Concession Review No. 3: Italian Combo Sandwich

The most enjoyable aspect of sitting in the 400 level at Wrigley Field is the wonderful overhead sight lines of the field below, a great vantage point of the activities on Waveland or Sheffield, a great view of the rooftops and - when the weather is clear - of the lake.

An upper-deck seat also enables a patron to enjoy an Italian combo sandwich, which is available at the Smirnoff Patio directly behind home plate.

It's not as delicious as the combo sandwiches that are available at the Taylor Street area restaurants, and at $8.25 it's a bit expensive, but for ballpark fare it's pretty darned tasty.

My brother introduced me to the sandwich a few years ago, and I have made sure to partake of it on every upper-deck visit since.

I ordered mine with giardiniera, sauteed sweet peppers and grilled onions, and noticed that it was not assembled by the behind-the-counter staff until I ordered it. Italian beef and Italian sausage sandwiches are also available from this particular stand. One annoyance - beer is not available. I had to wait in a separate line for my beverage.

The sandwich is served in a clunky, rectangular plastic container with a plastic top. Make sure to carry the container from the bottom or the contents will spill all over the place.

It's best consumed prior to the game, especially if you keep score. It contains a decent-sized Italian sausage link, a decent serving of Italian beef, with the toppings spilling from the inside of an Italian roll. This is a two-handed sandwich and even when eaten with care, meat and toppings are certain to spill onto your lap. Make sure to keep the plastic container strategically placed.

The mild sausage is juicy and flavorful and the toppings offset the beef which is a bit on the dry side. Not sure if you can order the sandwich "wet," but I imagine that if it's possible, it would be way too messy for ballpark consumption.

But regardless of its shortcomings, it remains an upper-deck staple that I am unable to pass up.

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Previously:

* Concession Review No. 1: The High Plains Bison Cheeseburger

* Concession Review No. 2: High Plains Bison Hot Dog