During the pandemic, I took a hiatus from restaurant dining, concentrating solely on takeout. Now, post-vaccination, I’ve returned to the patios and dining rooms of our favorite local establishments. Join us as we explore the best independent restaurants in the area have to offer.
By Jason Perlow:
New York versus Chicago — a rivalry between two cities that stirs strong emotions. Whether it is sports teams or pizza — natives of the two metropolises often compare which of their town’s offerings are superior — often with heated arguments.
At Mr. Beefy, which opened in late March of 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, you can do both under one roof while filling your stomach at the same time. The restaurant was founded by Rob Elbaum, who also owns five Rob’s Bageland locations, with two in Coral Springs.
Formerly from the New York City metro area, he married his wife Alicia, originally from Chicago.
“I tried to retire, and it didn’t work,” Rob told me. During a visit to his wife’s city, he fell in love with the town’s signature Italian beef and Chicago dogs and wanted to replicate them here, in Coral Springs.
Elbaum also felt Coral Springs needed a top hot dog place and give people a taste of home because most Floridians are from elsewhere.
At Mr. Beefy, the New York and Chicago rivalry lives on in its foods — Rob carries both Sabrett/Marathon (from New Jersey) and Vienna Beef, the two sausage heavyweights from each hot dog city.
Vienna Beef products are essential for replicating a true Chicago dog. The flavoring and style of these hot dogs are designed for heavy condiment loading, which traditionally includes freshly sliced tomato, a bright green relish, onions, pickle spears, and vinegary “sport peppers.” Vienna also makes a special poppy seeded bun unique to that style of hot dog, which is also served here.
While many unique combinations of hot dogs and toppings are served here, including the Chicago-style original — the one I feel that truly distinguishes this place is Vienna Beef’s Mike Ditka Sausage, a ⅓ lb monster-sized Polish, seasoned heavily with paprika and garlic, served on a large roll ($10.99). The way I like to have it is with Rob’s own homemade secret recipe chili, cheese, and chopped raw onions.
The signature Mr. Beefy sandwich ($12.99 large, 12”) features 8oz of meat made of Italian-seasoned cooked on-premises daily eye of round roast beef, cooked rare, dipped in au jus — no processed cheesesteak meat of questionable origin is used here.
The healthy pile of meat is then topped with a Vienna Beef “giardiniera”— a piquant blend of mixed pickled hot peppers, carrots, and celery — and your choice of melted cheese (provolone is traditional), served on a toasted crusty long roll, with more au jus on the side for dipping.
If you have any room left, be sure to order some of Alicia’s chocolate chip cookies, which she bakes every day, along with the banana bread. She also makes the restaurant’s meatballs, and her own namesake sandwich that uses them is a mouthful as well.
MR BEEFY’S SUBS & MORE
www.mrbeefysubsandmore.com
8040 Wiles Road, Coral Springs FL 33067
954-510-5988
Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
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