Md. Gov.-elect Larry Hogan gets new sandwich and soup at famed Annapolis diner

It's one of the perks of being governor in Maryland. At the famed Chick and Ruth's Delly in Annapolis, you get a sandwich with your name on it. Now Governor-elect Larry Hogan has a sandwich and a soup too.

"All of the sandwiches get named after the politicians," explained owner Ted Levitt.

So FOX 5 went to Chick and Ruth's for a taste test.

"Today, what we're going to do is make the Governor Hogan," said Levitt as he grilled up some steak in the diner's narrow galley kitchen. "We have some steak. We're going to put some salt and pepper on it to season it ... It also gets some cheese and onions."

It is the standard ingredients of a cheesesteak. Customers can ask for lettuce and tomatoes, but Levitt likes it just plain.

The packed restaurant was perfect to let customers sample the sandwich before it officially hits the menu on January 22, the day after Hogan is inaugurated. The Hogan's hero, as it is being called, got rave reviews.

"Provocative, to die for," said one man.

"Thumbs up. It's good," declared another woman.

"Hopefully he'll be as classic as the sandwich," longed one customer.

The sandwich came at Levitt's suggestion. Hogan did not have a preference of which one he would like to bear his name.

"He wanted Hogan's hero as we understood it," Levitt said. "So we figured what better than a hero ... and a steak, it's a nice beefy sandwich … strong will get things done. Not a chicken, but a steak."

Hogan is a regular at the family-owned restaurant and will get his reserved seat at the Governors table once he takes office. His picture is already up in the booth, with the past predecessors dating back to Spiro Agnew.

What is unusual about Hogan's upcoming tenure is that he will have two menu items. Normally, governors only get one, but Levitt agreed to put a soup on the menu in honor of Hogan.

The governor-elect suggested it as a bipartisan soup. It is a mix of Maryland soup and cream of crab soup that Levitt says works together. Hogan told him his daughter had first suggested he try it.

"I am very surprised to be honest with you," said one customer trying it for the first time and liked it.

Levitt says the Maryland crab soup always goes in the bowl first and then the cream of crab.

"It's really creamy with the cream of crab and really light with the Maryland soup," chimed in another young man. "That's really good. Kind of blends together."

It remains to be seen whether the soup will have bipartisan appeal in the state capitol.

"Bipartisan," chucked one man sampling the soup. "Then I'm a Republican and a Democrat."

Most diners wouldn't reveal their political affiliations, but like the sandwich, it seemed to be a hit.

"That's a soup [Hogan] came up with and I've been here 50 years. Never heard of it. Talked to my servers who said, 'Oh, people ask for it all the time,'" Levitt told FOX 5. "I think they will eat the soup and love it and I'm hoping and praying they are smart enough to make it work because that is what this state needs."

Perhaps it will lead to a food summit in Annapolis.

"Let's eat and come together over soup and sandwiches," one customer suggested.

At least they won't go away hungry.