Philly Cheese Steak Adventure

[cinghiale]

Under highly fuelled conditions last week, I did a 2AM comparison of Pat's and Geno's. I kept telling myself to TRY to remember what differences, if any, could be made out through the fog. Each steak was American with. I didn't notice any discernable distinction between the preparation of the meat. That said, neither sandwich was particularly compelling. However, I found the roll at Geno's to be far superior to Pat's.

I continue to believe that the best steaks are at (1) John's Roast Pork, (2) Chink's, and (3) D'Allesandro's, plus a Schmitter for best faux steak. Caveat: I've yet to try that joint in the NE that many claim as the best.

[herbacidal]

Caveat: I've yet to try that joint in the NE that many claim as the best.

Given that :

there isn't any sort of a consensus on any place as the best,

that I believe that there are 2-4 different places people have mentioned at various times in NE Phila for cheesesteaks

you really need to include more info.

That said, I'm wondering if Steve's is the place you're trying to think of.

I suppose a few have mentioned it, but my feel is there is nowhere close to a majority who feel that way.

at least a third of all cheesesteaks (and 100% of mine!) are ordered up with raw onions.

I can't say anything about percentages, but 1/3 is as good as any.

But yes, there's always been a decent portion of people who like raw onions on their steak.

Not my preference, but then I like mayo too, sometimes.

Actually my preferred cheesesteak would be with hot peppers (the smaller kind, cut up, w/o stems), sweet peppers, fried onions, mayo on the inside of roll, ketchup on top and throughout meat, roll slightly warmed (don't need to stick in oven, just placed on top of oven or on edge of stove is good). Mushrooms are good too, sometimes.

This combo also works with chicken cheesesteaks.

Shut up about it, you heathens.

[CoolPapaBell]

I just returned from my old stomping ground across the river and I'd put both Big John's and Chick's (Philly Magazine agrees) as good as any in Brotherly Love.

[Bill Klapp]

Hey, I don't want to jump off-topic, but what's up with hot AND sweet peppers on the Italian hoagie at Tony Luke's? When I was a kid growing up in suburban Philly, it was hot peppers only, and usually banana peppers at that. No complaint here, mind you, but it struck me as perhaps a quirk of the hoagie's evolution since I left (and I have been gone long enough for evolution to have occurred!).

[Mummer]

Mama's this afternoon.

They're only open at lunch time on Tuesdays and they're not open all that late on Wednesdays thru Saturdays. Call them at 610/664-4757 to order ahead. It's fun to watch the busy grill and pizza action on weekend evenings.

This is a cheesesteak hoagie with fried onions. I like the flavors that the veggies and oil add, but I won't give up my cooked onions. They throw a handfull of pizza cheese nuggets into the the meat as it nears completion, flatten it on the grill and dump the already cooked onions into the mix.

Here's a shot of the second half on a dinner plate. You didn't think I'd start playing with my food for a photo until I'd finished the first half, did you? Quite a lot of food for $7.90.

I need some pointers on electronic photos, but you get the picture, right?

[daddio9992001]

First off Tony Lukes is a thosand times better than ( tony luke jr's) it's not even called tony luke jr's anymore its called tony jr's it is not part of Tony Lukes on Oregon ave. Tony jr's cheese steaks don't taste anything like Tony Lukes cheese steak its not even close by a mile. And if you liked the roast pork italian at tony jr's you will lose your mind when you eat it at Tony Lukes on Oregon ave.

I have been going to Tony Lukes for a long time and people who are from philly know theres only one Tony Lukes and thats at Oregon ave.

next time you are in town you have to stop at Tony lukes on Oregon ave and you will know what I mean. Check out their web site...www.tonylukes.com

Daddio9992001

South Philly

[mnebergall]

Welcome to eGullet Daddio.

[CoolPapaBell]

I can’t deny that it’s blasphemy but the truth hurts. Philadelphia Magazine painfully acknowledges the best cheesesteak is not in the City of Brotherly love, it’s in Cherry Hill.

And the chicken cheesesteak is even better. Come on over to the wild side.

[Rich Pawlak]

I can’t deny that it’s blasphemy but the truth hurts. Philadelphia Magazine painfully acknowledges the best cheesesteak is not in the City of Brotherly love, it’s in Cherry Hill.

And the chicken cheesesteak is even better. Come on over to the wild side.

Uh, Cool, that was awarded in 2003.

[Rich Pawlak]

First off Tony Lukes is a thosand times better than ( tony luke jr's) it's not even called tony luke jr's anymore its called tony jr's it is not part of Tony Lukes on Oregon ave. Tony jr's cheese steaks don't taste anything like Tony Lukes cheese steak its not even close by a mile. And if you liked the roast pork italian at tony jr's you will lose your mind when you eat it at Tony Lukes on Oregon ave.

I have been going to Tony Lukes for a long time and people who are from philly know theres only one Tony Lukes and thats at Oregon ave.

next time you are in town you have to stop at Tony lukes on Oregon ave and you will know what I mean. Check out their web site...www.tonylukes.com

Daddio9992001

South Philly

Oh please. A shill with an axe to grind. Check his "joined" date.

[CoolPapaBell]

I can’t deny that it’s blasphemy but the truth hurts.  Philadelphia Magazine painfully acknowledges the best cheesesteak is not in the City of Brotherly love, it’s in Cherry Hill. 

And the chicken cheesesteak is even better.  Come on over to the wild side.

Uh, Cool, that was awarded in 2003.

Which happens to be the most recent "Best of". I believe in South Jersey Mag it got best chicken cheesesteak in the latest issue.

[Carlson1105]

New best of came out last week, winner was Cosmi's Deli on S. 8th St.

[schmooty]

STEVES, STEVES, STEVES! Prince of Steaks on Buselton

Not even close...plus they are open until 3am

[MarketStEl]

To my most recent knowledge, only Dalessando's and Jim's use Amoroso rolls.  Geno's uses Villotti-Marinelli bakery rolls (the bakery has a differnt name now, Villotti-something)

←

Villotti-Pisanelli.

Somewhat convenient in that they didn't have to scrape off all the old lettering on their delivery trucks.

Someone mentioned Sarcone's. Who besides Sarcone's uses their rolls?

[mrbigjas]

i'm pretty sure chickie's does, but i don't think they make cheesesteaks.

[Holly Moore]

Chickie's does use Sarcones bread for their full size hoagies. Campo's on lower Market uses Sarcones for both hoagies and cheesesteaks.

[Rich Pawlak]

To my most recent knowledge, only Dalessando's and Jim's use Amoroso rolls.  Geno's uses Villotti-Marinelli bakery rolls (the bakery has a differnt name now, Villotti-something)

←

Villotti-Pisanelli.

Somewhat convenient in that they didn't have to scrape off all the old lettering on their delivery trucks.

Someone mentioned Sarcone's. Who besides Sarcone's uses their rolls?

←

Frusco's at 7220 Frankford Ave, a just a few blocks north of the Grey Lodge Pub, makes a fine cheesesteak and uses Sarcone's rolls, but for a $1 surcharge. Why, I dont know.

[MarketStEl]

To my most recent knowledge, only Dalessando's and Jim's use Amoroso rolls.  Geno's uses Villotti-Marinelli bakery rolls (the bakery has a differnt name now, Villotti-something)

←

Villotti-Pisanelli.

Somewhat convenient in that they didn't have to scrape off all the old lettering on their delivery trucks.

Someone mentioned Sarcone's. Who besides Sarcone's uses their rolls?

←

Frusco's at 7220 Frankford Ave, a just a few blocks north of the Grey Lodge Pub, makes a fine cheesesteak and uses Sarcone's rolls, but for a $1 surcharge. Why, I dont know.

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And now that you mention it...I've this vague recollection that the manager at the Walnut Street Planet Hoagie told me their rolls came from Sarcone's as well.

They definitely deserve their Best of Philly award. But they're still the only hoagie shop I've run across in the area that uses Hatfield as their meat supplier. I wonder whether that doesn't make a difference (in the supermarket meat case, I'm partial to Hatfield kielbasa over Hillshire Farm or the other brand any particular store may have).

[Holly Moore]

And now that you mention it...I've this vague recollection that the manager at the Walnut Street Planet Hoagie told me their rolls came from Sarcone's as well.

They definitely deserve their Best of Philly award.  But they're still the only hoagie shop I've run across in the area that uses Hatfield as their meat supplier.  I wonder whether that doesn't make a difference (in the supermarket meat case, I'm partial to Hatfield kielbasa over Hillshire Farm or the other brand any particular store may have).

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Got me curious so I stopped by today. Had an excellent hoagie. I'm not sure it's up to Sarcone's Deli or Chickie's, but close. I asked about the bread. They said that they used a combination of Sarcone's and a bakery "just as good as Sarcone's - it's the same bread" that started out in Philadelphia but moved to South Jersey. Name started with a "L" but didn't get the rest of it. My hoagie today was on "L's" bread. Very good, but not Sarcone's. I really did like the sliced to order and sliced very thin cold meats on my hoagies though.

Place didn't have the energy, the buzz, the feel of a hoppin' hoagie place either, but I was there around two so they weren't all that busy.

[Mummer]

I stopped at the Norristown Planet Hoagie on Tuesday morning after an appointment.

I was impressed by the options and the freshly sliced meats. I picked it up before 11, but didn't eat it for an hour. It held up (and mingled) well. Good bread.

Since I was so early, there was not buzz.

[john b]

And now that you mention it...I've this vague recollection that the manager at the Walnut Street Planet Hoagie told me their rolls came from Sarcone's as well.

They definitely deserve their Best of Philly award.  But they're still the only hoagie shop I've run across in the area that uses Hatfield as their meat supplier.  I wonder whether that doesn't make a difference (in the supermarket meat case, I'm partial to Hatfield kielbasa over Hillshire Farm or the other brand any particular store may have).

←

Got me curious so I stopped by today. Had an excellent hoagie. I'm not sure it's up to Sarcone's Deli or Chickie's, but close. I asked about the bread. They said that they used a combination of Sarcone's and a bakery "just as good as Sarcone's - it's the same bread" that started out in Philadelphia but moved to South Jersey. Name started with a "L" but didn't get the rest of it. My hoagie today was on "L's" bread. Very good, but not Sarcone's. I really did like the sliced to order and sliced very thin cold meats on my hoagies though.

Place didn't have the energy, the buzz, the feel of a hoppin' hoagie place either, but I was there around two so they weren't all that busy.

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Where does Primo's fall in the Philly hoagie hierarchy? I've never been to Chickie's. I like Sarcone's variety of hoagies better than Primo's, but Primo's uses better (IMO) meat and Sarcone's bread, so I think overall Primo's is making the better hoagie.

[MarketStEl]

(re: Planet Hoagie @ 12th & Walnut)

Place didn't have the energy, the buzz, the feel of a hoppin' hoagie place either, but I was there around two so they weren't all that busy.

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My impression is that a couple of things work against them at this location:

1) There is an established convenience store across the street and two doors down that also makes hoagies. The bread is undistinguished, but the meats are Dietz and Watson, so they are good enough, and about $1-$2 cheaper than Planet Hoagie. PH is still pretty new at this location, so I suspect it will take some time for them to make a dent in the existing competition...which also includes Pandora's Lunchbox right up the block on the same side of the street. However, Pandora's does not specialize in hoagies, and I personally would not seek the place out for them; it's their hot foods that are their strength.

2) They are just far enough off the beaten path for the office crowds to keep them from stopping in. Primo's Center City location, by contrast, is directly across 11th Street from Jefferson Hospital, giving them a ready clientele. In the area around PH, the crowds usually materialize before and after shows at the nearby Forrest Theatre or when the gay bars close. I'm certain that PH will not stay open late enough to catch the latter, but they have started staying open later on Friday and Saturday evenings to catch some of the nightlife trade. I haven't stopped by at those hours yet, but since they haven't cut them back, I assume they're bringing in business.

Glad you liked the place, though, Holly. Ready to give it grease stains?

[herbacidal]

1) There is an established convenience store across the street and two doors down that also makes hoagies.  The bread is undistinguished, but the meats are Dietz and Watson, so they are good enough, and about $1-$2 cheaper than Planet Hoagie.  PH is still pretty new at this location, so I suspect it will take some time for them to make a dent in the existing competition...which also includes Pandora's Lunchbox right up the block on the same side of the street.  However, Pandora's does not specialize in hoagies, and I personally would not seek the place out for them; it's their hot foods that are their strength.

2) They are just far enough off the beaten path for the office crowds to keep them from stopping in.  Primo's Center City location, by contrast, is directly across 11th Street from Jefferson Hospital, giving them a ready clientele.  In the area around PH, the crowds usually materialize before and after shows at the nearby Forrest Theatre or when the gay bars close.  I'm certain that PH will not stay open late enough to catch the latter, but they have started staying open later on Friday and Saturday evenings to catch some of the nightlife trade.  I haven't stopped by at those hours yet, but since they haven't cut them back, I assume they're bringing in business.

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All true. I've never bought a hoagie at the deli, but I'd assume that to be true.

That said, I think Center City District and Tony Goldman's varying efforts to revitalize Chestnut St. and 13th St, respectively will bring more business to them down the line.

In particular, I'm thinking if CCD does manage to bring in more & better retailers to Chestnut between Broad and 9th, they will also be bringing more office workers, which in part assumes a modicum of tax reform appens.

Pompeii's success (I'm assuming this) will bring more foot traffic for PH as well, for this nighttime crowd you speak of.

[MarketStEl]

All true.  I've never bought a hoagie at the deli, but I'd assume that to be true. 

That said, I think Center City District and Tony Goldman's varying efforts to revitalize Chestnut St. and 13th St, respectively will bring more business to them down the line.

Fortunately, Tony learned pretty quickly that the gay businesses in the area (yes, even Danny's) were potential allies in his 13th Street transformation rather than threats.

<clears throat by way of trying to catch Rich's attention, even though it's Rich's editor's attention he is waiting for; yes, he will continue to wait...>

In particular, I'm thinking if CCD does manage to bring in more & better retailers to Chestnut between Broad and 9th, they will also be bringing more office workers, which in part assumes a modicum of tax reform appens.

Improving the retail mix on Chestnut will no doubt bring more--okay, let's get real here; more upscale--foot traffic to the street, and maybe some of that might trickle down to Walnut. I think that an influx of office workers along this stretch would require an influx of office space. Other than the upper floors of the Kmart building at The Gallery, I don't see this happening along East Market any time soon.

Pompeii's success (I'm assuming this) will bring more foot traffic for PH as well, for this nighttime crowd you speak of.

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Yes, but why would anyone coming out of Pompeii want a hoagie right afterwards? Unless what you are talking about is the culinary equivalent of window-shoppers: folks who ooh and aah over the deluxe restaurant but go over to the take-out because they can afford that.

[herbacidal]

Improving the retail mix on Chestnut will no doubt bring more--okay, let's get real here; more upscale--foot traffic to the street, and maybe some of that might trickle down to Walnut.  I think that an influx of office workers along this stretch would require an influx of office space.  Other than the upper floors of the Kmart building at The Gallery, I don't see this happening along East Market any time soon.

I don't necessarily mean more upscale, but that's okay too. Cheap is okay too, as long as it's cheap done well.

Buffalo Exchange or Greene Street Consignment as opposed to what I would call old-style thrift shops. True, they are likely to be slightly more expensive.

Maoz Falafel on South St. is another example of cheap done well.

As far as office workers, what I'm saying is if better retailers improve Chestnut St., the above floors should begin to be filled with offices for smaller businesses. Or residents. You'll notice that in many cases, the floors above the retail ground level are devoid of activity. This is true of parts of Walnut as well. but I'd say less so.

Yes, but why would anyone coming out of Pompeii want a hoagie right afterwards?  Unless what you are talking about is the culinary equivalent of window-shoppers: folks who ooh and aah over the deluxe restaurant but go over to the take-out because they can afford that.

Some of that.

Also, let's say people who wouldn't otherwise be on that block stop by Pompeii.

They notice Planet Hoagie and its menu as they head back to wherever.

Next time, they're in the area, they may be hungry and stop by PH.