Far Above “Sub” Par
Anyone who works in Chicago’s Loop knows there is a serious dearth of lunchtime eateries that are both inexpensive and not chains. When I worked in the area, most of my colleagues would trudge off to Cosi, Chipotle or some other generic chain. I would eat my homemade lunch feeling satisfied that I hadn’t wasted my money or calories.
Luckily, my friend the Scarlet Pumpernickel has similar standards to my own. He works at the Art Institute and has made a point of seeking out nearby non-corporate establishments with more interesting and delicious cuisine. On one of our lunchtime meet-ups during the work week, Scarlet Pumpernickel took me to the excellent Fontano’s Subs.
The original Fontano’s is located on Polk Street in Little Italy, but this one, on Jackson seems just as old timey. Most of the people coming up to the bare-bones formica counter were working men with the appetites to match. Subs are available in six-inch, eight-inch, ten-inch, twelve-inch, sixteen-inch and three-foot lengths. Let me be the first to advise that six-inch is usually plenty.
I ordered the Italian special (pictured above), which came with prosciuttini, capocollo and provolone cheese. True to my tendency toward spiciness and sourness, I added hot pepper, onions and pickles. Italian dressing is also a necessity when it comes to adding moisture to these subs. This is far preferable to the less authentic and heavier mayo. Other sandwiches I hope to try some day include: Wise Guy (my sandwich, but with Genoa salami), Prosciutto (made with imported prosciutto di Parma) and the hot Italian beef and meatball sandwiches.
Scarlet Pumpernickel tried the breaded eggplant sandwich, which is also served hot. It may not look so delicious in this picture, but the rich warm tomato sauce and the earthy fried eggplant can’t be beat. He also added hot peppers, but there was little need for additional condiments in this case.
The greatest thing about this sandwich and the Italian beef, meatballs and sausages is that all of the meat is made in-house— not purchased from a large distributor or extracted from a package that has been frozen for eternity. This is simple Italian American food at its finest, and it’s a great place for a cheap and delicious Loop lunch.
Fontano’s Subs
20 E. Jackson St.
Chicago, IL 60604
312.663.3061
After living in Chicago for about a year and a half, I have gained an appreciation for the city’s traditional deep dish and stuffed pizzas. These are rich, filling, pizzas that truly merit the follower “pie.” But when I envision my pizza ideal, it is much closer to the chewy, slightly charred Neapolitan-style pizza served at 
When we did sit down, we ordered this delightfully fresh and flavorful caprese salad made with imported mozzarella di bufula and a moscardini salad— grilled baby octopus atop arugula, with a flavorful olive oil dressing. (Note: I foolishly forgot to bring my camera to dinner, so these rather grainy shots are the best we could do with EB’s new phone.) 
Our pizzas arrived soon afterward. The margherita (pictured above) was the picture of delicate simplicity. It came with a thin layer of lively, fresh tomato sauce spotted with melt-in-your mouth blotches of fior di latte mozzarella and scattered with fresh basil The pizza’s crust was wonderfully airy and infused with the deep flavors of olive oil and crackly char. We also tried the capricciosa, which was similar to the 
Every diner has experienced orderer’s envy where you wish you had ordered the same thing as someone else. I have learned to avoid this unlucky condition through a number of strategies, including: Choosing whatever sounds best from on the menu with no regard for health or calories; opting never to order a salad at a place that specializes in burgers or tacos. (Iceberg lettuce with wilted tomatoes and bad dressing is usually the result); and, finally, looking around at what other people who seem to be in the know are eating.
Now, on to our rather lackluster meal. EB and I started of with the chili pakoras, which were hot peppers dipped in chickpea flour and deep-fried. The peppers were definitely spicy, but the chickpea flour batter was too thick and bread-like for my taste. I know this is the traditional texture of the flour when it’s fried, but I think it works better with larger items like vegetable pakoras because it spreads out more thinly. The heat of the peppers was also moderated by lively mint and tamarind chutneys.
When he saw his entree, EB immediately regretted having ordered it. The dish was a piece of thin, tortilla-like Indian bread, wrapped around kadai paneer, cubes of Indian cheese cooked with onions and green peppers. It came with a sad garnish of old lettuce and unripe tomatoes, looking like one of those dreaded “health wraps” that so many restaurants have added to their menus. The filling tasted miserably under-spiced and kind of mushy. Quoth EB: “I never should have ordered something called a wrap.”
My selection, an eggplant dish called bhaigan bartha, was a bit more successful. It was rich with plenty of eggplant and curry flavor, but the creaminess of the eggplant and the lack of depth that would have come from meat left me wanting more of a kick. That could have come in the form of spice or acidity, but it seemed sorely lacking in this dish. The basmati rice that we ate it with could have also done with more flavoring from ghee or other spices.
Desserts came to the rescue in a small but significant way. EB and I shared an order of rasmalai, crumbly cottage cheese balls served in condensed milk flavored with rosewater and pistachios. This was refreshing and tasty, although I prefer other versions I’ve tried that had a richer condensed milk and a stronger rosewater flavor. Fittingly, EB and I both enjoyed the mango lassi, my namesake and a drink made with mango pulp and yogurt. It was smooth and creamy without weighing us down. 
Empanada Boy and I are in Portland visiting our respective family members and getting ready to celebrate Passover. After a delicious, but pricey, lunch on Friday at 
That place was the 
What better to pair with a beer than a burger? That’s exactly what Mango Mama was thinking was she ordered Ken’s Big Boy, a truly well-made burger, topped with grilled onions, mushrooms and Pepperjack cheese. This was a simple, yet decadent option, served on a plump Kaiser roll. It proved the already well-established point that mastery of the classics is a sign of greatness. The burger comes with a choice of chips or pea salad, and Mango Mama chose the later. The salad is a relatively light mixture of green peas, onions, bleu cheese and water chestnuts. It is a perfect side dish for a heavy meal, virtually guaranteeing that you can’t leave feeling as uncomfortably full as you would with a side of fries.
EB and I took burgers to a new level by ordering the oyster burger, made with a tender fried oyster from nearby Willapa Bay breaded in panko and grilled. It was delicious, flavorful and filling, despite being much smaller than the burger. EB and I were in heaven after taking our first bites because we could taste the ocean in those oysters, making them into symbols of that time and place.