Reubens Are All About the Corned Beef

I have to be in a certain mood to enjoy a Reuben. It's large enough that I need an appetite that a burger or pasta won't quite satisfy. I need to be in the mood to sit and actively digest food (and hopefully good conversation and/or television) after eating this grilled sandwich with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and dressing.

That mood hit last week, so I accepted a Chowdown Showdown challenge to consume three of these monstrous sandwiches in close proximity. How else was I going to discover who offers the best Reuben in Yorkville?

First, I hit up Sunfields, which wowed me not too long ago with its freshly squeeze orange juice and Sunfields Benedict. The Reuben was admittedly less impressive. The bread was too thin to stand up to the corned beef and sauerkraut, although they were smart enough to put the dressing on the side. (I slather it all over the sandwich, but I could see how some people would have more discerning taste and perfer less.) The corned beef was good, though.

The good: Dressing available on the side.
The bad: Wimpy bread.

This Reuben had excellent presentation. Thick slices of marbled rye were stacked high enough with corned beef that each bite was a mouthful. The sauerkraut had a good flavor that blended well with the flavor of the corned beef and the Thousand Island dressing. I was stuffed (and happy) before I finished the garlic smashed potatoes that came with the sandwich.

The good: The marbled rye bread was excellent. (The sandwich also is available on sourdough.)
The bad: Half the sandwich is probably enough for a meal. But there's probably nothing wrong with taking the other half home for a second meal.

I took advantage of Lakeview Grille's carryout option and enjoyed my third Reuben while getting a little work done at home Sunday night. I thought their corned beef was the best of the bunch: the slices were thick and moist. The menu boasts homemade Thousand Island dressing (which was yummy). The marbled rye got a little squishy, but I wonder if that can be attributed to the sandwich sitting for the ride home.

The good: The corned beef
The bad: Soggy bread.

And the winner is: Stonefire Restaurant. Lakeview Grille had the best corned beef, but Stonefire had the best bread and the best Thousand Island dressing.