Tina H.

Italian Beef is made by slowly roasting lean beef on a rack above a pan filled with seasoned beef-based stock. Most people call it au jus which normally refers to natural cooking juices. Then it is sliced paper thin, soaked in the juice for a few minutes, and layered generously, dripping wet, onto sections of Italian or Vienna bread loaves. This is high in gluten and gives the bread the 'wet strength' that is required to keep the soggy sandwich together. Beef juice is spooned over the toppings, making the bread wet and chewy. They will ask if you want it dry, dipped or soaked. Those terms are self explanatory. You can ask for juice for dipping on the side, but that request may get you some funny looks. You'll usually be asked hot or mild, referring to the peppers served on or with the sandwich. There are three local places that serve a really good Italian Beef sandwich. Lil's Chicago in Corinth, Mike's (Cafe) in Corinth and Ramjet's in Burnsville. Lil' Chicago, of course will be the better known because of the size of the city it is in. Ramjet's does offer a better tasting Italian Beef, as well as the home style fries. Mike's just started serving Italian Beef a few months ago (yet to try). There are a dozen restaurants offering home style, cut in-house or hand cut fries, but Ramjet's takes the blue ribbon every time for their fries. Borroum's, Rib Shack, Abe's, Lil Chicago all come to mind at the moment, have an end result the same...limp, soggy oil-soaked fries. I don't know Ramjet's secret, but my inner Sherlock Holmes deduces they double dip the fries. When you think fried catfish you automatically do a mental rundown of all the places in Pickwick that specialize in catfish. Do not let that tiny "blink and miss it" establishment known as Ramjet's fool you. It has catfish that will rival Hagy's. I ordered the filet and you get several, more of a large nugget-size pieces than full filets. I personally did not care for their slaw or their hush puppies. I am a fan of creamy mayonnaise based slaw, whereas their slaw was baseless. In my opinion, the hush puppies are too dry. They did have flavor and minced onion, but the dry texture detracted from the flavor so much that I will leave them off the next order, along with the slaw. Ramjet's is a small place, probably seats 30 and is located on Hwy 72. The menu selection is short but has the basics. Hamburger, chicken sandwich, fish, Vienna hot dog, Italian Beef and such. If you don't see a sandwich you like try a meal of just the fries. UPDATE 10-3-14 Well, today is the day I whet my appetite for fish. The difference in waitresses here can ruin a meal if you are not a regular. I got an unenthusiastic waitress today. I ordered the fish without slaw or hush puppies. The previous fish meal was served with hand cut fries. Today I got crinkle cut. Egad! When I was visibly shaken at the site of them she asked if there was a problem. I stated I wasn't expecting crinkle cut. She said the fish always comes with crinkle cut. She did offer to have the hand cut cooked for me, but I said no and played the hand I was dealt. The fish was just as good as the previous visit. It was served too hot to eat. For the record, the menu doesn't specify crinkle cut with the fish. Be forewarned when ordering. If you prefer hand cut fries speak up at the time you place the order. This is where the difference in waitresses had affected my meal today. The other lady asks you questions like 'lemon with your tea?', 'you want cut fries or crinkle cut?' She wants to be sure you get what you truly want when you order from her and I like that a lot!