F.I.B's: The Chicago Hot Dog or the Italian Beef?

Doug Moe, Wisconsin State Journal columnist and sometime low-brow epicurean, and I had the basic twenty minute lunch last week at F.I.B.'s located around the corner from the M&I Bank on the Capitol Square.

F.I.B.'s might stand for Fine Italian Beef, then again it might not.

In any case it is owned and operated by the congenial John Handley who has his own story to tell. Or maybe Doug will tell it - actually Doug tells the story today Ex-mayor has no beef with FIB’S .

I ordered the hot dog, Doug savored the Italian Beef.

Good stuff. On my persnickety grading scale the Chicago Hot Dog got a B which is an especially high mark north of Highland Park. Highlights were the luxurious hot dog, accompanied by the outstanding pickle - or 'cuke' - aged just right and with the appropriate snap as your teeth cut through it.

The bun was properly decorated with the required poppyseeds though I would prefer it steamed a bit more. The only other improvement I would recommend is French's mustard, not the harsher more common Wisconsin style. FIBS may have had a choice and I did not bother to ask. Those two improvements would take the Chicago Hot Dog into the lofty B+ category.

Moe obviously enjoyed the Italian Beef. He managed to devour it in quick order, not dripping onto his slacks, though on more than one occasion I suggested he wipe his chin.

In the meantime  Barry Orton came upon this stunner. Obviously our Waxing America editor has too much time on his hands reviewing websites that specialize in ugly tattoos. We will not pass judgment but simply provide this for your edification. Then again, it does look delicious. The hot dog.

Comments

[Tim M.]

Your esteemed editor must know that this hot-dog tat is a photoshop job. Gotta be.

[Barry Orton]

And what's wrong with Photoshop? And are hot dog tattoos any worse than Cubs logos?

[Ty O'Mara]

I found this post to be barely humerus only because I actually know the woman in the photo, personally. To be frank, nothing could be furter from the truth. I met her when I worked on the northside of Chicago several years ago. I don't want to use her name, but she is a very charming young woman; kind of a free spirit type.

The hotdog tattoo is, indeed, an actual tattoo(not photoshopped), and I know you won't believe this, but she has another tattoo on her other shoulder. Don't gasp, on her other shoulder she has a tattoo of a Cubs logo. I'm not making this up, this is really weird.

So, anyway, we were talking one day and I just asked her, why would such a beautiful young girl like herself get a tattoo of a Cubs logo on her shoulder like that? She just started giggling and scoffed at my thinking, "Don't be so square. Loosen up, can't you see I'm just like the Cubs--I just cannot take the world series, Lee.

Lee Elia