A TASTE OF 2 CITIES MIDWEST AND EAST COAST FAVES BECKON IN BURBANK.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

This city is full of people from somewhere else who constantly rave about their hometown food.

For some unknown reason, Burbank has been chosen to house two interesting new eateries specializing in food from out of town. Taste Chicago specializes in Italian beef sandwiches and hot dogs while South Street features Philadelphia cheese steaks.

Both are fast-food spots. You know, the informal type of place with the counter where you look up at the big menu board, make your choices, pay in advance and either get your food right away or take a number and wait until somebody brings it to your table.

Taste Chicago, owned by actor Joe Mantegna and his wife, Arlene, falls into the first category.

With three visits under my expanding belt, the last with my Chicago pal Roger Baer, I'm glad I'm from elsewhere and can live a happy and healthy life without regular indulgences of these sloppy sandwiches.

True, a once-in-a-while visit wouldn't hurt. Admittedly, there is something about the Italian beef sandwich ($6.95) with peppers (mild, sweet or hot) that could be habit-forming.

One could make the same case for the Chicago-style hot dog ($3.50) with everything piled on it.

``That's how they do it,'' says Roger gleefully, as he examines it carefully, then takes a large bite out of the Vienna of Chicago frankfurter on a poppyseed bun.

``It's a pretty decent dog,'' he remarks thoughtfully, ``but it could have more snap.'' Afterward he opines on the Italian beef sandwich. ``It took two bites to get to the meat,'' he criticizes, ``but once you get there, it's good.''

In summary, he reiterates that the meat could have been spread out more and thinks that the sandwich could use a daub of spicy mustard.

Spicy mustard is definitely available at South Street, the Philadelphia cheese steak outlet, where beef and peppers in a roll take a slightly different form, even with Cheese Whiz, if preferred.

Here, as we nosh our sandwiches, slice of pizza ($2.95) and later spoon up refreshing lemon, chocolate, mango, watermelon and cherry flavors of Italian ice, my Philadelphian buddy, Bob Wexler, fills me in on the pros and cons of Pat's, Jim's and Geno's in the City of Brotherly Love. These are evidently the three most famous cheesesteak places there.

South Street makes smaller 6-inch ($4.95 to $5.95) and larger 12-inch sandwiches, the ideal being the bigger Philly pizza steak ($8.95), pizza referring only to the pizza-style saucing.

``This is the best I've had in L.A.,'' he utters, noting that the roll, usually with fresh softness, has crunch, but it's definitely the right kind of roll. (South Street brings in Amoroso rolls from Philadelphia.)

Savoring the cups, generously filled with Italian water ices ($1.95 each), he applauds the lemon ice.

``Just like home,'' he says.

Obviously, he doesn't mean Burbank.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com

TASTE CHICAGO

Food: Three stars

Where: 603 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank.

Phone: [phone].

Hours: Open for brunch, lunch, dinner and snacks from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, to 10 p.m. Friday.

Recommended items: Sandwiches (Italian beef, beef and sausage, sweet peppers and egg), Chicago-style hot dog, Eli's Chicago cheesecake, frozen custard.

How much: Everything under $11 except barbecued ribs. No alcohol.

SOUTH STREET

Food: Three stars

Where: 117 N. Victory Blvd., Burbank. (Also in Westwood.)

Phone: [phone].

Hours: Open for lunch, dinner and snacks from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Recommended items: Sandwiches (Philly cheese steak, pizza steak, South Street Philly fries, Italian water ices, Tastykakes from Philadelphia.

How much: Everything under $9 except larger pizzas. Beer (draft and bottled). AE, MC, V, Discover.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 3) Actor and Windy City native Joe Mantegna and his wife, Arlene, display some of the fare at their Taste Chicago eatery in Burbank, including a Chicago-style hot dog, right. At nearby South Street, patrons may sample Philadelphia's finest, including a classic cheese steak sandwich, below.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News