinguish it. It’s the type of food probably best enjoyed late at night after a bout of drinking, if you know what I mean.
The fries (which also are included with the Chicago Dog) tasted nicely of fresh potatoes, but could have been crisper.
The pieces of iceberg and romaine in the salad were a bit large for a chopped salad, so you missed getting the effect of a little bit of everything in one bite. It did have a nice jumble of tomato, carrots, red cabbage, bacon, scallions, crumbled Gorgonzola, diced chicken breast and a few macaroni noodles. A container of house balsamic dressing came on the side.
Not surprisingly, the beef sandwich is messy. So prepare to get your hands dirty when eating this sandwich that’s stuffed with paper-thin slices of beef cooked in a beef jus, then dunked into even more of the gravy. The meat was tender, but cut so thin that you miss the integrity inherent in the beef. If you’ve ever enjoyed a French Dip at Philippe The Original’s in Los Angeles, Al’s Beef will pale in comparison.
I think my favorite item was the Chicago Dog. It’s a skinny dog, stuffed into a bun with mustard, relish, onion, tomato, pickles and tiny sport peppers. The dog had good snap and the veritable salad on top of it added great crunch, as well as tangy, piquant flavors.
If you’re in the neighborhood and jonesing for a Chicago-style hot dog or a quick beef sammy, Al’s Beef is waiting to take your order.
CONTEST: One Food Gal reader will get a chance to try Al’s Beef, themselves, with a $50 gift card. The contest is open to anyone in the continental United States, but just be aware that Al’s Beef only has locales in the Chicago area and Las Vegas, besides San Jose and Chino, CA. Entries will be accepted through midnight PST July 5. Winner will be announced July 7.
How to win?
You’ve already read that I nibble on fast-food periodically because of my husband’s proclivity for it. Are you a closeted fast-food eater? Or proud of it? And what is your preferred item that you can’t resist — and why? Best answer wins.
More Sandwiches: Ike’s Lair
And: Clover Bakery
And: The Sentinel