Cal's Chicago Style Eatery

[Easy180]

Just ate here for lunch and it was excellent. Had the Italian Beef & Sausage - menu description below

Italian Beef & Sausage

Italian sausage and beef mix topped with your choice of sweet or hot Giardiniera peppers on a fresh toasted hoagie.

The sandwich was huge and he does not skimp on the meat. Highly recommend this place. You will know he is from Chicago as soon as he speaks lol

It is located just west of Rockwell and Hefner in the old Steve's Rib location.

www.calseatery.com

[HOT ROD]

nice to see some Chicago foods come to OKC. Surprised actually that there isn't more.

[Roger S]

Do they dip the Italian Beef sandwiches?

Glad to see someone else moved in this building..... It was kind of ironic that the Q-raunt we declared to have the best ribs in OKC closed for business..... Sure hope my annual OKC Rib Tour doesn't get a Madden Curse attached to it. ;+)

[soonermike81]

An Italian combo (beef and sausage) with hot peppers might be my favorite sandwich ever! If anyone's ever been to Al's in Chicago, they'll know what I'm talking about. Hope he does it right. I've tried Italian beef sandwiches outside of Chicago that have been extremely disappointing.

[soonermike81]

Just looked at his menu and I gotta say that charging $6 for a Chicago dog is outrageous, unless it's a jumbo. Even then, it's still high. Im definitely going to check them out bc I miss Chicago and an Italian combo can't be found here. I'll give my take on it once I do.

[dcsooner]

Just looked at his menu and I gotta say that charging $6 for a Chicago dog is outrageous, unless it's a jumbo. Even then, it's still high. Im definitely going to check them out bc I miss Chicago and an Italian combo can't be found here. I'll give my take on it once I do.

Man, some of you need to get out of OKC to experience the real world of prices. Geez not every things needs to be $1.99. Sometimes a great Hot Dog or Burger or whatever should be enjoyed not matter the extra cost. Some people need to stick with McD or Bk or whatever and continue to get their two for one meals.

[soonermike81]

Man, some of you need to get out of OKC to experience the real world of prices. Geez not every things needs to be $1.99. Sometimes a great Hot Dog or Burger or whatever should be enjoyed not matter the extra cost. Some people need to stick with McD or Bk or whatever and continue to get their two for one meals.

Take it easy dude, I used to live in Chicago and any place that charges $6 for a dog will go out of business real quick. And I'm willing to bet that my wife and I are at least as well-travelled as you if not more. My wife lived in Japan, and we lived all over the Midwest and Texas before coming back home to OKC. So get off your high-horse before you start talking down to people you don't know.

I seriously can't stand people who think they're so hip that it comes off a little pretentious. They think they're so worldly and look down on Okies like we have no culture. Lol, it's actually kind funny how much more cultured my wife and I are, than you probably assumed just because we're Okies. We've eaten many $50 steaks from Capital Grille or Vic & Anthony's, but we also love to get $2.50 banh mi from your mom and pop Vietnamese shop. We spend plenty of money on food, but know when the value of certain items are way off... such as a $6 Chicago dog

[Easy180]

Just looked at his menu and I gotta say that charging $6 for a Chicago dog is outrageous, unless it's a jumbo. Even then, it's still high. Im definitely going to check them out bc I miss Chicago and an Italian combo can't be found here. I'll give my take on it once I do.

If its anything like his sandwiches it will be big

[dcsooner]

Take it easy dude, I used to live in Chicago and any place that charges $6 for a dog will go out of business real quick. And I'm willing to bet that my wife and I are at least as well-travelled as you if not more. My wife lived in Japan, and we lived all over the Midwest and Texas before coming back home to OKC. So get off your high-horse before you start talking down to people you don't know.

I seriously can't stand people who think they're so hip that it comes off a little pretentious. They think they're so worldly and look down on Okies like we have no culture. Lol, it's actually kind funny how much more cultured my wife and I are, than you probably assumed just because we're Okies. We've eaten many $50 steaks from Capital Grille or Vic & Anthony's, but we also love to get $2.50 banh mi from your mom and pop Vietnamese shop. We spend plenty of money on food, but know when the value of certain items are way off... such as a $6 Chicago dog

Great

[metro]

Take it easy dude, I used to live in Chicago and any place that charges $6 for a dog will go out of business real quick. And I'm willing to bet that my wife and I are at least as well-travelled as you if not more. My wife lived in Japan, and we lived all over the Midwest and Texas before coming back home to OKC. So get off your high-horse before you start talking down to people you don't know.

I seriously can't stand people who think they're so hip that it comes off a little pretentious. They think they're so worldly and look down on Okies like we have no culture. Lol, it's actually kind funny how much more cultured my wife and I are, than you probably assumed just because we're Okies. We've eaten many $50 steaks from Capital Grille or Vic & Anthony's, but we also love to get $2.50 banh mi from your mom and pop Vietnamese shop. We spend plenty of money on food, but know when the value of certain items are way off... such as a $6 Chicago dog

This!!! I'm also excited to see a new Chicago place in town, as the others have died out over the years (used to be a real good one on 23rd years ago), and Humble Pie in Edmond makes a great Deep Dish Pizza. Does anyone else find it odd on the menu layout of his website, burgers and other things first? I only see 3 things that really say Chicago to me (Italian Beef, Chicago Dog, and I can let the Meatball Sub slide as Chicago). You'd figure he'd feature Chicago items FIRST, and have more of them. I don't want a Corn Dog, Burger, or Chicken Sandwich from you, there are better places for those, have the majority of your menu Chicago fare please!

[TheTravellers]

Man, if his Italian Beef is anywhere close to Buona Beef or even Portillo's (I like their burgers and choc cake more than their Italian Beef), it'll be really good, this goes on our list of places to try... Wonder if his bread is the right kind. :-P

[HOT ROD]

Polish dog is there too.

[HOT ROD]

too bad he's not in the inner city somewhere, like Uptown or near OCU.

[soonermike81]

Man, if his Italian Beef is anywhere close to Buona Beef or even Portillo's (I like their burgers and choc cake more than their Italian Beef), it'll be really good, this goes on our list of places to try... Wonder if his bread is the right kind. :-P

Portillos is great! But once you try Al's, you'll never turn back. But it was nice having a portillos in every town.

[metro]

too bad he's not in the inner city somewhere, like Uptown or near OCU.

Yeah, very odd location for a Chicago style place

[Soonerinfiniti]

I ate at UB Dogs in downtown Chicago this summer and their Chicago dog (which was excellent) was no more than $3.50.

[soonermike81]

Finally made my way over to Cal's to give their Italian combo (beef & sausage) a shot. It wasn't bad. I will say that the au jus was lacking some flavor, at least compared to the places I've been to in Chicago. The beef was nice and thinly cut like it should've been though, and the sausage was tasty. My biggest complaint about the sandwich was the hot peppers or hot giardiniera. I guess there's not an exact definition of what giardiniera is supposed to consist of, but I think they used pepperoncinis instead of sport peppers in their mix. I def prefer sport peppers, which has more of kick, imo. Also, there didn't seem to be any celery in the giardiniera, which is usually a staple. I also got a Chicago dog, and it looks like they lowered their price (wisely) on it. It was only $4 compared to $6 a couple of months ago. The hot dog was very good size and tasty. My complaint with this one, again, is the lack of sport peppers. Now, this is a definite no-no. The great thing about a Chicago dog is all the different ingredients that combine for a burst of flavors in your mouth. And sport peppers is an absolute must. Even Sonic and Mutt's knows that. Not quite sure what he was thinking here, maybe they were out. But I'm pretty sure he is actually from Chicago, as he sounded like a Chicagoan. And he should know that sport peppers is one of the more important ingredients in the Chicago dog.

It wasn't a terrible experience by any means, but there just needs to be a few small changes, imo. I'll definitely go back to give them another try, as I love Chicago and Chicago food. And there is nowhere else in town to get Italian beef. If you've never had an Italian beef sandwich, I would absolutely go check them out, as you have no other experience to compare it to. I think you'll be very happy with it. But if you ever get to Chi-town, go hit up one of their many Italian beef joints up there, and you'll absolutely love it.

[ctchandler]

Soonermike81,
What is a "Sport Pepper"? I really can't get a definitive answer with Google and they aren't listed in the Scoville ratings that I looked at. I honestly think they taste like pepperoncinis. Yes, I have had them in Washington D. C. and NYC. I purchased a bottle of pepperoncini peppers and they are really good. Gabriella's serves them with their salad. They don't have a lot of heat, but a good flavor. Could a sport pepper be a preparation of a pepperoncini?
C. T.

[ljbab728]

http://www.hotdogchicagostyle.com/makeyourown.php

Sport Peppers
An essential topping for any Chicago Dog is the Sport pepper. These peppers are green, about 1-1/2 inches long and usually have a medium-hot taste. When Sport peppers adorn your Dog, they should be whole and never sliced. Don't make the mistake of using peppers that are too hot. Remember, a Chicago Dog is blending of all the toppings. No single ingredient should overpower the others.

http://www.reimerseeds.com/sport-hot-peppers.aspx

Capsicum annuum. Plant produces high yields of 2 ¼" long by ½" wide hot peppers. Peppers are hot and turn from green to red when mature. Plant has green stems, green leaves, and white flowers. This is the popular pepper that is pickled and used on hot dogs and sandwiches. It is especially used on the famous Chicago style hot dogs. The peppers resemble the Tabasco pepper but are larger. Excellent pickling variety.

[Urbanized]

Don't forget the celery salt!

[ctchandler]

Ljbab728,
Good links, but I have a hard time believing they are officially called "Sport" peppers. I'm looking for a name like habanero, jalapeno, anaheim, et al, and I can't seem to find it. I will continue to pursue it and IF (big if) I find it, I will post my findings.
Thanks,
C. T.

[Roger S]

They are a member of Capsicum Annuum...... If I had to take a guess they are green cayenne peppers.

The term sport pepper possibly came from them being served at sporting events.

[ctchandler]

Actually, I found what I believe to be a good description of a "Sports" pepper. On one chart, they are listed as medium heat as compared to the peperoncini which is listed as mild heat.
C. T.
"Pickled sport peppers are a thing in the US south where they are used in cooking and some casual restaurants put bottles of these pickled peppers on the tables and in Chicago where they are an essential condiment for the Chicago style hot dog and Italian beef sandwich.

A small green hot pepper pickled in vinegar, similar to a pepperoncini but always smaller. Never longer than 1.5 inches, in the pickling process they often lose some of their colour and become pale green.

Sport is part of the name of a family of cultivars of the Capsicum Annum pepper, which is the same species that produces a lot of the edible peppers we eat.

Sport is a botanical term for a sort of plant mutation and sports are sometimes used as the basis for a new cultivar of a species so it's likely that the original sense of the name was "mutant pepper". Before 1970 they were an important crop pepper in the south because the tabasco pepper was susceptible to a disease that could cause total crop failures so sport peppers were grown as a backup crop to be used as an alternative hot sauce pepper in years the tabasco crop failed."

http://www.quora.com/History-of-Food...get-their-name

[duncandl]

Chicago dogs must have sport peppers and that neon green relish! Pepperoncini are ok, but come on man! You know better if you are from Chicago!

[soonermike81]

Yeah, when I first moved to Chicago many years back and ate a sport pepper, my first question was, "what on earth is a sport pepper?" What one of my friends told me was that it was just a Serrano pepper, pickled. Not sure if this is accurate or not, but I think that is more likely the case than it being similar to the pepperoncini. A sport pepper has a good little crunch to it when you bite into it, where the pepperoncini doesn't really have one. Like I said, everybody has a different way of making gardiniera. I'm just used to it being done with sport peppers and celery. It was still a decent Italian beef and sausage combo. But as far as the Chicago dog goes, there is no reason to not have sport peppers on there.