*** Pisa's has closed.
Recently some business found me in the Mission Gorge area around lunch time. I saw a storefront I hadn't noticed before. I think this used to be a location of Submarina or something like that.
And since I just can't seem to pass up a chance at a Chicago Dog, I just had to stop.
The interior does seem to scream "sandwich chain", but the menu is bit different.
And so I ordered….what else, a Chicago Dog ($3.49):
The good? The standard Chicago Dog roll-call indicated all the usual suspects were present; the dog is Vienna Beef, the roll is poppy seed, the sport peppers were nice and spicy, the neon green relish was in attendance, as was the celery salt and tomato slices.
The bad? The dog was "blanched" and flavorless, the poppy seed bun was heated in the microwave and gummy, and it didn't have enough celery salt. Barely passable at best……
A few weeks later, I found myself back in the area, and decided to give Pisa's another try. This time I went for the Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwich ($6.49), which I requested "hot dipped":
Even though the beef was basically your standard roast beef, it was sliced fresh. The roll was a
standard French Roll, which did fine. The young man working the counter even included a cup of the "broth", which tasted pretty much like the stuff you'd serve with a roast beef dip. I once had a version so full of oregano and garlic flavor…..this wasn't it, but neither was it terrible. The giardiniera was the appropriate "sport pepper" version, which I enjoy.
And though I don't really consider this a "real" Chicago Beef sandwich, it sure was a lot of food:
I also enjoyed the potato salad which was cold, with a nice vinegar flavor.
All in all, that beef sandwich sure was pretty hefty. The menu is different from the usual Subway and Quizno's, and the guys that work here were nice and friendly. So if you're in the area, and really need a Chicago Dog……..
Pisa's Chicago Deli
10450 Friar's Road
San Diego, CA 92120