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that elusive Meatball Sandwich

phungi

By phungi
in Pennsylvania: Dining

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phungi

phungi

Posted
Posted

I am forever in search of the great meatball sandwich. I like good homemade meatballs, not too firm, softened from cooking in tasty sauce, and on a great roll. The cheese can either be on the roll or baked on top,

Thus far, the best I have had is at White House Subs in Atlantic City. The homemade meatballs almost crumble from the sauce and pressure of the bite, but a hard/half meatball never falls out of the roll... oh, the magnificent Jersey shore roll. Sacko's in Ventnor is a close second.

In the Philly suburbs, the best I have had is at Rittenhouse Deli in Armore... homemade meatballs, great sauce and consistency, but not quite "the best" and not in the same league as White House and Sackos. Dakota Pizza in Wynnewood has a good meatball parm, with meatballs on the firmer side... the center of the meatball is sometimes too firm and not softened by the sauce... the roll sometimes is too firm/crispy, but a decent sandwich.

Where in the Philly area do the eGulleters point me for that elusive "great" meatball sandwich?

I belch, therefore, I ate...

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jmbrightman

jmbrightman

Posted
Posted

Lou and Ann's on Rt. 70 in Cherry Hill east of Brace Rd. is the best I have tried, and I have tried many. Sarcone's has opened recently very close to their location, and I find I prefer Lou and Ann's rolls, sandwiches, and prepared foods to any of Sarcone's offerings (with the exception of pizza...only because Lou and Ann's doesn't make pizza).

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Rich Pawlak

Rich Pawlak

Posted
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Shank & Evelyn's, 10th St above Wharton, has one hell of a meatball sandwich, even though it's usually hard to reist their roast beef combo sammie (with provalone and gravy) or any of their cutlet sammies (chicken or veal). I had several bites of a dining companion's meatball sandwich and it was really really good.

Rich Pawlak

 

Reporter, The Trentonian

Feature Writer, INSIDE Magazine
Food Writer At Large

MY BLOG: THE OMNIVORE

"In Cerveza et Pizza Veritas"

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SundaySous

SundaySous

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I almost can't believe I'm writing this but have you ever tried one from Subway? They give me heartburn but there is just something about that sandwich.

"And in the meantime, listen to your appetite and play with your food."

Alton Brown, Good Eats

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lancastermike

lancastermike

Posted
Posted

Last night I had a meatball sandwich for dinner. That was prior to reading this topic. It came from my local pizza shop here in glorious Millersville PA. Nino's by name. It is my favorite item from this shop. They make the meatballs and the cheese was provolone. They make there own rolls from a variation of the pizza dough. This was real good.

I doubt phungi is headed for Millersville, but I love a good meatball sandwich. Meatball sandwiches don't get the press that steaks and pork sandwiches get but a good one ranks up there in the sandwich hierarchy.

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Tim Dolan

Tim Dolan

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Posted

I ate a meatball sandwich from Gus's lunch truck at Broad and Callowhill (outside the Inquirer building) just about everyday for 4 straight years while I was in high school. Damn I miss that lunch truck.

I would kill everyone in this room for a drop of sweet beer...

Homer Simpson

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Jeff L

Jeff L

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My house, really. It's a special thing of beauty for me. I usually make dozens of them in my All Clad Stockpot along with my sauce.

I've been disappointed with mostly every meatball sandwich I've tried in the Philly area and beyond.

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jmbrightman

jmbrightman

Posted
Posted
This has got to be the easiest one ever: if you can't make it yourself, don't talk about it. It's a meatball sandwich. No circulators, no paco jets; just roll it up and eat it.

I must agree with you here!

I have to disagree with both of you. Restaurants screw up the supposedly "easy" all the time. Simple ingredients, done correctly, can be extraordinary - including the lowly meatball sandwich. It is true anyone can make a meatball sandwich. How many places make a meatball sandwich worthy of a special trip? There are "destination" cheesesteak and roast pork purveyors. Why not a destination meatball? For the record, I don't know what a paco jet is. I can't make anything on Szechuan Tasty House's menu. Does that mean I am not qualified to express an opinion on what I eat?

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Jeff L

Jeff L

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I don't know what a Paco jet is either but meatball sandwiches and STH menu items really aren't in the same league are they?

Not speaking for Alcibiades but I think she means that meatball sandwiches by their very nature tend to be a bit pedestrian shall I say, or at the least, quite easily reproduced in ones own home.

I suppose the argument could be made that cheesesteaks and roast pork sandwiches can also be made at home but somehow certain restaurant made ones tend to get elevated in these parts as "destination worthy" items.

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phungi

phungi

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

As the OP, I was asking where one could go for a meatball sandwich (with good texture, tasty sauce, and a good roll), and posted a few of my favs out of the area. I know the meatball sandwich is not a culinary Everest, but the fun of eGullet discussions is learning where others go and where others recommend you go.

I appreciate the suggestions for places I have not yet visited, and do not understand the "DIY" tone or direction. If this is turning into a make at home thread, so be it... however, short of an invite or recipe, DIY posts leave me nothing to eat by way of actual meatball sandwiches.

I belch, therefore, I ate...

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Doodad

Doodad

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Posted

Man, I just had to chime in having lived close enough to the land of good subs to appreciate them. You can't get good meatball subs or cheesesteak down here. It just does not exist. Heck, good Italian is hard to find and usually $$.

Send me a care package.

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serpentine

serpentine

Posted
Posted

Mom's TMC at 6th and Chestnut (in front of the Wachovia Bank, next to the damn Ducks) also does a good basic meatball sandwich. Four nice fluffy meatballs, lots of sauce, good bread, I get mine with provolone. This was lunch yesterday for me.

Toscano, the gelato place owned by the Mezza Luna folks a few doors west, has a good meatball panini, but it's hard to justify paying $7.50 when Mom's is $2.30.

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