Steak Sandwich in Seattle

[Blue Heron]

I've been in the mood for awhile for a good steak sandwich.  Anyone know where I can get one?  I would have had one at the Blue Onion Bistro when I went for lunch in Feb., but it's no longer on the menu.  I had a good one a couple years back at a little restaurant on Vashon Island, whose name escapes me right now.  Also used to get a Philly Cheesesteak at a place at Pike Place Market.  I had an uninspired steak sand. at Rock Bottom Brewery, and have even had a couple at the foodcourt at So. Ctr. Mall (I really needed a steak sand. fix while shopping).  However, now I'm over due for a good steak sandwich.  The Dahlia menu has one that looks pretty good: Grilled flat iron steak sandwich with Manchego cheese and smoked paprika aioli $11.  Cafe Campagne menu also sounds promising: Grilled Steak Sandwich $13.00 Served on campagne bread with bleu cheese aïoli, grilled Bermuda onions, and pommes frîtes.  Has anyone tried either of these or have any recommendations where to get a good steak or philly cheesesteak sandwich in Seattle?

[mamster]

I haven't had that exact Dahlia steak sandwich, but I did have one.  I can't remember exactly what the supplementary ingredients were, but it was on toasted sliced bread and it was very good--it's not a Philly-style sandwich but one in which the steak is carefully trimmed and cooked before being sliced.  It was a great sandwich but if you specifically have a Philly craving, it won't do.

Now, where to go for a Philly?  I have a couple of firsthand recommendations and a piece of hearsay.  I should add that I've never been to Philadelphia.

The place on the Ave that turned into the Thai-ger room moved into the sports bar place across the street, near the southwest corner of University and 45th.  Unfortunately, the bar is totally sleazy, but the sandwiches are still good (assuming it's still there--I haven't had one in a few months) and there are lots of options if you're not a purist.  You can add mushrooms, pizza sauce, barbecue sauce, various cheeses, etc.  I think it's called Dan's Cheese Steaks.

Philly's Best at 23rd and Jackson serves a good sandwich that I've heard many people compare to a true Philly.

Finally, I've heard a lot of recommendations for Philadelphia Fevre at 23rd and Madison, but for some reason I've never made it over there myself.  Maybe I'll do so tomorrow;  it's not like 23rd and Madison is far from my house.  They also serve some unusual variations, like Sukiyaki.

Come to think of it, I've had a few bites of the sandwich at Cafe Campagne, too.  It's comparable to the Dahlia one, but not quite as good, and I would recommend that if you want a meaty sandwich at CC, go for the superior lamb burger.

Best of luck and let us know what you find.

[girl chow]

I can vouch for Philly's Best. I've eaten at both locations, but mostly eat at the Kent shop because it's close to my office.

The sandwiches are yummy and made to order. I like the deluxe steak ($4.50 half and $7.49 full). It comes with the standard steak, melted cheese (processed!! the authentic Philly way they say), mushrooms, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, hot peppers (I ask them to go light, they always put on too many for me), green peppers and sweet onions.

This sounds weird to eat at a steak sandwich joint, but I really like their veggie pizza sub when a deluxe doesn't sound as good. The pizza subs are a gloppy concoction, but satisfying on deadline days when I'm in need of comfort grub :) I order it without the peppers, though. I'm a wuss!

The fries suck. They're frozen and glopped with Cheese Whiz. They're just not my thing. Now, if they had fresh cut fries glopped with Cheese Whiz, I'd absolutely eat them. The frozen fries are flavorless and have the texture of cardboard. Yuckarooni.

The Kent location: 25260 104th Ave. S.E.; 253-856-7555

The Seattle location: 1400 23rd; 206-860-5000.

[eriks]

I haven't been in a while (they stopped serving lunch on the weekdays), but the steak sandwitch at the the Triangle Lounge in freemont was long one of my favorite lunches.

tasty charbroiled beef on an onion kaiser roll with carmelized onions, melted cheese (provolone, I think) and a mild chipotle mayo for ~$7.

Not even close to philly-style, as far as I know, but damn good.

[Blue Heron]

Thank you everyone for the great steak sandwich recommendations, and I hope to try every single one of them!  Last week after my post, I went to Dahlia Lounge in search of their steak sandwich, but unfortunately, it was no longer on the menu (why does that keep happening to me?).  When I get a chance, I will post food & menu pics and notes from my birthday lunch at Dahlia Lounge from last week (I got a free dessert, yeah!).  In the meantime, for a quick steak sandwich fix, I roasted a sirloin beef roast and sliced it thinly and made french dip sandwiches from it.  They were good!

[col klink]

A belated happy birthday Heron!

[Blue Heron]

Thank you!  

[mamster]

I had lunch at Philadelphia Fevre today.  I ordered the pepper steak with half sweet, half hot peppers, and managed to turn down fries and cheese fries before finally giving in to fried zucchini.  It was one of those light lunches.

The sandwich was tops--considerably better than the place on the Ave, and better than my memory of my last visit to Philly's Best.  The pickled peppers gave it a nice vinegary note, and the bread is soft, soft, soft, so it's a good package overall.  The fried zucchini was excellent, sliced into coins, breaded, and served crunchy.  They're delicious and hot as hell when you first get them;  I burned my tongue with each charming puff of steam.  As Michael Hood says, anything out of the deep-fryer is good, but this fried zucchini was exceptional, little slabs of delicious grease.

My geography gets fuzzy when you introduce diagonal streets, so I thought this place was closer to 23rd and Jackson, but it's actually near 23rd and John, which means it's one block off one of my usual buses.  Maybe I was better off thinking it was annoyingly far away.