A taste of Chicago: Italian Beef

If you have driven down Broadway in Cape Girardeau within the past couple of months you may have noticed a black sign with bright red letters announcing the arrival of something new sharing the corner with well-known local establishments such as Shivelbines music, Annie Laurie's antiques, and The Indie House: Rufus Red Hots Restaurant.

The first time I passed by, I noticed a few picnic tables outside and a walk-up window for ordering, but the term "red hots" is what really piqued my curiosity. I did a little research to figure out what Rufus restaurant's specialty might be. According to one article by Jessie Lee on the Spoon University website, "red hot" is another term for a "hot dog" or "frankfurter" and may have originated with street vendors who called out to their customers on the streets of St. Louis back in the 1880's.

On a recent visit I had the opportunity to speak to Heather, who co-owns the restaurant with her sister Yolanda. She confirmed my findings and explained they use Vienna brand all-beef products -- the key to creating authentic Chicago-style hot dogs. I enjoyed a delicious Chicago-style hot dog and sampled the tasty Rufus Double burger on a previous visit. This time around, I thought the colder winter temperatures would be perfect to re-create an inexpensive Chicago foodie experience without the travel. I asked Heather for her recommendation and without hesitating she steered me to her favorite item on the menu: the Italian beef.

Rufus Red Hots Chicago-style hot dog with tots.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

When I think of Chicago-style foods, hot dogs and deep-dish pizza come to mind. I had never heard of the Italian beef and wondered if Heather might be pulling my leg. Nope. Italian beef is on the Top 10 list of almost every "what food is Chicago known for" compilation I could find. The photo looked like one of my favorite sandwiches, the Philly cheesesteak. Shhhh...please do not tell anyone I made that comparison. I discovered the Italian beef vs Philly cheesesteak is a food rivalry, with fans on each side as loyal as the ones you might find tailgating at a Chicago Bears versus Philadelphia Eagles football game.

I followed Heather's advice. If you order an Italian beef and want the full Chicago experience, you should order it "dipped' and topped with hot/sweet peppers. This appears to be the main difference between the Philly and Italian. While the Philly is steak and onions smothered in cheese, the Italian beef is comprised of roasted beef drenched in its own jus, loaded into a French bread bun, topped with spicy giardiniera and sweet peppers, then the entire sandwich is then dipped into the jus. Philly=cheesy. Italian=juicy. Both=deliciously messy.

When my sandwich was ready, I grabbed the brown paper bag and drove a couple of miles down Broadway where I found a parking spot with a view of the beautiful river wall murals. I turned off Big Red and pulled the warm, foil-paper-wrapped creation from the bag. I placed the paper bag on my lap as a make-shift napkin (just in case) and watched steam escape as I unwrapped my sandwich and breathed in the rich aroma. Then, I took a bite.

Rufus Red Hots cheeseburger and fries.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

Wow! Meaty. Juicy. Sloppy. Spicey. It was a melt-in-your-mouth explosion of flavor. I was simultaneously grateful to be single because I did not have to share and acutely aware such magnificent moments should be shared. Could it be a sign I am relationship ready? I was full by the time I ate half of the sandwich, so I called a "friend," gushed about the moment of food perfection, then delivered the rest to share the experience. There are all kinds of life moments that reveal love, and this was one of them.

Whether you are a displaced Chicagoan looking for a taste of home, a local in search of a Chicago experience in your own backyard, or just want to weigh in on the Philly cheesesteak versus Italian beef conflict, Rufus is worth checking out.

PS. In the interest of full disclosure, I added nacho cheese to my Italian beef.

Rufus Red Hots is located at 600 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. For more information, call (573) 803-3188 or visit their page on Facebook.