HOW much for a Cheesesteak Sandwich?

[lamb]

Cheesesteak Story

Any Philly egulleters willing to try it?

[NulloModo]

OK, I'll be the first to say it:

I'd love to try one of those. I dont really see it being worth $100, but if I had money to blow, I would probably try.

[viva]

You at least get some champagne with it.

I don't think I'd pay $100 for it, but I'm putting the ingredients on my "sandwiches-to-concoct-at-home" list!

[NulloModo]

That price actually isn't that bad for what is in that thing the more I look at it.

Pricing out ingredients, about a lb of Kobe beef (I'd imagine somewhere in that neighborhood is used), plus Foie Gras, plus Truffles alone would put it easily well over $60 to $70 in ingredients costs alone, not to mention the other stuff.

[KatieLoeb]

Looks like a typical Starr marketing ploy. Overpriced and over-hyped will hopefully lead to a few "accidental" sales from some idiot with an expense account that's trying to impress someone else. And that's by his own admission. When's the last time you heard someone say "A round for the house!!!" and not even at $100 a pop? Only time I've ever seen that is in a movie.

Even at current prices for Kobe beef, truffles, etc. his cost to produce that sandwich and the price he's charging for it are miles apart. And for pity's sake, don't serve it with Champagne! At least give the poor sap that falls for this ploy a split of some good honking red wine that might actually compliment it!

[Rachel Perlow]

Dammit, now I want a cheesesteak. Not that cheesesteak. Just a cheesesteak.

[KatieLoeb]

Dammit, now I want a cheesesteak. Not that cheesesteak. Just a cheesesteak.

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Rachel:

Come visit. I'll fast in anticipation and give the full monty Cheesesteak tour!

[cinghiale]

The standard $4 cheesesteak, available at hundreds of sandwich shops, pizzerias and burger joints around the city, is made with thin-sliced ribeye on an Italian roll with American or provolone cheese - or Cheez Whiz at Pat's King of Steaks, the South Philadelphia landmark that claims to have invented the steak sandwich in 1930.

Just to clarify:

(1) A $4 cheesesteak is about as rare as a $100 cheesesteak.

(2) The "recipe" is like describing a hamburger as "ground beef patty on a bun". Also omitted is the crucial fried onion component.

(3) The "inventor" of the steak is hotly contested here.

Katie's right. Starr is riffing on the foie gras burger/hot dog & caviar omelette gimmicks outta NYC. Hell, he's also sourcing all of his new chefs from there.

[Susan in FL]

That price actually isn't that bad for what is in that thing the more I look at it.

I agree, and

At least give the poor sap that falls for this ploy a split of some good honking red wine that might actually compliment it!

I agree!

If I had an extra $100. to spare, I surely would be one of the poor saps to fall for the ploy, if I had an equally good red wine to drink with it.

[rlibkind]

Looks like a typical Starr marketing ploy.  Overpriced and over-hyped . . . .

As another Philadelphia food entrepreneur once remarked:

One can never go broke overcharging the American public.

That paraphrase of Mencken came from Joel Marachek (I'm probably misspelling Joel's name), former proprietor of Foodstuffs in the Art Museum area and later Miss Phoebe's BBQ. He was referring to what he charged at Foodstuff's for a sweet red bell pepper.

Now, if you can't overcharge for that Starr steak sandwich, my Lord!, what can one overcharge for?

[tommy]

am i the only one that thinks that champagne would go well with this?

[presto]

Dahling, champagne goes well with EVERYTHING!

except Pop Rocks. Don't ask me how I know.

[Susan in FL]

am i the only one that thinks that champagne would go well with this?

←

No, you're not. I think it would go well, but I think red wine would go better.

As usual it's a matter of preference. I probably overstated the case against the Champagne with the cheesesteak. I do like Champagne with lots of food, and without.

[Squeat Mungry]

Am I too late to the party? I want to read about the magical cheese steak, but the link returns "Not Found"!!

[FistFullaRoux]

Here's another link

CNN picked up the wire story...

[Carrot Top]

The red wine surely would taste better but the champagne idea combined with the excess of the idea...shouts "Money!" to a lot of people...and that is what this whole concept is about...shouting "Money!"

Won't work though, if a bunch of college kids go into the place (about ten or twelve) and decide to split the thing between them. Total style ruination.

Someone should try it.

[Squeat Mungry]

Here's another link

CNN picked up the wire story...

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Thanks, Fist! Um, this guy has opened 13 restaurants in the last 9 years? How many of them are still in business?

[Papaya]

Thanks, Fist! Um, this guy has opened 13 restaurants in the last 9 years? How many of them are still in business?

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Looks like 11, from his website: Starr Restaurants

[cinghiale]

Thanks, Fist! Um, this guy has opened 13 restaurants in the last 9 years? How many of them are still in business?

←

All but one. He's become Philly's restaurant magnate:

Continental

Buddakan

Morimoto

Jones (formerly, Blue Angel)

Pod

Tangerine

Alma de Cuba

El Vez

Striped Bass

Washington Square

Continental II

I must be forgetting one... [Ah, Angelina, thanks to link]

Cafe Republic failed (with Chodorow backing)

Edited October 6, 2004 by cinghiale (log)

[Squeat Mungry]

Looks like 11, from his website: Starr Restaurants

←

Thanks, Papaya! Well, he's certainly following every trend, isn't he? (What an irritating website!)

[KatieLoeb]

All but one.  He's become Philly's restaurant magnate:

Continental

Buddakan

Morimoto

Jones (formerly, Blue Angel)

Pod

Tangerine

Alma de Cuba

El Vez

Striped Bass

Washington Square

Continental II

I must be forgetting one... [Ah, Angelina, thanks to link]

Cafe Republic failed (with Chodorow backing)

←

Angelina is what replaced Blue Angel. Jones is newer. Barclay Prime steakhouse (home of the $100 cheesesteak) just opened yesterday. It's right down the street from me.

Cafe Republic was the one glaring failure. Not sure if it was the neighborhood, if it was ahead of it's time, or if folks just didn't get it. Didn't know Chowderow was involved. That's an interesting factoid.

Squeat - if you think the website is annoying you should see the waitstaff and the kitchy uniforms at the various outposts. The new Continental Midtown has the waitresses in pleated denim mini skirts and rugby shirts. They look like field hockey players as envisioned by a porn producer.

[lamb]

Angelina is what replaced Blue Angel.  Jones is newer.  Barclay Prime steakhouse (home of the $100 cheesesteak) just opened yesterday.  It's right down the street from me.

So, Katie... will you be the egulleter to try the new Cheesesteak? I'd be willing to start a collection for this important endeavor.

[food4thought]

Being a born and raised Philadelphian I will only eat a true Philly Cheesteak from Jims on South Street, or Geno's in South Philly (I was not impressed with Pats which is across the street from Genos....) Simply because anything else would be a dissapointment and trust me I have been disappointed way too many times to spend 100 dollars on a fake philly Cheeseteak.

[herbacidal]

Cafe Republic failed (with Chodorow backing)

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I wasn't aware of Chodorow's backing.

Are you sure about that?

I do remember hearing that Chodorow optioned the concept to open a restaurant like it called Red Square in Miami.

Don't know if that happened or not.

[Holly Moore]

I can't help wondering how well CheezeWiz goes with truffles and pate fois.

Rather than champagne, and Mr. Starr owes me a cheesesteak if he picks up on this, he should bring back Levis' ChampCherry made with real champagne. There's hype, a $100 cheesesteak washed down with champagne based ChampCherry.

For those sufficiently unfortunate as to not live in Philadelphia, Levis' was a hot dog joint dating back to the late 1800s or early 1900s. They had the longest working soda fountain. Known for two things. Hot dogs. ChampCherry soda. One more. Levis' invented Surf and Turf, Philly style - a hot dog with a fish cake smashed on top - though Levis' simply called it a combo.

A bit of Levis' history.