# The disappointment in ordering a local/regional specialty outside of that locale **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [September 21, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503 "2023-09-21T21:24:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/221 "2023-10-09T13:35:52Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > I grew up about a twenty minute walk from the Blackstone hotel in Omaha NE. This is the home of the Reuben sandwich, where Reuben Kulakofsky concocted the sandwich for his poker buddies in the late 1920’s It is not dependent on some odd, esoteric ingredients only available in the dark of the moon while in view of Farnam Street. It is a simple sandwich. And I’ve always heard the NYC creation of the sandwich at Reuben’s Restaurant and Delicatessen. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/222 "2023-10-09T13:40:44Z")
from here: [Cottonwood Hotel review](https://sarahbakerhansen.com/2021/05/review-cottonwoods-update-on-the-omaha-reuben-is-a-winner/) > [@](#): > > Charles Schimmel liked Reuben’s sandwich so much that he put it on the hotel menu. A listing from 1934, pictured above, says “Reuben Sandwich, 40 cents.” (As far as we know, this is also the first ever menu that features the sandwich, pre-dating claims that the sandwich originated at a New York restaurant.) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/223 "2023-10-09T20:12:25Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > Restaurants seem to love to substitute thousand island for the Russian dressing. Russian dressing has horseradish, otherwise almost exactly the same. And in order to keep that dressing fresh, you’d have to sell a LOT of reubens. So, that is forgivable. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/224 "2023-10-09T20:30:53Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > No one but a Philistine would cut a circular pizza into square / rectangular hunks. I cut my pizzas into star shapes because I like the pointy first bite. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/225 "2023-10-09T21:50:22Z")
I thought Russian was the same as Thousand Island except without the bits of relish? But yeah, a Reuben is a Reuben. There are many sandwiches very similar to a Reuben, and some of them are quite tasty in their own right, but they’re not Reubens. I’m willing to allow for pastrami instead of corned beef, but that’s about the limit. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/226 "2023-10-09T22:09:13Z")
At one job, I would visit a local deli for lunch from time to time and got in the habit of ordering reubens, partly because there were no questions to be answered; the sandwich is well defined. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/227 "2023-10-09T22:22:51Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > thought Russian was the same as Thousand Island except without the bits of relish? This kind of “Russian dressing” must be a regional thing, because the only form of Russian dressing I’m familiar with is tomato-based, dark red, and sweet/sour. It doesn’t look or taste anything like Thousand Island, and it certainly doesn’t have horseradish in it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/228 "2023-10-09T22:27:20Z")
I grew up in Connecticut, where Russian dressing was regularly available but once on a trip to the West Coast, I asked for it at a restaurant and the waiter had no idea what I was talking about. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/229 "2023-10-09T22:43:34Z")
Maybe it is regional - because the Russian dressing I am used to is a similar color to Thousand Island and the taste is similar as well, although Russian has horseradish and Thousand Island has relish. The dressing I _think_ you are talking about is called French/Catalina/ Tangy tomato in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/230 "2023-10-09T22:54:14Z")
I’ve never seen Russian dressing in any restaurant in California — and I’ve been to many. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/231 "2023-10-09T22:55:09Z")
That outing may be the first time I became aware of regional differences. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/232 "2023-10-09T23:13:20Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > I’ve never seen Russian dressing in any restaurant in California — and I’ve been to many. Never been to LA, hmm? Plenty of Russian dressing, much of it homemade, at delis and other restaurants, particularly in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and the Westside. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/233 "2023-10-09T23:35:00Z")
Wishbone “Russian” is a completely different creation than deli Russian. As noted above, deli Russian is 1000 Island -relish +horseradish. A pastrami on rye with cole slaw and 1000 Island is a Rachel. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/234 "2023-10-09T23:41:48Z")
I lived in LA for seven years, but I was much younger and poorer then, so admittedly I didn’t eat out that much, and definitely never in Beverly Hills. I’ve been in the Bay Area for almost 40 years, so that’s where the vast majority of my California dining has been. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2023, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/235 "2023-10-10T12:40:50Z")
Yeah, I grew up with Wishbone Russian which is closer to French or Catalina and was completely flummoxed when I’ve gotten the real stuff. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/236 "2023-10-10T15:20:43Z")
IME there’s “Russian” in areas of significant Jewish concentration and a totally different “Russian” elsewhere in the USA. Same tends to be true of Reubens, delis, good rye, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2023, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/237 "2023-10-10T15:40:37Z")
And the combination of meat and cheese means you won’t find a genuine Reuben in a kosher deli. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2023, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/238 "2023-10-10T21:18:42Z")
Exactly. I ordered a Cheeseburger in a Jewish deli. The burger came on one plate, with the fixins. On another small plate was the top half of the bun, with a slice of cold cheese on it. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2023, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/239 "2023-10-10T23:26:39Z")
Just like the McD.L.T.! ---
**Author:** ![sinjin1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@sinjin1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin1)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2023, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/240 "2023-10-14T02:45:57Z")
Portillo’s in Moreno Valley, Ca is awesome. Best Chicago beef sandwiches in Ca. Chicago girl. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503.md?page=13)