Illinois Street Food Emporium - Revisit

I really do try to venture out to some different places for sandwiches every now and then, and hubby had not been to Illinois Street Food Emporium yet, so for a quick lunch the other day, that is where we found ourselves. Hubby loves a good Rueben sandwich (any suggestions?) and was happy they had one on the menu. I remembered how much I liked the croissant on which my sandwich came last time, so I knew I wanted a croissant—it was just a matter of what filling.

I decided to go with egg salad because that is something I love (but preferably without celery) and I got it on the croissant. The egg salad had good flavor—sort of like it had some diced pickles mixed in, which I really liked. But it was really dry, almost like it had no mayo in it to hold it together, just mashed up boiled eggs. There was some lettuce and mayo on the bread which helped a bit. The biggest disappointment was the croissant this time though. It wasn’t soft and buttery like I remembered—it was quite hard (a little overbaked maybe?) and if it was the first time I had a croissant from them, I wouldn’t be wanting another one.

Hubby had the Reuben sandwich which as I said, is one of his favorites. He described it as a little unconventional, because instead of sauerkraut, it had a mix that was more like cole slaw (it wasn’t as dry as sauerkraut). He loved the bread and thought it was perfectly cooked (he often complains that many Reubens border on burned). It was a nice size—not ridiculously large. It also came with a side. He chose a salad with blue cheese dressing. It was a nice salad with some shredded cheese, croutons and half a boiled egg. I had a few bites, and as far as a side salad goes, it was pretty good.

I did buy a cookie on my way out—a sugar cookie with sprinkles that was really tasty. Nice and soft but with a crispy outer edge. You can’t really go into this place without buying a sweet—the display of pastries and doughnuts is quite tempting. All in all though, for a quick lunch of sandwiches, it was a little pricey I thought compared to a lot of places around, and the food while fresh and good, just wasn’t that memorable.

Illinois Street Food Emporium
5550 North Illinois Street
Indy 46208
317/253-9513
www.eatincarryout.com

Illinois Street Food Emporium

Stopped in for a quick bite at Illinois Street Food Emporium. Have not been here since I was a kid—and honestly, I don’t think I ever actually ate in the restaurant. We always got carry out. The food is simple deli sandwiches—nothing fancy, except that many of them are served on yummy croissants that I believe are made in house. The toppings were fresh, but like I said, nothing you couldn’t put together at home, but once they are stacked up on that flaky croissant, it is worth the trip!

I had the turkey, avocado, bacon, and jack cheese. The bacon was nice and crispy and the avocado nice and ripe (although I could’ve used a bit more on my sandwich, but that’s just me). There was certainly enough of the other ingredients anyway). There was a ton of turkey, and I took a bit of it off because it made the sandwich so huge, but I ate just about every bite of that croissant. Yummy.

The interior is much like the food, nothing fancy, and it has clearly been there a long time. As my sister said, the wooden chairs remind you of the ones you sat at in elementary school, except bigger. The service is fast (you order at the counter, pick up your drinks, and they bring it out to you shortly thereafter). Other than sandwiches, they have soups and a few specials like a quiche of the day, and a pretty large bakery selection.

Illinois Street Food Emporium
5550 N. Illinois Street
Indy, 46208
317-253-9513
http://www.eatincarryout.com/