Roast Beef
Hot and Bloody, Cold and Bloody and Tough and Tough

We eat a lot of roast beef in the USA. I aint gonna do no research, but I would guess we Americans eat more roast beef than anywhere. In fact, absent all those Italian beefs, beef-on-wecks, cheesesteaks, french dips, Manhattans, etc., what does the rest of the world do with their hunks of beef. [ed. what about those fine joints served in the UK?] I've sampled three roast beefs this week.

Hot and Bloody - Manny's
I took the chowhounditas and Ms. VI to Manny's this week, for a lunch organized by the author of the well blogged and critical favorite play, The Mayor's Mouth, SethZ. I did not diddle-dawdle like others over the corned beef and pastrami. I held up the line as I waited for one of the Manny's hand sliced and expertly trimmed roast beef sandwiches. It is worth holding up everyone behind you. Give the slicer a dollar for his efforts.

(Go here for some Manny's pictures and videos.)

Cold and Bloody - Fox and Obel
Equally gorgeous is the house roasted beef at Fox and Obel. While your eyes might zero in on the broad swath of crimson centered within the meat, my favorite part is the salty crusty surface. Belying F&O's snazzy image, this roast beef costs no more than other grocery stores and is actually less than Whole Foods.

Tough and Really Tough - Berghoff
The other night we found ourselves near the loop at the magic moment, just 6 PM. For about 240 seconds, a bunch of parking spots exist in the loop. Snap one up and you can enjoy a pleasant dinner and one of my favorite places, the Berghoff. Just avoid the German pot roast. Did I say tough? Incredible, bathed in butter, mashed potatoes well made up for it, and a cameo visit by the Mayor of Berghoff, El Panzone, made for an even more fun night.