PARMA, Ohio — Cleveland has never been much of a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich kind of town. Over the years there has been a handful of decent options, but few have managed to capture the flavor and spirit of the real thing. That’s fine because local demand for the sandwiches, which often get confused for Philly cheesesteaks or French dips, has never been that high either.
All that changed last summer when the hit program “The Bear” landed on FX. Thanks to the show, which chronicled life in a frenetic Chicago beef shop, interest in Italian beef sandwiches has never been higher. Around the same time, partners Jakob Kelly and Tiffany Ballog opened Au Jus (5875 Broadview Rd., 216-795-5063) in Parma.
Wedged between a Marco’s Pizza and a nail salon in a small Parma strip, Au Jus is as inconspicuous as they come. But step inside and you’ll see one of the busiest little restaurants around. Each day the shop flies through 100 to 150 pounds of slow-roasted top round beef. The sliced beef is warmed in hot au jus, piled into long French rolls, and topped with sweet or spicy giardiniera. Additional au jus is served on the side for dipping, but sandwiches can be dunked by request.
In addition to the amazing Italian beef sandwiches, Au Jus sells sausage, pepper and onion sandwiches, Cubans, Phillys and fully loaded Italian subs that are served cold or pressed. Don’t miss the fresh-cut fries and hand-dipped onion rings.
