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| - I had high hopes for Portillo's Italian beef. I haven't found any Chicago type Italian beefs in any restaurant in this area. The pepperoncinis always give the fake ones away. I'd never eaten at a Portillo's, but have had many Italian beefs in Chicago at Al's and Mr. Beef. I hit the middle of the lunch hour on a weekday, and of course the place was packed. I was impressed at how efficient the serving process is and how the lines moved quickly. I ordered a beef/hot/dipped, my usual Chicago order. I sat down and opened the bag, and was encouraged by the weight of the sandwich. After I unwrapped it, I became less encouraged. The outside of the wrapper was very greasy. I picked up the sandwich and took a bite. It was extremely greasy, and my hands were covered in grease. I was expecting that they'd dip it in the au jus, but it was almost like it was dipped in a french fryer. The beef was very lightly seasoned, and I had to strain to detect any garlic or oregano. It also needed salt. I finished half of it, using about 12 of their tissue napkins, and decided there was just too much grease to finish. On a brighter note, my companion had the Greek salad and pronounced it very good. I'll go to Portillo's again, but no more Italian beef.
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