Second City, Frankly Speaking

Los Angeles has it over Chicago in terms of weather any day. But when it comes to Italian beef sandwiches, spicy Polish sausages and Chicago-style hot dogs, the Second City still reigns supreme. My Chicago-born friends scour the Southland for an authentic taste of home. If they live in Orange County, they don’t have to work too hard. They can satisfy all of these hankerings at Chicago Harv’s, a little storefront shoe-horned into a mini-mall near the Fullerton College campus.

There really was a Chicago Harv, once upon a time. Originally, the place belonged to Chicago native Harvey Jass, who is depicted in the caricature that illustrates a yellowing newspaper review on the wall.

The place looks like a typical campus joint furnished with a counter, stools and a trio of video games. It’s owned by Korean-born Gene Bae, who learned the operation from the previous owner, who learned it from Harv himself. Bae now runs the business with the help of his wife and her mother.

Bae cheerfully admits that he has never heard of Roosevelt High School or Bobby Hull or any of the Chicago-area icons displayed on the T-shirts and autographed posters that provide his restaurant with a Midwestern feel. But bring up the subject of hot dogs and he will open up with all the enthusiasm of a Cub fan touting Ernie Banks as a Hall of Fame shortstop.

Chicago Harv’s raison d’e^tre is the Chicago Dog, a steamed Vienna Beef frank stuffed into a poppy seed bun splotched with relish and mustard and garnished with a half sour dill pickle wedge, a chili pepper and a generous sprinkling of celery salt. Sauerkraut, green relish and spicy brown mustard are also available, at no extra charge.

Without wishing to debate the merits of Vienna Beef versus Best Kosher (the other great Chicago dog supplier in Southern California), let it be said that Harv’s Chicago Dog is a flavorful, juicy, beautifully steamed frank smack in the middle of an impeccably chewy bun (also supplied by Vienna Beef). And that the condiments, especially the inspired idea of the pickle, help turn the Chicago Dog into one of the great American sandwiches.

Vienna Beef actually supplies all of the dogs sold here, including the spicy Chicago Pole and a jumbo, extra-peppery grilled frank dubbed the Firedog. The Chicago Dog is a classic, so I’d advise eating it exactly the way the menu suggests, namely with the works. The Pole and the Firedog are different. These two sausages are better foils for single toppings like the penetrating deli-style brown mustard or Harv’s extra-sour homemade sauerkraut. Piling on the condiments tends to mask their complex, addictive spicing.

Chicago Harv’s sandwiches come with a choice of fries, cole slaw or chili, and scoring two out of three ain’t bad. The house chili is meaty and messy, a mild, tomato-rich chili made from scratch with ground turkey meat. Harv’s cole slaw is tangy and doesn’t bite back, thickly chopped cabbage with only hints of sugar and celery salt in a light mayonnaise dressing. French fries, though, need drastic improvement. These are frozen potatoes that emerge from the deep fryer with the texture of straw, by no means a worthy accompaniment to Harv’s noble wieners.

If you are not a hot dog or sausage fan, Chicago Harv’s Italian beef sandwich is a terrific option. The sandwich is a French roll sopping with juices that conceals layer upon layer of thinly sliced roast beef, and stewed green pepper and onion. The beef and vegetables are slowly simmered in broth of garlic, Parmesan and spices, so that the sandwich is meltingly tender.

One more surprise is Chicago Harv’s teriyaki bowl, either beef or chicken. This is the only thing on Bae’s menu that reveals his Korean roots. It is essentially a bowl of steamed rice topped with meat, cooked broccoli, onion and a sneakily spicy teriyaki sauce. But it is nothing like a Japanese teriyaki bowl because the sauce isn’t at all thick or sweet. Think of it as a piquant sauce ladled over expertly grilled meats.

Whether you come for a Chicago Dog or a bowl of Seoul, one thing is certain: At Chicago Harv’s the windy city just blew a little closer to the Pacific Rim.

BE THERE

Chicago Harv’s, 410 E. Chapman Ave., Fullerton. (714) 871-0491. Hours: Monday-

Thursday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-

7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Street parking. No alcohol. Cash only. Takeout. Lunch for two, $7-$13. What to get: Chicago Dog, Chicago Pole, Firedog, beef teriyaki bowl, Italian beef sandwich.