Today I decided to finally take a Grown Ass Man's advice and eat at local hotspot, Gioia's Deli, in the Italian neighborhood of St. Louis called The Hill. I was not disappointed.
This Sandwich, yeah It deserves capitalization, is a masterpiece.
Being a Chicagoan, there are 3 criteria by which I judge an Italian sandwich:
The Bread. It's gotta be soft, yet crusty. If you order your sandwich toasted, it's supposed to scrape up your mouth to the point that you're subconsciously tonguing it's roof for days. I'm partial to Turano, but a good, fresh-baked baguette will do just fine.
The Meat-Mix. Too often sub shops try to pass off a lunchmeat sandwich and call it an Italian. This, Subway-esque, Adult Male pile of Ham, Salami, and usually Pepperoni (seriously?!) has become acceptable in some parts of the country... but where I come from, an Italian is a solid Salami, Capicola (pronounced Gabagole), Mortadella, and sometimes Ham. Pepperoni is for pizzas, man... Gioia's uses Genova, Hot Salami, and Ham, or Mortadella. Totally acceptable.
Giardiniera. If you don't know what this is, Jesus still loves you, but you've never eaten a sandwich before in your entire life. This is a type of Hot Pepper Relish, and Gioia's has the second hottest Giardiniera I've ever eaten. Big Up's to the #1, Bari's on Grand Ave. in Chicago... they make theirs with Habaneros.
All that being said, I didn't even order the Italian, because the menu board was whistling a tune I'd never heard before...
Gioia's Extra Spicy Hot Salami Sandwich.
Man, was this a treat:
Gioia's delicious fresh-baked bread
Gioia's special salami sliced warm and piled high
Pepper Cheese
Spicy Mustard
Onion
Pepperoncini
Extra Hot Giardiniera
Here's a pic of what I had leftover...
Being a Chicagoan, there are 3 criteria by which I judge an Italian sandwich:
The Bread. It's gotta be soft, yet crusty. If you order your sandwich toasted, it's supposed to scrape up your mouth to the point that you're subconsciously tonguing it's roof for days. I'm partial to Turano, but a good, fresh-baked baguette will do just fine.
The Meat-Mix. Too often sub shops try to pass off a lunchmeat sandwich and call it an Italian. This, Subway-esque, Adult Male pile of Ham, Salami, and usually Pepperoni (seriously?!) has become acceptable in some parts of the country... but where I come from, an Italian is a solid Salami, Capicola (pronounced Gabagole), Mortadella, and sometimes Ham. Pepperoni is for pizzas, man... Gioia's uses Genova, Hot Salami, and Ham, or Mortadella. Totally acceptable.
Giardiniera. If you don't know what this is, Jesus still loves you, but you've never eaten a sandwich before in your entire life. This is a type of Hot Pepper Relish, and Gioia's has the second hottest Giardiniera I've ever eaten. Big Up's to the #1, Bari's on Grand Ave. in Chicago... they make theirs with Habaneros.
All that being said, I didn't even order the Italian, because the menu board was whistling a tune I'd never heard before...
Gioia's Extra Spicy Hot Salami Sandwich.
Man, was this a treat:
Gioia's delicious fresh-baked bread
Gioia's special salami sliced warm and piled high
Pepper Cheese
Spicy Mustard
Onion
Pepperoncini
Extra Hot Giardiniera
Here's a pic of what I had leftover...
Now, before you get all commenty on me, saying things like, "A Grown Ass Man would have finished the whole 9" sandwich!!!"
You're absolutely right. A Grown Ass Man would certainly eat all of it and ask for more, if he didn't have the Grown Ass Restraint to save a bit to scramble into some eggs in the morning. Being stuck in St. Louis means I can no longer enjoy the ubiquity of delicious Giardiniera that I had so foolishly taken for granted in the frivolity of youth...
So here's to Gioia's! A truly special little deli on Macklind off Shaw in the Hill.
What do you order when you go to Gioia's?
You're absolutely right. A Grown Ass Man would certainly eat all of it and ask for more, if he didn't have the Grown Ass Restraint to save a bit to scramble into some eggs in the morning. Being stuck in St. Louis means I can no longer enjoy the ubiquity of delicious Giardiniera that I had so foolishly taken for granted in the frivolity of youth...
So here's to Gioia's! A truly special little deli on Macklind off Shaw in the Hill.
What do you order when you go to Gioia's?
2 comments:
Next time I visit, you must take me there.
Good grown ass manly sandwich. i'll have to pop down there for an Italian revival
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