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Calabria Imports Expecting Busy Day After Appearing on 'Chicago's Best'

By Howard Ludwig | November 16, 2015 6:58am
 The crew at Calabria Imports in Beverly includes (from left) Lisa Celli, Pat Roberto, Gina Istad, Xochilt Flores, Sarah Maloney, Rocio Diaz and Maddie Neary.
The crew at Calabria Imports in Beverly includes (from left) Lisa Celli, Pat Roberto, Gina Istad, Xochilt Flores, Sarah Maloney, Rocio Diaz and Maddie Neary.
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DNAinfo/Howard A. Ludwig

BEVERLY — Pat Roberto expects a busy day on Monday after being featured on WGN-TV's "Chicago's Best."

The owner of Calabria Imports in Beverly was part of Sunday evening's episode that pinned a pair of North Side restaurants against two equally deserving spots on South Side. He said the show will now go into regular rotation on WGN's sister station, CLTV.

The Italian deli at 1905 W. 103rd St. has become a favorite neighborhood lunch spot and was spotlighted primarily for its meatball sandwich known as "The Stenger." The sandwich was inspired by Chris Stenger of Mount Greenwood — a regular customer and employee of the city's Department of Water Management, Roberto said.

 Pat Roberto, owner of Calabria Imports, stuffs a meatball into a sandwich known as
Pat Roberto, owner of Calabria Imports, stuffs a meatball into a sandwich known as "The Stenger." The restaurant in Beverly was featured on WGN-TV's "Chicago's Best" on Sunday evening.
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DNAinfo/Howard A. Ludwig

The sandwich features either meatballs or Italian sausage stuffed into a fresh-baked, garlic-topped bread roll. Provolone cheese and red sauce also fill the sandwich that's served alongside Calabria's signature homemade potato chips ($7).

Roberto said on Friday he's heard from other restaurants featured on the show and is expecting a crowd in the aftermath.

"We are going to prepare as much as we can," Roberto said. "I've heard of people lined up out of the door."

Roberto said television crews, including the host Elliott Bambrough, arrived in late September to film the segment. The show was looking to highlight a homemade item, and the hand-pressed meatballs worked nicely, Roberto said.

The host also seemed taken with Calabria's system for making fresh chips. The chips are often found at local events and involve using a common, household drill to turn the potatoes into long, thin spirals.

This isn't the first time Calabria has been featured on television. The Food Network also picked the Italian deli as a South Side hot spot in an episode highlighting another sandwich — "The Original Freddy."

This sandwich features a sausage patty topped with sweet peppers, mozzarella cheese and homemade red sauce ($7). It was the star of Jeff Mauro's show "The Sandwich King."

As for the latest television spot, Roberto wasn't the only South Sider on camera. Xochilt Flores was also featured as the mastermind behind Calabria's meatballs. She seemed to be taking her newfound fame in stride on Friday afternoon.

"I was really nervous, but it was fun," Flores said.

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