Mystery Diner in St. Charles: Smitty’s on the Corner knows its sandwich arts

With us hankering for a quick bite, Smitty’s on the Corner in St. Charles came to mind. So we decided to place a carryout order.

A steaming cup of homemade soup hit the spot. Choices rotate, and we got lucky with a tomato Florentine. Reminiscent of minestrone, the hearty broth included such ingredients as spinach, onion, tomato, celery, herbs and pasta shells for a filling, warm-you-up starter.

The tomato Florentine was the featured soup of the day. (Shaw Media photo)

A seasonal soup at Smitty’s is the chili, described as having a little kick to it.

My dining companion’s choice was one of the grilled sandwiches, the Anneke, featuring turkey, honey ham, Swiss cheese and tomato, spiced by Grey Poupon mustard on cracked wheat. The sandwiches include a tangy New York deli-style pickle spear.

The grilled Anneke sandwich features turkey, honey ham, Swiss cheese and tomato on cracked wheat bread. (Shaw Media photo)

“The melded flavors provide a very satisfying bite,” he commented.

Grill marks imprinted the cracked wheat; the daily fresh breads from the Breadsmith of St. Charles are among the standout ingredients.

I contemplated one of the signature items, the Turkey Berry, offering turkey, Swiss cheese, lettuce, red onion and Hellmann’s mayonnaise-cranberry sauce on cracked wheat. But with St. Patrick’s Day just weeks away, my choice was easy.

The Coley O’Smith is prepared with lean corned beef, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, thin tomato slices and Russian dressing on fresh rye. (Shaw Media photo)

The Coley O’Smith is prepared with lean corned beef, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, thin tomato slices and Russian dressing on fresh rye. And that rye, chock full of seeds, tasted fresh-baked and bursting with flavor. The artfully cubed coleslaw was flavor-packed, and will merit a side order next time around. It was a savory complement to the slices of mild corned beef stacked high on the sandwich.

The tasty potato salad included chopped boiled egg in a creamy, mustard-accented sauce. (Shaw Media photo)

We picked a side of potato salad – tender chunks of potato paired with chopped boiled egg in a creamy, mustard-accented sauce.

Other salad sides include macaroni, three-bean and pasta. For patrons avoiding gluten, Smitty’s offers a gluten-free wrap.

Fans of the Marx Brothers and delis’ celebrity naming practices will note the focaccia sandwiches are each titled after a brother.

The brownie was an intensely chocolate treat. (Shaw Media photo)

We capped our meal by sharing a brownie. Good-sized, it was intensely chocolate from the nicely chewy base to thick, fudgy icing sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Fresh-baked cookies are another snack. And a good portion of the menu is devoted to desserts prepared with local Colonial ice cream in classic treats from shakes to floats, cones and sundaes plus fruit smoothies.

A mural adorns the east side of the building home to Smitty's on the Corner in St. Charles. (Shaw Media photo)

We’ve already put Smitty’s on the calendar for pleasurable picnic fare when our Arctic wonderland gives way to spring.

• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Kane County Chronicle. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff when ordering or picking up the food. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a review.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Smitty’s on the Corner

WHERE: 15 E. Main St., St. Charles

PHONE: 630-762-1080

INFORMATION: eatatsmittys.com