Philly Steaks in NYC?

[brooklyncook]

Time Out NY just came out with a brief listing of six (seven, technically) joints in NYC to get a decent Philly steak. Having not had one for years, I'm putting it to you all -- where's the best place to get one?

I'd link to the TONY article, but it's not available online, unfortunately.

[R Washburn]

On a good day, Tony Luke's NY location serves as good a steak as the original Tony Luke's on Oregon Ave.

[slkinsey]

Just a quick moderator's note: Let's keep this thread about "Philly-style Steak" places in NYC and not diverge into a discussion about the archetypal places in the city of origin.

[R Washburn]

brooklyncook,

Please list the recommended places and we can offer our opinions of them.

[brooklyncook]

brooklyncook,

                    Please list the recommended places and we can offer our opinions of them.

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I don't have the magazine right on me (wish I did), but I can recall two places:

99 Miles From Philly

Carl's Steaks

There's a newsstand right next door to where I work here; let me run downstairs and leaf through one of their copies to get the full list.

[wannabechef]

The list is:

Wogies Bar & Grill

Philly Slim's

BB Sandwich Bar

Carl's Steaks

Tony Lukes

99 Miles from Philly

I have a serious issue with this whole "experiment". I call it that because what they did was get a group of people from Philly up here to taste these all as experts. That I don't have so much of a problem with. The thing I couldn't believe is that they got TAKEOUT from all these places to use in the test! How can you accurately rate a food based on takeout? Especially something like a hot, messy, philly cheesesteak sandwich. I can't even believe the sandwiches held up. No wonder all the reviewers complained that many of the rolls lacked "chew".

Anyway, of the above places I've only tried Carl's and I like it very much. The best philly cheesesteak I ever had was from Pat's in Philly about 7 years ago. I went back again last year and it was absolutely terrible. Carl's was much better.

~WBC

[brooklyncook]

The list is:

Wogies Bar & Grill

Philly Slim's

BB Sandwich Bar

Carl's Steaks

Tony Lukes

99 Miles from Philly

I have a serious issue with this whole "experiment". I call it that because what they did was get a group of people from Philly up here to taste these all as experts. That I don't have so much of a problem with. The thing I couldn't believe is that they got TAKEOUT from all these places to use in the test! How can you accurately rate a food based on takeout? Especially something like a hot, messy, philly cheesesteak sandwich. I can't even believe the sandwiches held up. No wonder all the reviewers complained that many of the rolls lacked "chew".

Anyway, of the above places I've only tried Carl's and I like it very much. The best philly cheesesteak I ever had was from Pat's in Philly about 7 years ago. I went back again last year and it was absolutely terrible. Carl's was much better.

~WBC

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Thanks for snagging the list; I was running back up the stairs in my school trying to recite the rest in my head and failed to remember them all. :)

Yeah, I agree -- takeout from most places tends to get soggy if it's not "aerated." At my last place of work, we'd punch holes in the styrofoam containers we sent fries out in, so they'd have a bit more longevity than without the holes.

If anyone's got thoughts on the other joints, I'd love to hear them. After seeing the picture of a philly steak in the TONY issue, it had me hankering for one tonight.

[R Washburn]

BB Sandwich bar's offering isn't really a Philly cheese steak, although I would sooner eat one of those than a Pat's or Geno's steak.

Tony Luke's actually trucks everything in from South Philly, so you have a good chance of receiving a cheesesteak comparable to that served at Tony Luke's in Philadelphia.

[brooklyncook]

Are there any places that weren't mentioned in the list published?

[hitmanoo]

The list is:

The thing I couldn't believe is that they got TAKEOUT from all these places to use in the test! How can you accurately rate a food based on takeout?

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The answer that I realize you already know is that you can't. A Philly steak has to be eaten on-site if to be properly judged. In all honesty, this experiment is bunk.

[lia]

Wogie's steak is yummy but definitely a gutbuster.

the TONY article panel members required that the steak be properly chopped, not like Steak Umms, yet my one experience in Philly reminded me of serious fast food. Everytime I've had a cheesesteak here in NYC, Philly-style or not, it was always more 'real.'

[schmooty]

I know this is the NY Board, so I will make this brief. The best Cheesesteak in Philly is a place called Steves Prince of Steaks on Tyson/Buselton. It BLOWS away Carls or Wogies. Steves does not chop their steaks. They use sliced rib-eye. Check out hollyeats.com for his review of Steve's. Pats and Genos are both crap. They have been resting on their names for far too long. I do want to try the Tony Lukes in NYC.

Edited March 5, 2005 by schmooty (log)

[philadining]

I don't think it's actually important whether the NY versions are made exactly the way it's done in Philly, just whether they're good. I'm curious to know what you folks think.

Just as a reference: not all, but many of the classic cheesesteaks down here are made with un-chopped, thin-sliced rib-eye - not reformed steakumm fiberboard, just a thin slice left intact. So it's odd to require the chopping thing.

But I don't care about your latitude, it's just chemistry, you CAN'T wrap them, and let them steam themselves into a stew. And I'm not kidding, you can't wait to eat them more than, like, a minute and a half. After that, I guess they're still food, but the magic is gone...

Jeeze what's next, rating take-out tempura?

[brooklyncook]

Well, my girlfriend and I opted for Wogie's tonight, and it was well worth the visit. Yuengling drafts for $3? A steal compared to other parts of the city.

The cheese steaks were fantastic, and accompanied with waffle fries, the perfect meal to cap off a long day. I don't really know how they'd rank on the spectrum of cheese steaks overall, but I was impressed.

[wannabechef]

Jeeze what's next, rating take-out tempura?

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Haha! Good one. Honestly, the fact they did it this way makes me wonder if they even really did this experiment. Imagine how long they must have been sitting - if they had to wait and assemble sandwiches from all those different places to try alltogether. Some of them could've been sitting for quite a long time. I would think that it would literally fall apart after that. Is it possible that this article is actually B.S.? Just wondering...

~WBC

[Jen Keenan]

I don't think it's actually important whether the NY versions are made exactly the way it's done in Philly, just whether they're good. I'm curious to know what you folks think.

Just as a reference: not all, but many of the classic cheesesteaks down here are made with un-chopped, thin-sliced rib-eye - not reformed steakumm fiberboard, just a thin slice left intact. So it's odd to require the chopping thing.

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Personally, I've clocked in hundreds of cheesesteaks between childhood trips to Jim's and college outings to Abner's, born of Jim's. Our drunken cheesesteak was at this total dive, near much of the off-campus housing, that was open till two and the site of my first witnessed fistfight. Dude jumped over the counter for some action

Shocker, now that they've gussied up campus it doesn't exist anymore.

Anyway, the only Philly Cheesesteak I've had in New York was at Carl's. I went with two co-workers from the Philadelphia / South Jersey area. We all agreed that it was a pretty damn good Philly Cheesesteak. Our main quibble – which I noticed the panel also had – was their too-heavy hand with the Whiz. Everyone knows you apply Whiz with a spatula! They use a pump. Otherwise, it was perfect.

Philadining, I think what the panel was referring to as "chopped" meat is the result of grilling. Maybe it's done differently in South Philly, but at Jim's I noticed they start out with the slices of rib eye but as the meat got moved about on the grill it ended up getting cut in pieces by the end.

Ultimately, I think there's a good Cheesesteak and a good Philly Cheesesteak. It was wrong to include BB Sandwich Bar in a piece about Philly Cheesesteaks since that's not what they do. I've never heard anything but good about their sandwiches and they actually look good to me. The tomato sauce might be a nice alternative to the half a cup of ketchup I usually end up putting on my food to counteract all that fat. If you do a Philly Cheesesteak you must do it properly to call it that. BB does its own thing and, as far as I know, doesn't claim to be authentic. That was TONY's bad.

[philadining]

Personally, I've clocked in hundreds of cheesesteaks between childhood trips to Jim's and college outings to Abner's, born of Jim's.  Our drunken cheesesteak was at this total dive, near much of the off-campus housing, that was open till two and the site of my first witnessed fistfight.  Dude jumped over the counter for some action   

Shocker, now that they've gussied up campus it doesn't exist anymore.

Abner's is still there, at the corner of 38th and Chestnut, still dumpy. I spent my share of drunken evenings in there too, and loved it, but I just had a truly vile steak there a couple of weeks ago.

I'm actually a fan of that chopped thing that Jim's and Tony Luke's does, and I presume their NY location chops ("shreds" might be more apt?) the steaks on the grill. But the supposed originator, Pat's, and their arch-rival Geno's, both leave the meat unassailed on the grill, just flipped.

As noted earlier, this conversation shouldn't divert into a discussion of Philly cuisine, but it should be noted that meat-chopping is not a necessary component of a "Philly-Style" cheesesteak.

[Jen Keenan]

Ah, philadining, Abner's was a palace compared to the place I'm talking about. Can't even remember the name, not convinced it actually had one, but it was somewhere around 40th and Spruce, maybe 42nd? They served alcohol as well and I'm guessing that fueled more than one fight in its day. Thanks for the info on Pat's and Geno's not chopping their steak, I had no idea! I guess it's obvious from the article that that panelist never made it out that way either.

So tonight we ordered from Philly Slim's, my South Jersey co-worker and I. From what I've read upthread I'm guessing the softness of the roll was due to the eight-block trip (three of those being avenues). My co-worker was supremely irritated at the low cheese-to-steak ratio and I have to agree, it was off. I thought the whole thing was delicious – it's nice to actually taste steak and onions for once. But it's true, they use too little cheese, Carl's too much. The quest continues...

[herbacidal]

Ah, philadining, Abner's was a palace compared to the place I'm talking about.  Can't even remember the name, not convinced it actually had one, but it was somewhere around 40th and Spruce, maybe 42nd?

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Billybob's.

[KatieLoeb]

Ah, philadining, Abner's was a palace compared to the place I'm talking about.  Can't even remember the name, not convinced it actually had one, but it was somewhere around 40th and Spruce, maybe 42nd?

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Billybob's.

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That'd be it. And yeah. A classic dive.

[Jen Keenan]

Oh my GOD! Leave it to eGullet to remind me where I used to get my alcohol-absorbing (and study-procrastinating) chicken cheesesteaks with hot sauce

Oh, and lotsa high-fallutin' gourmet-type advice as well, natch

[pnapoli]

i tried Philly Slim's cheesesteak a while ago and thought it was nothing special.

but tonight, i had Tony Luke's "roast pork italian" (thin sliced pork, sharp provolone & broccoli rabe) sandwich and thought it was very good. the roll was perfect. can't wait to try a cheesesteak.

[Jen Keenan]

Last night we (ten of us at work that is!) ordered from Tony Luke's. We all agreed that that was a damn fine cheesesteak. Probably not 100% 'authentic', I doubt that bread was Amoroso's, but definitely good meat-cheese proportioning and overall flavor. Can't wait to try that roast pork Italian next time!

[Daniel]

Havent tried all the cheese steak places. I went to Philly Slims, BB Sandwich bar, woogies, and that place on 34th ish and 3rd.. Woogies was the best one i have had so far.. I thought bb sandwich was horrific, a poor mans bbq sandwich.. Philly slims was my next favorite.

[R Washburn]

Last night we (ten of us at work that is!) ordered from Tony Luke's.  We all agreed that that was a damn fine cheesesteak.  Probably not 100% 'authentic', I doubt that bread was Amoroso's, but definitely good meat-cheese proportioning and overall flavor.  Can't wait to try that roast pork Italian next time!

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Yes it is 100% authentic. All the ingredient's are trucked in from Tony Luke's in South Philly.