by Bottom Line: The Italian Sausage Sandwich with Hot Peppers from Portillo’s is one of the best in the business and it definitely brings some heat. And their Chicago-Style Dog is worth checking out as well.
There are plenty of local and regional chains across the country that have loyal fans in their area as well as enthusiasts who have sampled their food while passing through. Some of these establishments have managed to successfully expand their reach across the country (In-N-Out Burger, for example), while others have run into problems trying to increase their customer base (Krystal nearly bankrupted itself after trying to move west). One Chicago-based company has been expanding its presence over the last few years, and it is doing a good job based on a recent visit I paid to a location in Fort Worth while passing through that city.
Portillo’s Hot Dogs was established by Dick Portillo in 1963 in Chicago, IL, as a hot dog stand known at that time as The Dog House (not to be confused with the California-based chain The Dog Haus, more on that one here). In the ‘70s, the company changed its name to Portillo’s and started to open brick-and-mortar locations across the area. It has since become an institution in the Windy City, and in the days that I frequently traveled to that town, it was a regular lunch stop for me.
Portillo’s is known for its hot dogs along with its Italian Beef Sandwich and Maxwell Street Polish. But for me, the highlight of the menu has always been the Char-Grilled Italian Sausage Sandwich. That contains an Italian pork sausage made with secret spices that is served on freshly baked Turano French bread. You can get it with oven-roasted sweet pepper, but the best way to go—especially if you like spicy—is the hot giardiniera peppers. That is a blend of peppers, veggies, and spices marinated in olive oil, and it is a must for Chicago-style Italian sausage and beef.
That sausage is spiced quite nicely with that fennel taste that you expect along with a nice, peppery kick that is similar to Cajun seasoning. It has a touch of smokiness and good snap when you bite into it along with that savory experience you expect from a good quality Italian sausage. The hot peppers have an olive-like taste because of the oil they are packed in, and they maintain a good firmness. The roll is nice and crusty on the outside, while soft and tasty on the inside, and it gets a little mushy after absorbing the juices from the sausage and the peppers. But that is a good thing as all the ingredients blend together into one big, delicious experience. Note that this is a messy sandwich, so have plenty of napkins on hand and don’t attempt to eat this while driving!
The sausage by itself has some heat, and I would put it above Mild on my scale. But you need the hot peppers to really kick things up. With those added to the mix, I would put this a little above Hot on my scale, and that heat lingers a bit after you have finished the whole sandwich.
On this same visit, I couldn’t pass up the Chicago-style Hot Dog because Portillo’s makes one of the best in the business. For those not familiar with that Midwest favorite, it comes with a Vienna beef hot dog, mustard, onions, tomatoes, a dill pickle wedge, hot peppers, and a sprinkle of celery salt all placed within a poppy seed hot dog roll. Oh yeah, there is also relish, nuclear green relish. It’s a must-have on a Chicago-style dog.
I believe that Portillo’s is where I first tried this type of dog, and to this day I set the bar by them. The beefiness from the Vienna dog jumps out right away and has the expected snap when you bite into it. The peppers (which are not the same as the giardiniera mentioned above) add tang and some heat, while the relish brings a nice sweetness. The pickle delivers some vinegar and tang and a touch of garlic. The onions have a pungent kick, and the tomatoes are nice and fresh. And then you have that poppy seed roll and accent of celery salt to bring it all together.
This hot dog is not so much about the heat, but it does have a kick to it. The bites with the peppers have the most burn and get to about Medium heat on my scale. You could ask them to add some giardiniera, but I prefer the Chicago-style with its classic ingredients. I just ask for more of the hot pickled peppers, and that delivers sufficient heat throughout.
As for the calories, this ain’t diet food. The Italian Sausage Sandwich comes up to 660 cals, and those hot peppers tack on another 55 cals. The Chicago-style dog totals up to 355 cals, and the two together has you tipping the scale. If you give in to temptation and get the Cheese Fries (620 cals, but oh so good!), you will be shopping for the next size up in pants. I just counted it as a splurge and scheduled some extra time at the gym the rest of the week (did at least resist the fries).
I should note from my experience that Portillo’s appears to have kept up the quality as they are expanding. The location I stopped at in Fort Worth very much replicated the look and feel of the chain in Chicago (the locations are sizable with a food court sort of atmosphere), and the food is just as good as I remembered. Hopefully, they will keep that up and continue to venture into more cities. There is not one in San Antonio yet, but just down the road in Houston they are building some locations. They have a pretty large menu beyond just hot dogs, which includes hamburgers, soups, and salads, and of course there is the Italian Beef, which they are famous for (watch for an upcoming review). And while Portillo’s may not specialize in spicy food, they do have some menu items with a kick like the Italian Sausage Sandwich (and their chili is pretty good), so it is definitely worth your time to pay a visit. You can check for a location near you at their website.
Nutrition Info:
Char-Grilled Italian Sausage Sandwich
Calories: 660
Fat: 33g (12g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 26g
Carbs: 62g
Sodium: 2010mg
Hot Giardiniera Peppers
Calories: 50
Fat: 5g (1g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 0g
Carbs: 2g
Sodium: 100mg
Chicago-Style Hot Dog
Calories: 355
Fat:15g (5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 12g
Carbs: 39g
Sodium: 1560mg
