Taste of Chicago is more than a festival of food. It’s also a massive head-to-head competition among participating restaurants to see who can provide the best (i.e., sell the most) pizzas, hot dogs, corned-beef sandwiches or whatever.
For instance, there are two Italian ice vendors at Taste this year. Is one more worthy of your attention and custom? What about barbecued ribs or Italian-beef sandwiches? Who’s champ, and who’s second-best?
So in keeping with the “Cage match” story on today’s cover page, we sent a team of Tribune staffers–dedicated munchers all, especially when it’s on the company dime–to opening day of Taste of Chicago. We devised eight head-to-head cage matches (at a slight sacrifice of the side-by-side proximity definition), each comparing two restaurants serving identical (or nearly so) dishes (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text).
We observed. We sampled. And we’re naming the winners.
–Phil Vettel
RIBS
Robinson’s #1 Ribs (#19) vs. Sweet Baby Ray’s (#30)
Food: BBQ baby-back ribs. Six ribs (and a bun) at Robinson’s (10 tickets). Five ribs (and a thick slice of white bread) at Sweet Baby Ray’s (9 tickets).
Winner: Robinson’s offers more ribs but less total meat, less flavor and an overwhelming tangy, ketchupy sauce. Sweet Baby Ray’s were smokier, chewier (in a good way), hotter (temp) and tastier. SWEET BABY RAY’S in a knockout.
CATFISH
C’est Si Bon (#16) vs. B.J.’S MARKET & BAKERY (#35)
Food: Two golf-ball-sized catfish beignets (6 tickets) vs. five mustard-fried catfish nuggets (8 tickets).
Winner: B.J.’s Market & Bakery is a study in frying perfection, the generous portion of savory nuggets had no trouble knocking out C’est Si Bon’s fish-flavored Munchkins.
BROWNIES
Celebration Creamery (#21) vs. Zephyr (#62)
Food: Brownie sundae: brownie, scoop of vanilla ice cream and, at Celebration, chocolate syrup (8 tickets); at Zephyr, hot fudge (6 tickets).
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Winner: This would have been a tie except for Zephyr’s deadly right uppercut of a fudge sauce, which creamed Celebration’s chocolate syrup. Piping hot, ZEPHYR’S sauce helped melt the ice cream, kicking the sundae up a notch for a win.
TACOS
La Justicia (#3) vs. Los Dos Laredos (#37)
Food: Two steak tacos (6 tickets at each place).
Winner: We prefer simple tacos–tortillas, meat, chopped onion and cilantro. Even with chopped lettuce and tomatoes on the tacos at Dos Laredos and La Justicia, the flavorful meat won us over, but tender tortillas at DOS LAREDOS broke the tie.
ITALIAN BEEF
Buona (#22) vs. Tuscany (#41)
Food: Italian beef sandwich (8 tickets at each).
Winner: Both had tender beef and are filling servings. But Tuscany’s had pepper flakes galore (which get stuck in your teeth) yet little pepper flavor. Buona’s, served on a better roll with hot peppers, had a zesty peppery kick–and no flakes. BUONA wins.
SHRIMP
Dock’s (#53) vs. Polo Cafe (#33)
Food: Three battered and fried jumbo shrimp on a stick (both 9 tickets). Each booth serves your choice of sauces (tartar, cocktail, hot sauce … ).
Winner: Head to DOCK’S for large, tender butterflied shrimp coated with well-seasoned batter for a substantial crunch, unless you prefer underwhelming bento-box fare that tastes like it’s from the grocer’s freezer at Polo Cafe.
PIEROGI
Polka Sausage & Deli (#13) vs. Kasia’s Deli (#48)
Food: 3 pierogi (potato/sauerkraut/cheese) and sour cream at Polka; 5 pierogi (spinach/sauerkraut/potato) and sour cream at Kasia’s (7 tickets at each booth).
Winner: You get five dough packets (and a spinach option) at Kasia’s, but they’re smaller and a bit tougher than the stuffed numbers at Polka. Plump pierogi at POLKA, boasting a lightly toasted finish and moist, flavorful fillings, take this round, hands down.
CHICKEN WINGS
Harold’s Chicken #13 (31) vs. Lagniappe-Creole Cajun Joynt (59)
Food: Three fried chicken wings with bread (8 tickets) at Harold’s; two Cajun-chicken wings with waffle (6 tickets) at Lagniappe-Creole.
Winner: LAGNIAPPE bests the legendary Harold’s in deal, variety and convenience–the two spice-laced Cajun wings come with half a buttery waffle and a wetnap!
Reported by Mark Caro, Trine Tsouderos, Kevin Pang, Fauzia Arain, Lara Weber, Judy Hevrdejs