Quality food at quality prices
Mark Farner
Issue date: 8/25/08 Section: Entertainment
|
Born in the Chicago area Portillo's first Indiana location opened in October of 2006. From the checkered tile and table cloths to the sleek chrome exterior, this Hoosier location looks like an old time diner.
It's a restaurant with oldies rock music playing and crazy paraphernalia on the walls-black and white photos, traffic signs, farm equipment, soft drink memorabilia and much more.
The impression is the same as a Cracker Barrel or TGI Friday's. It's comfortable and entertaining at the same time. The real reason to come to Portillo's is the authentic food, not the thematic décor.
The food is hot and freshly made to order. The service is friendly and prompt with smiling employees quickly taking orders.
The hot dogs are their main staple, but other excellent choices include hamburgers, chicken, Italian beef sandwiches and chili.
They can also be paired with familiar side orders such as french fries, cheese fries, onion rings, and chicken tenders.
The prices are fairly reasonable. $2.25 for a hot dog and $2.55 for a jumbo hot dog.
The Italian beef sandwiches, starting at $4.29, are made with extra gravy, unless otherwise specified.
According to the menu, the sandwiches can be ordered dry, "very little gravy", extra gravy, "we splash a bit of gravy on the sandwich", or dipped, "we dip the sandwich in gravy."
With such a great menu, customers will be hard pressed to find something they don't like, but if so, Portillo's shares the same building with Barnelli's.
This Italian restaurant offers pasta, ribs, sandwiches and gourmet salads.
The bacon burger was superbly cooked with crispy bacon, fresh lettuce and ripe tomato all accompanied by a toasted bun.
Still, it was a tough competition with the hot dog slathered with freshly cut onions and bursting with mouth-watering flavor.
Try eating something other than the usual flabby patty from McDonald's. This time go for fresh, hot, delicious and unbeatable customer service.
Throw those frozen hot dogs out the window and head to Portillo's. One taste and customers will be hungry for more.
Be the first to comment on this story