Looking for Chicago Italian beef, hot dogs? South of Wrigley to open in Lexington
There’s a new restaurant coming to town and it’s all Chicago.
This winter South of Wrigley will be opening at 472 Southland Dr., the former home of a coffee shop across from the Good Foods Co-op.
Restaurant owner Randal Jacobs said the menu will include Chicago Italian beef and Chicago hot dogs, as well as porchetta sandwiches.
Maybe you’ve heard of Italian beef, the hugely popular sandwich from Chicago that’s making fans as it moves south.
“It’s roasted with Italian herbs and spices, then cooled and sliced and it sits in its own stock before you put it on the bun. It’s kind of a shave beef, that sits in au jus,” said Jacobs.
It’s a taste that has such fans that beef shops tend to crop up anywhere there are Chicago transplants. A chain called Portillo’s is making inroads, but the closest is in Indianapolis.
Randal Jacobs, whose background is in fine cuisine, has worked in the culinary industry for over 20 years, including as a chef at the Four Seasons in Chicago. But this is his first time owning his own place. He moved to Lexington with his family last year when his wife, Jennifer, was named director of the Rise Stem Academy for Girls in Lexington.
“I always wanted to open my own restaurant. And I wanted to introduce the Chicago hot dogs and Italian beef to Lexington,” he said. “I did not want to go back into that world of working for someone else, so I’m ready to take that jump.”
He plans on keeping the menu simple, with the Italian beef sandwiches, as well as Chicago hot dogs.
“Chicago hot dog is really about the toppings,” Jacobs said. It’s a Vienna beef hot dog on a poppy seed roll with mustard, and “this neon green relish that’s kind of unique to Chicago, sport pepper, tomatoes, white onion and a pickle spear and celery salt. It’s like eating a salad on top of a hot dog.”
A native of Philadelphia, Jacobs also will offer the Philly specialty porchetta, a kind of roasted pork sandwich.
And he plans to make Italian sausage and a vegan version of Italian beef made of seitan. To go with the hot dogs and sandwiches, he’ll offer hand-cut fries, “double fried to be creamy in the middle and crunchy on the outside.”
The restaurant space is small, with about 30 seats, so Jacobs is planning on lots of takeout. He will also offer catering for tailgates and events. He plans to be open daily, probably from about 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and hopes to attract new Chicago beef fans.
“I want to appeal to many different crowds,” he said. “Come in and get a beef.”
