Italian beef: Depending on personal preference, this could look a few ways. First, a nice, well-groomed hoagie or firm-type bun with sliced beef in the middle dressed up nicely with some sport peppers and/or cheeses. Or, a nice log of wet, sopping beef on a bun that is barely still holding its own but doing so in emphatic fashion against the delicious tide of au-jus. Personally, I prefer option number two, and if this describes you as well, look no further than Dee-Dee’s Beef in Campustown.
As I lover of Italian beef and a frequent flyer at Portillo’s, Al’s Beef, and several other Chicago staples, I came to Dee-Dee’s with a mission — and admittedly a low expectation. And let me tell you, it was shattered immediately and comprehensively.
I ordered the Italian beef sandwich ($10.50). The beef at Dee-Dee’s wins high marks in my book, as it was very well dipped and adorned by strainable amounts of juice. As mentioned earlier, some may not be as fond. However, I am certain customers could order Italian beef dryer by request. However it’s ordered, I can say the flavor of the meat was very nice and the texture very consistent. As for the bun, this may have been the most impressive piece as it was firm enough to keep its shape and texture against the delicious tidal wave of juice that came with it. Add a handful of mozzarella, and I had myself quite the meal.
Dee-Dee’s Beef also offers several other fun variations of the classic sandwich, ranging from $13-$16 depending on the choice of toppings.
I was also able to try the meat arancini which was a tasty fried ball of risotto and beef with mozzarella stuffed inside. While the sandwich was fantastic, this side offered something truly unique, and it was also very tasty. The outside was crispy and held its integrity, while the inside was rather gooey and had a sort of a cheese pull to it. The meat inside as the same beef they used for the sandwich, so it packed a punch as good as it did on the Italian beef. Overall, I would highly recommend Dee-Dee’s arancini as a side. For one large sized fried ball, it was $3.50, but a pack of six mini fried balls of risotto (without the meat) cost $6.50.
Finally, I washed it all down with the in-house soda creation, known as the Sicilian lemonata ($3.50). This was a nice tart concoction of blood orange soda and fresly squeezed lemon juice. I found the acidity cut through the hearty, greasy goodness of the aforementioned treats incredibly well.
Overall, I would highly recommend a visit to Dee-Dee’s based on my experience. The only pro tip I will give is to be sure you check the hours before you go, as they are only open three days a week and have a rather small open window during those days. But I can assure you if you like Italian beef like I do, Dee-Dee’s will not disappoint!
Check out their website here.
Dee-Dee’s Beef
inside Cracked!
619 E Green St
Champaign
W-F 5 to 9 p.m.