Sightings - Chicago foods

ACCORDING TO B4-U-EAT.COM TROY'S HAS CLOSED. That's a shame as he did a very good Chicago Italian Beef. I'm going to try to find out more.

Troy's Dawg House Grill
5204 Live Oak

Sandwiches have been on the menu a lot lately. In addition to trying a couple of the muffalottas and other sandwiches posted about recently I've tried a couple of new sandwich places, without much satisfaction until I happened on this place.

It's easy to miss, just a couple of doors south of Southmore on Live Oak, east of 288. It's not much to look at inside or out but in the 6 months he's been open, Troy has become a popular 3rd Ward neighborhood spot. The place was full for lunch; many of the customers were on a first name basis.

Troy is from Chicago and he's offering Chicago specialties like Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches and Maxwell Street Polish sausage but the menu also includes gyros, burgers, a brat sandwich, a Vienna Tamale boat, chicken wings and 7 flavors of Hank's Ice Cream. There is pizza on the menu but not deep dish.

I've never cared for the Chicago-style hot dog but the Chicago Italian Beef sandwich is one of the greatest sandwich inventions and Troy does a good one, perhaps the best I've ever had in Houston. Though he uses Vienna Beef provisions for some of his offerings, unlike other eateries specializing in Chicago dishes here he does not use their pre-cooked beef, he makes his own from scratch. The beef is coarsely chopped and shredded, there are huge chunks and shreds of tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef - I calculated about 12 ounces on the traditional roll from Gonnella Baking Co. I ordered mine wet, which means the whole sandwich is dipped in the au jus. The sturdy Gonnella roll holds up to the juice and becomes a treat in itself. The giardiniera was less spicy that some I've had but okay.

All orders come with fries; for $6.25 it was a lot of food.

Places offering Chicago specialties here don't tend to last long. He hasn't got a great spot for his grill but I hope Troy makes it. I'll be going back for the Italian beef and the Maxwell Street Polish, which I've never had.