LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Food is connection.
It brings so many people together, in some cases, it can unite a group of people.
So many cities, states, countries and cultures are identified in part by what they like to eat.
Chicago falls firmly in that category.
Hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, deep dish pizza, etc.
All of it symbolic of cuisine in the Windy City.
For anyone craving a taste of some Chi Town staples, at least for the dogs and the beef, you need not look further than South of Wrigley on Southland Drive in Lexington.
Penny Troop fell into that category, talking to us after her first taste of her hometown she'd had in a long time.
“I love it. It’s just everybody together. It’s close. People sharing tables. It’s just enjoying the food and the atmosphere," Troop said.
“I’m from Chicago so to me, this was like a taste of home and I loved it. It was messy and that was the best part.”
Plenty of napkins are necessary to enjoy the food hot and fresh off the line.
Courtesy of Chef Randal Jacobs and his team.
While born and raised in Philadelphia, love for Chicago has grown deep in Jacobs's heart after decades of working through the culinary world that inhabits the city.
“I’d say Chicago is kind of where I cut my teeth in the culinary industry. I was a chef in Chicago for quite some time," Jacobs said.
“I’d say about 20 years. I didn’t own my own restaurant in Chicago but I worked in a lot of local, family run restaurants as well as some high end hotels and one of the largest catering companies in Chicago.”
Jacobs brought his family to Lexington about three years ago, leading to his first opportunity to run his own restaurant.
Though many challenges come with starting from the ground up, Jacobs was excited to tap into a market in need of classic Chicago cuisine.
“Since we’ve opened, to see how many people from Chicago live in Lexington, I’m shocked there’s not a thriving beef market or Chicago hot dog in Lexington," Jacobs said.
Many customers shared that sentiment.
One couple we spoke to who has lived in central Kentucky for more than 30 years was happy to see a Chicago-based spot pop up in town.
"When I opened the door. I thought I was back home. They should try it. They won’t be sorry."
“I really liked the beef. It was very tasty. It was probably more than I could handle. As I started eating it, I ran into a couple hot peppers. They woke me up.”
The top priority for Jacobs is making sure every person who walks up to order feels cared for.
It's part of why he wanted his kitchen out in front of house so he could interact with customers while making their food.
“It was important to me that when we do take your order, we don’t put a number on it. We get your name. I’d say I know the names of a tremendous amount of people that walk through this door," Jacobs said.
“I know it’s only hot dogs and french fries but it’s someone’s hard earned money and we have to do our best to really offer the best job we really can.”
South of Wrigley is located at 472 Southland Drive in Lexington.
They're open Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If you want to learn more about them, click here.
