John's vs. Tony Luke's

[john b]

I made my first trip to John's today. I had the roast pork with sharp provolone. I didn't notice anyone ordering "greens" on their pork, so I guess they don't offer spinach or broccoli rabe. Oh well...

The sandwich was great. The pork was sliced a little thicker than Tony Luke's, which gave it a better texture. I think John's may season their pork with a few more herbs than TL's. TL's pork is dominated by garlic (which is a good thing with pork); I noticed the garlic with John's, but also noticed other flavors...rosemary??...thyme??

John's wins in the bread category. Holly's site says that their bread is from the Carangi Bakery. It was very similar to Sarcone's bread.

John's offers American, mild or sharp provolone cheese for the pork and beef.

Service was a bit chaotic--the same line for the grill (cheesesteaks) and the "not the grill" (roast pork and roast beef) orders, so it can be a little confusing for a first timer when you end up ordering before the big truck driver in front of you

Overall, I don't think you can go wrong with either John's or TL's (or Dinic's). I'd love to have the broccoli rabe option at John's (did I miss it somehow??), but I really liked their pork and their bread.

[Holly Moore]

As you say there are at least three great pork sandwiches in Philadelphia, probably more.

My first Philadelphia style pork sandwich - an eureka moment akin to my first Famous Deli chocolate chip cookie - came from Tommy DeNic. Maybe that's the reason I still believe he serves the best pork sandwich - or maybe because it is the best.

[john b]

As you say there are at least three great pork sandwiches in Philadelphia, probably more.

My first Philadelphia style pork sandwich - an eureka moment akin to my first Famous Deli chocolate chip cookie - came from Tommy DeNic.  Maybe that's the reason I still believe he serves the best pork sandwich - or maybe because it is the best.

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I like Dinic's for its slop factor. They really lay on the jus, which makes for a messy and very tasty sandwich.

[Sfuffy]

I made my first trip to John's today.  I had the roast pork with sharp provolone.  I didn't notice anyone ordering "greens" on their pork, so I guess they don't offer spinach or broccoli rabe.  Oh well...

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Overall, I don't think you can go wrong with either John's or TL's (or Dinic's).  I'd love to have the broccoli rabe option at John's (did I miss it somehow??), but I really liked their pork and their bread.

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I don't believe there's broccoli rabe at John's but I do know that spinach is definitely an option.

[Mummer]

[i don't believe there's broccoli rabe at John's but I do know that spinach is definitely an option.

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Yup. I heard from Mom herself that rabe is too bitter. Someone else can go down there to discuss that with her.

When I'm there, it's a pork (sharp with spinach) vs. steak decision.

[scase805]

Another vote here for DiNic's! I stopped by Reading Terminal just the other day to check out Downtown Cheese and grab a roast pork sandwich - sadly (for me, but great for DiNic's!) they were closing down early because they were completely sold out of all of their inventory

Anyway, I've been to Tony Luke's a few times (I'm a transplanted New Englander, and I wish I had grown up on the food down here!), but never to John's. Looks like I'll be visiting HollyEats.com for some more info...

Cheers,

Scott

[herbacidal]

Yup.  I heard from Mom herself that rabe is too bitter.  Someone else can go down there to discuss that with her.

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From what I understand, Dinic's at the Terminal doesn't offer rabe as an option because most of their crowd doesn't know / like broccoli rabe and they were wasting their money keeping it on hand.

[Andrew Fenton]

A shame about DiNic's not offering rabe. To me, the bitter is what makes the sandwich. (And every time I've been there, they've been out of greens. Weird.)

Anyway, is there nobody to stand for George's roast pork? To my mind, it's as good as the best: it's got the slop, it's got the rabe, in general, it's got it goin' on.

[john b]

Yup.  I heard from Mom herself that rabe is too bitter.  Someone else can go down there to discuss that with her.

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From what I understand, Dinic's at the Terminal doesn't offer rabe as an option because most of their crowd doesn't know / like broccoli rabe and they were wasting their money keeping it on hand.

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Dinic's NJ outpost (Black Horse Pike, Mt. Ephraim) puts roasted peppers on their sandwiches. I'm pretty sure they have spinach, but I don't think they do the rabe thing.

[mrbigjas]

dinics has a nj outpost? whoa, who knew?

they have roasted peppers in the terminal location, too.

[john b]

dinics has a nj outpost?  whoa, who knew?

they have roasted peppers in the terminal location, too.

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On the SE corner of the BHP and King's Hwy. It's an old White Tower burger place, so it seats about six.

[mrbigjas]

excellent, thanks.

we should start a 'what's in the old white towers' thread. my personal favorite is the pojangmacha place in upper darby. it's awesome.

[Andrew Fenton]

Is White Tower the same as White Castle?

Or is it just a constituent part: like, if you had a few White Towers (with White Crenellation), a White Drawbridge and a White Moat with White Alligators, all placed above a White Dungeon with White Prisoners languishing for crimes they didn't commit, then you'd have a White Castle?

edit: pojowhosit, now? I just don't understand anything anyone says anymore. Wake me in '05...

Edited December 30, 2004 by Andrew Fenton (log)

[mrbigjas]

Is White Tower the same as White Castle?

nope

Or is it just a constituent part: like, if you had a few White Towers (with White Crenellation), a White Drawbridge and a White Moat with White Alligators, all placed above a White Dungeon with White Prisoners languishing for crimes they didn't commit, then you'd have a White Castle?

yes, and if you're shaped like a square, and have a white key, you can get the sword in the white castle. and then you're on a real adventure .

edit: pojowhosit, now?  I just don't understand anything anyone says anymore.  Wake me in '05...

pojangmacha is korean, like, bar food. and that place isn't really a good example of the genre from what people tell me (they don't carry the pigs feet or blood sausage or whatnot) but it's freaking delicious. the woman who runs the place and cooks is awesome and a great cook and friendly. doesn't speak english all that well, though. but the only real problem for us white folks is that the menu is all in korean, and burned on to a piece of wood. so it's not like there's a translation available. except i have one from a friend of mine.

mr. big jas say check it out if you can.

[birder53]

Yup.  I heard from Mom herself that rabe is too bitter.  Someone else can go down there to discuss that with her.

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From what I understand, Dinic's at the Terminal doesn't offer rabe as an option because most of their crowd doesn't know / like broccoli rabe and they were wasting their money keeping it on hand.

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I ate at Dinic's a few weeks ago at the Terminal and they did have rabe. Awesome sandwich!

[herbacidal]

excellent, thanks.

we should start a 'what's in the old white towers' thread.  my personal favorite is the pojangmacha place in upper darby.  it's awesome.

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Where is the pojangmacha place? Details, mon.

I ate at Dinic's a few weeks ago at the Terminal and they did have rabe. Awesome sandwich!

Really? Cool, maybe I changed his mind.

My source was the guy who I assume is Tommy Dinic because he looked and acted like the owner when I was there.

[mrbigjas]

excellent, thanks.

we should start a 'what's in the old white towers' thread.  my personal favorite is the pojangmacha place in upper darby.  it's awesome.

Where is the pojangmacha place? Details, mon.

upper darby. across the way from woo rae kwan, in the old white tower in the midst of the parking lot there in that mess that is the 69th st. terminal area.

My source was the guy who I assume is Tommy Dinic because he looked and acted like the owner when I was there.

wait i thought tommy dinic didn't run it anymore? am i making that up?

either way, last time i was at dinic's i ALMOST ordered a roast beef sandwich. my wife looked at me like i was insane. then i came to my senses. i mean, their roast beef must be good; i have no reason to assume it's not. but i can't seem to bring myself to order anything but the pork.

Edited December 31, 2004 by mrbigjas (log)

[john b]

excellent, thanks.

we should start a 'what's in the old white towers' thread.  my personal favorite is the pojangmacha place in upper darby.  it's awesome.

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The only two I know of are what is now Dinic's NJ and the other is on 130 S at Federal St (it's unoccupied).

[rlibkind]

My source was the guy who I assume is Tommy Dinic because he looked and acted like the owner when I was there.

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Tommy runs the RTM operation. Full head of dark hair, 40ish or maybe a young looking 50-ish, sometimes wears glasses, wiry buil. When not busy he can usually be found schmoozing at his counter with other merchants.

[philadining]

excellent, thanks.

we should start a 'what's in the old white towers' thread.  my personal favorite is the pojangmacha place in upper darby.  it's awesome.

Where is the pojangmacha place? Details, mon.

upper darby. across the way from woo rae kwan, in the old white tower in the midst of the parking lot there in that mess that is the 69th st. terminal area.

I've always been amused by how that place barely changed its appearance from its former life...

I submitted that pic to NotFoolingAnybody.com but they haven't updated in some time...

[herbacidal]

excellent, thanks.

we should start a 'what's in the old white towers' thread.  my personal favorite is the pojangmacha place in upper darby.  it's awesome.

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The only two I know of are what is now Dinic's NJ and the other is on 130 S at Federal St (it's unoccupied).

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Oh, that's what you're calling white towers.

I think there's at least one other one I've seen in my trails through Joisey, but I can't recall where.

Basically, it's a retail location that serves food, with only enough space for a small kitchen and seating at a counter. The one on 130 South at Federal used to be Roney's Hamburgers, if I remember the name correctly.

[herbacidal]

My source was the guy who I assume is Tommy Dinic because he looked and acted like the owner when I was there.

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Tommy runs the RTM operation. Full head of dark hair, 40ish or maybe a young looking 50-ish, sometimes wears glasses, wiry buil. When not busy he can usually be found schmoozing at his counter with other merchants.

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Yea, that's the guy. 5'9 or so, because I thought I remember him coming up to my shoulder.

Anyway, I've known enough owners to know how one acts when he/she's around their place.

[rlibkind]

The one on Rt. 130 was still called Roney's when I stopped there last spring.

[philadining]

It never seems to work to export this kind of thing, but who knows....

I saw this at:

NYMetro.com

Object of Desire

In spite of what you might have thought, Philadelphia has more to offer, culinarily speaking, than scrapple and cheese steaks. There’s also the syntactically challenged but terribly addictive concoction known as the “Roast Pork Italian”—juicy pork sliced thin, sharp provolone, and broccoli rabe on a soft hoagie roll—to say nothing of the “Chicken Cutlet Italian” (same as above but with chicken instead of pork). For many discriminating trenchermen, Tony Luke’s is the go-to place for both, as well as world-class cheese steaks, all of which can now be happily devoured (standing up, as tradition dictates) at the first-ever Tony Luke’s spinoff in Hell’s Kitchen.

Tony Luke’s Old Philly Style Sandwiches

576 Ninth Ave., nr. 41st St.; 212-967-3055

.....

And does anybody really call it a "Roast Pork Italian"?

[mrbigjas]

And does anybody really call it a "Roast Pork Italian"?

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of course not.