The Horseshoe, a specialty of central Illinois, is a piece of toast topped with meat, covered with french fries and drenched with melted cheese.

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More accurately, it is a mountain of French fries topped with a steak, an egg and a piece of ham rolled around a glob of melted cheese.

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There are more surprises to come: a maitake mushroom comes to the table dripping with what you might think is melted cheese but is actually lardo.

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Patrick is the fresh shrimp stuck into pasta shells swimming in decadent garlic butter, covered with melted cheese and topped with a huge pile of fresh lump crabmeat.

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Perch at a table on the pavement if it is not too hot out and order a dangerously addictive cheese manakish (thick Arabic bread warmed and topped with melted cheese) for six dirhams.

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Nearby is the Frisky Oyster, which serves the must-have Oysters Friskafella, with spinach, melted parmesan cheese and garlic aioli on top.

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Order casoncelli, a typical dish of tortellini stuffed with meat, breadcrumbs and cheese served with melted butter and sage, at the family-run Osteria al Bianchi, while excellent pizzas are available at the tiny Pizzeria Manuno.

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