Poochie's, on Dempster in Skokie, bills itself as "the home of the cheddar-burger". I have been to Poochie's many, many times throughout my life and I think I've had only one burger. The also specialize in char-dogs and char-polishes, which I have never ordered. (I don't care for char-dogs. I want 'em steamed and snappin').
So, what do I order at Poochie's? Why am I even bringing it up?
Two words: Char. Salami.
Poochie's serves up a char salami sandwich that is a thing of beauty. A long slab of salami (not round slices) is charred on the grill and served on a French roll cut to the exact length of the slab. Condiments of your choice are added. I highly recommend keeping it simple with mustard and onions (both grilled and raw). Sometimes I go for the hot peppers, but I find that they can overwhelm the salami flavor, which is the anchor. A side of their very good hand-cut fries are the obvious accompaniment.The only weak link in the sandwich is the roll. It's a decent French-style roll, but I'd prefer a proper baguette. The roll is a little on the soft side and not nearly crusty or chewy enough. Even so, it doesn't hold back the sandwich's overall greatness.
This sandwich always makes my day. The very sight of the salami-slab hitting the grill brings a smile to my face.
Go get a char-salami sandwich at Poochie's, 3832 Dempster, Skokie, 847-673-0100