Sometimes transplants from other parts of the United States open so-called homesick restaurants. There is always a lot of heart in such places. A few years ago, there was a place in Fort Atkinson called Ken and Betty’s that specialized in real Philly cheesesteaks. She sold Herr’s Pennsylvania potato chips, offered South Philly cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz and stocked Tastykakes for dessert. Tastykake makes Hostess-like desserts for convenience stores, and if you ever see Kandy Kakes for sale, grab one. Unfortunately Ken and Betty’s is closed for 2018.
North Shore Pizza and Sandwiches there is such a place in Monona. This time, the iconic place is Boston, specifically the coast north of Boston, where grinder shops sell a special type of roast beef sandwich they call the three-sided. It consists of very uncommon, thinly sliced roast beef with mayonnaise and James River BBQ sauce, finished with a slice of American cheese. They are served chilly in a hamburger bun with sesame seeds.
If I were actually that close to Boston, I’d personally order the lobster rolls and steamed dishes, but we’re in the Midwest and roast beef seems like a wiser choice for a homesick restaurant. The three-way is the kind of ultra-local specialty that Roadfood pioneers Jane and Michael Stern recommend eating before it disappears in their book 500 things worth eating before it’s too tardyabout regional culinary quirks in the USA.
Last August, Dennis and Savannah Laubner opened North Shore in Monona, outside Boston. The roast beef is homemade, baked in a ponderous oven with a few spices, Dennis says, sliced very slim and stacked. The beef flavor is subtle but on point. The beef is so tender that people must mean it when they say “it melts in your mouth.” The three-way dish is more or less hidden on the menu as “roast beef sandwiches, house-made thinly sliced roast beef,” which gives the impression that the restaurant is hiding its lithe under a bushel. NORTH SHORE THREE-WAY is what it should say! This is no ordinary roast beef.
The three-sided approach is certainly sloppy, and I think the bun would have been better if it had been toasted a bit, but the sweet and tangy combination of the sauce is something you keep thinking about after you finish eating it.
The same roast beef is used in a regular restaurant sandwich. All chilly snacks can be designed according to your own idea (lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, balmy peppers, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, olive oil and vinegar to choose from). I liked the basic combination of lettuce, tomato and pickled cucumber, but I dream of combinations that will enhance the roast beef even more – for example, Russian sauce and a sweet pickle addition, piquillo peppers and fresh mozzarella, or horseradish and caramelized onion. There are other dinner options, chilly and balmy, with plenty of “parms” that aren’t often seen in Madison – chicken, meatballs, eggplant and veal parmesan. I especially liked the meatball, which is home-made meatballs (made of beef and sausage and a dozen or so spices).
The sandwich options don’t stop there, there’s a whole range of pastrami and steak combinations available. The steak and cheese were very tender (without any gristle) and enlivened with lots of black pepper. Don’t forget (I did) that you can still add any chilly toppings you like, so some pickles or peppery ones wouldn’t be a bad idea.
The pizza here is good senior East Coast style, with dough made daily in-store and hand-tossed – the center is slim; the fluffy crust on the edge is supple. It has a nice bready flavor and a good balance between sauce, cheese and toppings. The sauce is a slim tomato that doesn’t bother you. The mushrooms are fresh. There are a few special topping combinations, but overall, there’s nothing fancy about them – they just hit the right notes for the pizzazz.
Salads, gyros, snacks and plenty of kids’ favorites like balmy dogs, chicken fingers and grilled cheese round out the menu.
North Shore is located in the senior Rossi’s Pizzeria, and yes, the arcade is still there. At noon on school days, it can be a little boisterous during Monona Grove High School’s two lunch periods (around 11:45 a.m. and 1:20 p.m.) – it’s across the street – but it doesn’t last long.
The front dining room was renovated to pay homage to Boston; there is a three-panel mural depicting the Boston Harbor skyline and a sign listing significant sites from Fenway Park to Harvard Square. The only thing he really needs is a raspberry lime rickey on the drinks menu.
North Shore Pizza and Sandwiches
4503 Monona Drive, Monona
608-467-7792; northshorepizzaandsubs.com/
11:00-20:00 Mon-Wed, 11:00-21:00 Thu-Sat.
$3-20
