A Sandwich a Day: Num Num Beef at Flour and Bones

Editor's Note: In this great city of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year--so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around the Windy City. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know!

[Photograph: Lindsey Becker]

The underground dining operation you may or may not have heard of known as X-marx has decided to test the waters aboveground and will be opening a permanent spot in Logan Square in July called Flour and Bones. But before settling down, X-marx flexed their pop-up muscles one more time and offered a taste of the new menu at Sunday's Dose Market.

Along with more unusual offerings like Lapsang Tea Eggs and Purple Ube Cupcakes was the Num Num Beef Sandwich ($8). As you may suspect from the picture, it's their take on the classic Italian beef sandwich, but it's also aptly named for the numbing effect of the Sichuan peppercorns shipped directly from Sichuan Province in China. The bun is the classic sturdy, spongey bread used for the best Italian beefs, but the taste of the beef and toppings is not quite classic. There's a subtle but enjoyable sweetness to the well-seasoned beef and the giardiniera is more aggressive than the usual sprinkle of pickled vegetables. But unless you get a chunk of peppercorn right away, the heat buildup is well-paced. I got to the lip-burning stage a little over halfway through the sandwich. But like all fiery foods, the feeling just compelled me to keep eating, and I wasn't disappointed that I did.

Flour and Bones

2957 W Diversey Ave., Chicago, IL 60618 (map)
flourandbones.com

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