This week I traveled to northwest Indiana on another business trip and as usual tried to make the best of the trip, Roadfood-wise.   Building on my great experiences meeting RF-ers in Connecticut, this time I arranged to meet Nocarolina (Bob) one evening.
 
We met Tuesday evening for a meal at Popolano's in Lansing, IL:
 

Popolano's Restaurant

(708) 474-0425
17940 Torrence Ave, Lansing, IL 60438
www.popolanosrestaurant.com


 

 
Unfortunately I did a horrible job with the pictures inside the restaurant and did not adjust to the dim lighting, so I have no good pictures of the food.
 
Bob and I met outside and recognized each other: it helped that he had a Roadfood hat (and I am wondering how I can get one soon).  We went inside for a meal.  I had asked him earlier about the fried chicken in this part of Chicago, and he recommended the chicken at Popolano's.  It did not disappoint.  Four large, meaty pieces appeared on the plate, each one with crispy skin and juicy meat.  The garlic mashed potatoes were quite good as well.  I highly recommend this place and will come back when I return.
 
For dessert we went to Cunis Candies, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor:
 

Cunis Candies Incorporated

(708) 596-2440 1030 E 162nd St, South Holland, IL 60473
 
Here are a couple of pictures of the inside.  Quite a charming place:
 

 

 
We each ordered a hot fudge sundae.  Here is a picture on mine with the whipped cream:
 

 
Sorry I did not have many pictures.  I am sure that Bob's turned out well and look forward to seeing them when he posts them.
 
The food at both places was great, but it was even better to visit with a fellow Roadfooder and spend some time discussing our trips to places.  Bob has certainly hit the ground running with his trips to other gatherings and has met many folks.  Whether we have met many or few people, and whether the meetings have been on-line or in person, we agree that the meetings have been great.  Everyone we have encountered from the RF site has been a blessing to be around.  I certainly enjoyed my time that evening and look forward to a future trip to Chicago to see other places.  Thanks to Nocarolina for taking time out to visit with me.
 
Tonight (Wednesday) I stopped at Portillo's in Merrillville, IN, just across the street from my hotel.  Commiting the cardinal RF sin, I forgot to bring my camera along.  I ordered the regular beef hot dog, fries, and an Italian beef sandwich (dry - with a minimum of extra juice).  All were very good.  The hot dog was not grilled like the ones I eat at home, but it was still very good.  The Italian beef sandwich had very good flavor and was very moist even without a lot of extra juice.  The roll was fresh and did not overpower the meat.  Not the same as a beef on weck but very good.  That's the beauty of different regional ways of making food: they can vary and still both be good.  I will definitely return to Portillo's (with a camera next time, lest I be drummed out of Roadfood).  My only problem is that I could eat only half of the hot dog and half of the sandwich - I have some serious training to do before the September Buffalo / Rochester meet-up.

Rob, I'm glad you got to meet Nocarolina AND have an Italian Beef!  My first Italian Beef resulted in an out-of-body experience.  And don't worry about the pictures -- sometimes the lighting conditions for food photos just don't work out in our favor.  The RF caps are from the annual meetings, and Bob got his from the New Orleans trip.  Maybe they'll have some made again for the Buffalo trip?  Nice job, man!    Chris

Rob, I really enjoyed meeting you the other evening and hope to see you again on the Buffalo/Rochester bus tour in September ( hey Chris, we've gotta get Rob a Roadfood hat... do they ever show up on eBay? ) I did get a couple of good photos of the chicken and sides at Popolano's, but I still don't have a clue as to how to post photos on this site and it's making me crazy; if someone doesn't show me how to do this soon, I'm gonna burst a blood vessel!! Anyway, Rob, I'm glad that you enjoyed the food, especially since Popo's and Cunis are among the five places that we're hitting in August on my South Suburban Roadfood tour ( date to be announced soon. ) 

nocarolina

I did get a couple of good photos of the chicken and sides at Popolano's, but I still don't have a clue as to how to post photos on this site and it's making me crazy; if someone doesn't show me how to do this soon, I'm gonna burst a blood vessel!!

Bob, you're an RF Insider so it's easy. Do you have some pictures saved on your computer?  If so:

1. click on Insider on the top menu of the RF home page
2. scroll down to the bottom and find Upload Photos
3. type in the title for the photo (something like "popolano 1") into the Tag Line box
4. click Browse, find desired photo on your computer, then click Open
5. click Add Photo (and wait 20-30 seconds, depending on your Internet connection)
6. look for the message: File uploaded successfully on the web server to appear underneath the Add Photo button
   
7. if so, click on the link under said button that reads: You can view all your photos here
8. this takes you to Roadfood Forum Photo Upload
9. highlight the Forum Code to desired picture with your cursor then copy it (it's the web address that's bookended by [img] and [/img] -- this should start with http and end with .jpg)
10. back in the Forums, when you're ready to insert a photo, click on Insert Image (the little button with the sun and mountains) or press CTRL+G
11. paste the code that you copied in #9 above into the Enter Image URL box (remember, this should start with http and end with .jpg)
12. click the Insert Image button, and you're all set!

Whew, that looks complicated after typing it, but it's really easy once you get going.  Let me know if you have any problems!    Chris

Chris and Bob,
 
Thanks for your comments.  The visit with Bob really was a great time, and the Italian beef sandwich from Portillo's was very good.  The next time I am in Chicago I need to set aside more time to hit some of the other outstanding places.
 
Chris,
 
Thanks for the information about attaching pictures.  I have been using Photobucket, but I can use the other process now that I became an insider recently. 
 
PS - Elizabeth saw your note about her chicken wrap and was glad to see it.  Maybe she will set up her own RF account and start posting.

One more stop and a set of pictures.
 
Tonight I headed over to a hotel near Midway Airport to stay overnight before flying home in the morning.  After a long week, I don't usually have the energy to go looking for food, but neither do I want to order the overpriced room service for the nearby Friday's.  I had read of a good hot dog place nearby and decided to give it a try:
 
Windy City Hot Dogs Inc 4205 W 63rd St
(between Keeler Ave & Tripp Ave)
Chicago, IL 60629
(773) 581-0332
Windy City is very close to Midway on 63rd Street.  Here are a couple of exterior shots:
 

 

 
Not being very hungry, I ordered only a hot dog and fries (I took it back to the hotel to eat).  What a deal!  It was less than $3.00 total.  Granted, the dog was not huge, but the meal was filling.  The dog was good and the fries, although not homemade, were still crisp and tasty.  The service was very friendly.  It is a small place with a counter and room for maybe a dozen people.
 
Here is the food shot.  I have not taken the leap of eating a hot dog with the Chicago-style toppings, but one day I will:
 

 
I would definitely return to Windy City Hot Dogs.

Hey Bob, your first picture looks great!  Keep it up!  Chris

Chris, you are right that Bob's picture is very good.  I can't wait to see the pictures of the fried chicken because I know they will be better than my unpublished and blurry ones.  Nice job of explaining how to post photographs. 

Chris, thanks so much for making the "impossible" possible. At least it seemed impossible for a borderline computer illiterate like me. My first posted photo looks really good... now I've got to see if I can do it again with my photo of the fried chicken. 

Well folks, I just managed to accidently delete both the photos that I had posted ( I don't know whether to laugh or cry... cry probably. ) Once I'm through throwing my computer against the wall in a fit of rage, I'll try to repost those two pics ( stop laughing at me, Chris!! ) 

Popolano's delicious fried chicken...

...Popo's creamy chicken and dumpling soup ( available every day ) ...

...and Popo's cole slaw and french fries.

Cunis Candies and Ice Cream in South Holland IL. They've been in business since the 1930s.

My chocolate sundae ( both the ice cream and the topping are made on-site. )

I just tried to post another Cunis photo, but I've found that I'm "stuck" on delete; I can't click on to paste. Anyone out there know how to undo this?

Way to go nocarolina!

BT-
Really nice photos and it is nice to see what these places look like.  I really have enjoyed the reports you have done so far and am looking forward to more. What is a francheezy? 

Nocarolina,
 
Great job of posting pictures of the food; they are certainly better than the blurry ones I have.  One day I will get the hang of it.
 
Buffetbuster,
 
Good question about the francheezy.  It is a terrible thing to admit, but I have no idea what it is.  After I took the picture, I didn't think to study the menu. I would imagine that it is a kind of cheese hot dog, but I will need to find out next time.  Now I have a goal for the next Chicago trip (along with visiting some other places).   Thanks for the encouraging words.  I need to do my best to capture what I find on an upcoming Kansas trip (Wichita).

BT-
No worries about the francheezy.  I saw it on the sign and it made me wonder.  Your guess about the cheese hot dog is probably correct.

Looking forward to the Kansas report, since I love the Sunflower state!

Nice job Bob--that is some lovely looking chicken.

Buffalo Tarheel


Here is the food shot.  I have not taken the leap of eating a hot dog with the Chicago-style toppings, but one day I will:
 

That's exactly how I like my Vienna Beef dogs: mustard and nothing else.  Although I order them with extra pickle so that I'll get 2 spears, and I eat them on the side.  Looks like the bun is missing the poppy seeds, though.  Or did you pick them all off and eat them before reaching for the camera? 
 
Nocarolina, is Poplano's chicken deep-fried? 
 
Brad

Buffalo Tarheel
Buffetbuster,
 
Good question about the francheezy.  It is a terrible thing to admit, but I have no idea what it is.  After I took the picture, I didn't think to study the menu. I would imagine that it is a kind of cheese hot dog, but I will need to find out next time.

The Francheezy (sometimes spelled Francheesy) is a lesser known Chicago specialty.  A grilled Hot Dog, split lenghtwise, stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon, and then regrilled to cook the bacon and melt the cheese.  They were a popular menu item at area coffee shops and family restaurants when I was a kid.  You don't see them offered as much anymore.

Buddy

BuddyRoadhouse


A grilled Hot Dog, split lenghtwise, stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon, and then regrilled to cook the bacon and melt the cheese. 

Buddy

So what you are saying is that it is health food?

nocarolina


I just tried to post another Cunis photo, but I've found that I'm "stuck" on delete; I can't click on to paste. Anyone out there know how to undo this?

nocarolina:
 
I'm not sure what you mean, but you don't have to use the "Insert Image" function.  Just paste the [img]...[\img] string where you want it in your message.  I just highlight the text, push [CTRL+INSERT], then switch to the message that I am composing, place the cursor where desired, and type [SHIFT+INSERT].  It's faster for me.  YMMV.

MiamiDon, thanks for the information, but I'm afraid it didn't work. The fact that I'm pathetically ignorant of a lot of PC terminology and functions probably has a lot to do with it. At this rate, it looks like my first five posted photos may also be my last.

BuddyRoadhouse


The Francheezy (sometimes spelled Francheesy) is a lesser known Chicago specialty.  A grilled Hot Dog, split lenghtwise, stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon, and then regrilled to cook the bacon and melt the cheese.  They were a popular menu item at area coffee shops and family restaurants when I was a kid.  You don't see them offered as much anymore.

Buddy

Buddy,

Thanks for that information.  It sounds very good (and probably not healthy).  Next trip I will have to try one.

Brad_Olson


That's exactly how I like my Vienna Beef dogs: mustard and nothing else.  Although I order them with extra pickle so that I'll get 2 spears, and I eat them on the side.  Looks like the bun is missing the poppy seeds, though.  Or did you pick them all off and eat them before reaching for the camera? 
 
Nocarolina, is Poplano's chicken deep-fried? 
 
Brad

Brad,

Those buns did not have poppy seeds for some reason.  That is strange because the one I had at Portillo's the other night did have the seeds.

buffetbuster

BuddyRoadhouse


A grilled Hot Dog, split lenghtwise, stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon, and then regrilled to cook the bacon and melt the cheese. 

Buddy

So what you are saying is that it is health food?

Only if you're already dying of some incurable disease.

Still, that's never stopped a true Roadfooder, has it?

Buddy

Here's Buffalo Tarheel ( Rob ) in front of Cunis.

Rob, you look stunned by Cunis' incredible offerings -- don't worry, it happens to the best of us, my friend!  Chris

Well, it took sixty-nine bucks and over an hour on the phone with a Dell tech, but I'm finally able to post photos again. Was it worth the time, money and aggravation? Yup, I think so. I took hundreds of photos on my recent North Carolina trip, many of them of roadfood subjects, and I'd like to be able to share at least a few of them with y'all ( a trip report, perhaps?... we'll see. )

ayersian


Rob, you look stunned by Cunis' incredible offerings -- don't worry, it happens to the best of us, my friend!  Chris

Chris,

I was stunned by the ice cream and candy at Cunis'.  Maybe I was thinking "Why didn't I eat more ice cream here and more chicken at the last place?"   My brain is overflowing with all the incredible offerings of food from my travel spots.

Unfortunately, my picture will stun anyone who happens to look at it, and I don't mean stunned in a good way.  I think you might have created a monster when you showed Bob how to post pictures.  Actually, I am looking forward to seeing his pictures, and I am sure he has many that are better than the one of me.

Rob

nocarolina


Well, it took sixty-nine bucks and over an hour on the phone with a Dell tech, but I'm finally able to post photos again. Was it worth the time, money and aggravation? Yup, I think so. I took hundreds of photos on my recent North Carolina trip, many of them of roadfood subjects, and I'd like to be able to share at least a few of them with y'all ( a trip report, perhaps?... we'll see. )

Bob,

So sorry to hear about the computer aggravation that you had to endure.  I am glad that you are able to post pictures because they add to my woefully-lacking-in-pictures report (well, except for that picture of me, but I won't go there...).  I am sure that the photographs of the NC trip will be well-received, and a trip report is always a great idea.  Looking forward to seeing more great photographs of outstanding food from the homeland.

Bob-yes, a N.C. report is a must....!!

Ann, you gotta say pretty-please ( and as lazy as I am, that's still no guarantee! )  :~)

great report, buffalo tarheel!

That fried chicken from Papalano's 's looks good...
the breast looks a little small, though, like one of those "side breasts"...
 
Nice seeing that pic of YOU, too !!

Ellen, I brought that "small" breast home with me ( actually it was bigger than it looks ), and made a delicious chicken sandwich with it Thurs. evening. It yielded a sizable amount of meat; a liberal application of Miracle Whip and some potato chips on the side resulted in an easy and tasty dinner.

Pretty please??????

Hang in there, Bob.  Your pictures look great!

Having grown up in Northwest Indiana, it was with great pleasure and interest when I first spotted your road report. Thanks very much for submitting it. I have enjoyed reading it very much.

Though it has been over 30 years, since I have lived in Northwest Indiana, my wife and I regularly make at least one annual trip to that part of the country and surrounds to visit friends and relatives.  On one of our trips, I made it a point to stop at the Portillo's that you visited. Sorry, your pictures did not turn out for you. Each Portillo's has it's own theme. And the one in Merrillville has a 1930's theme.

We always make it a point to stop at a Portillo's at least once, whenever we are in the Chicago  area, because we like them so much. And we have always found each store to be consistently good as the other, and never changing over time... always serving some of the best fast food we have gotten anywhere in this great country of ours.

To my taste, they serve the absolutely best Italian beef sandwiches in the Chicago area.
My standard order is one Italian Beef sandwich , along with a Chicago style hot dog with a small order of fries.

I feel if you ever have an opportunity to get back to the Chicago area, that you owe it to yourself to try a Chicago style hot dog.... and make sure that it is from Portillo's, as in my mind they do it right, and the best. A Vienna dog, on a poppy seed bun, with all the proper additions and of course the celery salt. Keep in mind, that you have the option of adding the sport peppers or not. My wife does not care for them, as she does not handle hot tasting food well. But I have her order sport peppers with her's so that I can have extras for me . (LOL).

The only problem I have with the Portillo's in Merrillville, is that it is just a hop skip and a jump down US 30 from a White Castle, which is also at least a one time must stop for us whenever we are in the Chicago area.

Once again, great report. And thanks so much for posting it !

Ann, you've said the magic words! You can count on a trip report on the North Carolina roadtrip that I made earlier this month. It was an eight day odyssey in which I got as far south as Spartanburg SC ( guess where I ate there! ), and took almost 800 photos, including pics of every meal that I had during the trip. I ate at twelve "official" Roadfood places during those eight days; five of them were first-timers for me. Look for the first part of the report in the next couple of days.

ellen4641


great report, buffalo tarheel!

That fried chicken from Papalano's 's looks good...
the breast looks a little small, though, like one of those "side breasts"...
 
Nice seeing that pic of YOU, too !!

Thanks, Ellen.  The trip was an enjoyable one for me, although I still cringe when I look at the picture of me.  The chicken was pretty filling, as you can tell from Bob's note about how he used the leftovers.

nocarolina


Ann, you've said the magic words! You can count on a trip report on the North Carolina roadtrip that I made earlier this month. It was an eight day odyssey in which I got as far south as Spartanburg SC ( guess where I ate there! ), and took almost 800 photos, including pics of every meal that I had during the trip. I ate at twelve "official" Roadfood places during those eight days; five of them were first-timers for me. Look for the first part of the report in the next couple of days.

Bob,

Good deal.  I am looking forward to the trip report and know that it will be inspiring and hunger-inducing.

KenK


Having grown up in Northwest Indiana, it was with great pleasure and interest when I first spotted your road report. Thanks very much for submitting it. I have enjoyed reading it very much.

Though it has been over 30 years, since I have lived in Northwest Indiana, my wife and I regularly make at least one annual trip to that part of the country and surrounds to visit friends and relatives.  On one of our trips, I made it a point to stop at the Portillo's that you visited. Sorry, your pictures did not turn out for you. Each Portillo's has it's own theme. And the one in Merrillville has a 1930's theme.

We always make it a point to stop at a Portillo's at least once, whenever we are in the Chicago  area, because we like them so much. And we have always found each store to be consistently good as the other, and never changing over time... always serving some of the best fast food we have gotten anywhere in this great country of ours.

To my taste, they serve the absolutely best Italian beef sandwiches in the Chicago area.
My standard order is one Italian Beef sandwich , along with a Chicago style hot dog with a small order of fries.

I feel if you ever have an opportunity to get back to the Chicago area, that you owe it to yourself to try a Chicago style hot dog.... and make sure that it is from Portillo's, as in my mind they do it right, and the best. A Vienna dog, on a poppy seed bun, with all the proper additions and of course the celery salt. Keep in mind, that you have the option of adding the sport peppers or not. My wife does not care for them, as she does not handle hot tasting food well. But I have her order sport peppers with her's so that I can have extras for me . (LOL).

The only problem I have with the Portillo's in Merrillville, is that it is just a hop skip and a jump down US 30 from a White Castle, which is also at least a one time must stop for us whenever we are in the Chicago area.

Once again, great report. And thanks so much for posting it !

Kenk,

Thanks for the note.  Portillo's does have good beef and hot dogs.  I really enjoyed the Italian beef sandwich.  You are right about the proximity of the White Castle, although I never have acquired the taste for them.  For anyone who likes them, the proximity makes it an easy stop.  I will definitely try a dog with the proper dressings on them, although the Vienna Beef dogs are very good just with mustard.    I usually make a couple of trips or so each year to the area for business, so I should have more chances to sample the food.  I have been reading KingT's reports about roadfood in the NW Indiana area and see that there are many good places to check out.  Looking forward to my next trip.

Rob, you really shouldn't let that photo of yourself bother you. Take a look at some of the photos of me that have been posted on this website. I've resisted the temptation to go hide under a rock for the rest of my life, and your pic looks a lot better than any of mine!  :~)  

BT and Bob

Great adventure.  it is always good to share a meal with a fellow roadfooder.  The candy store looks awesome.

My cousin just accepted an outstanding job offer in Gary, she is moving to hobart so i will be making a couple of journeys up that way this summer.

CajunKing,

Thanks so much.  You are right about what a great time it is to meet another Roadfooder.  I have certainly enjoyed reading about your trips and meet-ups with others.  (The one you had in Cincinnati with Chris and Amy sounded like a real blast.)  Maybe we'll both be in NW Indiana at the same time this summer and have a chance to have a meal together.  There is definitely a good choice of food in that area and in nearby Illinois.  (Of course, everywhere I have been this year has some good food opportunities.)

good job you guys.
nocarolina overcame insurmountable odds.
buffalo tarheel, great job as usual.

I'm afraid my NC trip report has to be put on hold temporarily. I just attempted to post Part 1, only to discover that I've once again lost the photo-posting function on my @#$%^&* computer ( I wonder if I can get my sixty-nine bucks back? ) No more no-nothing Dell techs for me; I'm calling the repair guy in the morning!

^^^^don't call the repair guy, call Geek Squad. They can come over & walk you through the process.

BT--Glad you were able to try some Chicago specialties. Next time you go to Portillo's, try the chocolate cake. You will not be disappointed.

Oh & if you don't want your face on the internet, it's a bad idea to hang out with us Roadfooders!!!!! I'll take someone's pic down if they ask, but now I just throw all the pics up in an album, people can copy what pics they want.

Stricken_detective,

Thanks for the recommendation for the cake at Portillo's.  I have heard that it is good.  My problem will be finding room for it after the hot dog and Italian beef sandwich, which means I'll have to eat less of the other food and more dessert.  Not a bad idea, actually.

As far as the picture, I don't mind it being posted.   I was joking about how I appear in the picture.  I just wish I looked better, but as Popeye says, I yam what I yam.  (Always a food analogy...)  I have posted pictures of others as well.  Having pictures of Roadfood people makes it easier to recognize them when we meet someplace.   I just hope that Bob can get back the ability to post pictures because he has some nice ones of his trips.  Thanks again.

No more Geek Squad for me, Aimee, even though I did buy the PC at Best Buy. I recently had a very unpleasant experience with the Geek Squad, involving a DVD player, that totally soured me on that less-than-skillful bunch. I'd rather pay the local repair guy to take care of the problem, rather than risk more aggravation and frustration with the GS. I still buy small items ( CDs, DVDs, and accessories ) at Best Buy, but I'll no longer buy electronics there.

Rob, I've had that chocolate cake at Portillo's. Listen to our resident detective... she knows what she's talking about!
Just found out that my computer's gonna be in the shop for a couple of days. Bummer...

CajunKing


My cousin just accepted an outstanding job offer in Gary, she is moving to hobart so i will be making a couple of journeys up that way this summer.

Is she a pizza maker?
 
Brad

Just getting caught up on weeks of postings....

Kudos for such a great report! This really opens up a part of Chicago that (for me) is undiscovered.

quijote, just in case you weren't aware, nocarolina is leading a tour of South Side Chicago Suburban restaurants on Saturday, August 22nd.  Details can be found in the planning thread here.

If you're free you know we'd love to have you join us.
EDIT/UPDATE: I just hopped over to the planning thread and see that you have jumped on board.  Hope you can make it!
Buddy

BuddyRoadhouse


quijote, just in case you weren't aware, nocarolina is leading a tour of South Side Chicago Suburban restaurants on Saturday, August 22nd.  Details can be found in the planning thread here.

If you're free you know we'd love to have you join us.
EDIT/UPDATE: I just hopped over to the planning thread and see that you have jumped on board.  Hope you can make it!
Buddy

 
Hey Buddy, Looking forward to it, and it will be great to see everyone there who can attend. I've been on this site, catching up after a bit of an absence, for about two hours now, and I've barely caught up with July 1!  The folks here do some serious eatin' and picture takin'! 

quijote


Just getting caught up on weeks of postings....

Kudos for such a great report! This really opens up a part of Chicago that (for me) is undiscovered.

Quijote,
 
Thanks for your note.  I am just getting caught up myself: in the second of two weeks of travel with no time for Roadfood places - oh, the humanities!  I can tell you that Bob (nocarolina) is a great host and you will have a great time if you make it to the August 22 tour.  Wish I could be with you all.