About 12 years ago, I was visiting New York for the first time, and I wanted to try the famous black and white cookie.  I got one from a pretty reputable bakery in Manhattan (don’t remember the name now). The white half of the cookie was LEMON. Not vanilla, but lemon. I figured that’s what they all were, until I tried…

I used to get their pizza all the time in college (20 years ago). I don’t know what it’s like now, but it was always FAR cheaper than places like Domino’s for a decent quality pizza (like an 18" sausage + pepperoni for $5 or something). Really good value. The chicken garlic pizza is pretty surprisingly good too.

Oh yeah, Chi-Chi’s had the best fried ice cream. They also had pretty good chimichangas. Most everything else was pretty average, but I loved going there to just absolutely house a chicken chimichanga and a dish of fried ice cream.

Of course the place that was at the forefront of the weed legalization movement would have the best Taco Bell menu.  It’s justice.

If you’re getting vinegar and oil on your cheesesteak, they are making it wrong.  They aren’t supposed to do that.

I never said it was perfect or authentic.  Just that it was good, especially considering that it’s coming from a fast food restaurant.

Hold on, imma let you finish, but the chili cheese burrito was one of the best Taco Bell items of ALL TIME.

Jersey Mike’s is great, it’s no mystery why they’re growing so fast.  Quality meat freshly sliced + fresh bread is a winning combo.

Checkers/Rally’s fries are indeed some of the best. I always found them similar to (but better than) Arby’s curly fries.

I forgot about that jingle. “Thanks” for reminding me.....

There is that much variation possible, there is even variation within a single steak.

Yep, Portillo’s is where it’s at for spreading Chicago food across the nation. It’s not an A+, but it’s probably in the B+ to A- range. I am going to be a Chicago expat someday, and I hope that there will be a Portillo’s wherever I move so I can get my taste of home.

IDK, it seems to me like this is an indication that the GOP maybe wants to try to Jedi-mind-trick their way out of the abortion issue this November. Like if they keep repeating “voters don’t care about abortion” over and over again for months, voters might stop caring about abortion?

Oh yeah - I understand.  That’s what I was talking about with the “snobbishness” comment.  I’m saying I understand why “no ketchup” is a thing, but the attitude that it’s the only “right” way is stupid.

Conspicuously missing from this list is Fight Milk, the first alcoholic, dairy-based protein drink for bodyguards by bodyguards!  Crow eggs, milk, and vodka - sounds delicious.

IMO, cheesesteaks need something to cut the grease a little bit. I could see a vinegary ketchup doing that pretty well, but I’ve never tried it. I usually use banana peppers, but I don’t live anywhere near Philly and I don’t know if that’s an option there.

One of my cousins would only eat vegetables if they were stirred into mashed potatoes with ketchup. Corn, peas, beans, anything. It was disgusting. He is grown up now and doesn’t do it any more, thankfully.

Chicago dogs have tomatoes on them already, and the relish on a true Chicago-style dog is super sweet. So putting additional tomato and sweetness on them is gross. This is where the “no ketchup” thing came from.

Yeah, I’m kinda guilty of that. Not because I’m apathetic, but because I was a little bit cynical. I always thought the “culture war” Republicans are waging was just for show, and they weren’t dumb enough to actually go ahead and overturn Roe. Doing that would put abortion bans on the ballot, and that’s a losing issue…

I tried foie gras poutine in Montreal once, and it was insanely good.