Finest cheesesteak?

[rlibkind]

Taken this past Sunday, Sept. 11, at Nathan's flagship location in Coney Island:

(Photo © Neal Ulevich 2005)

Hot dogs, arguable. Cheesesteaks? Never.

[Holly Moore]

One of my core beliefs is that any place which puts "Philly" in front of "Cheesesteaks" is a place not to order a cheesesteak.

[monavano]

A philadelphia cheesesteak outside of the Philly metro region? Doubt it. The "worlds' best"? No frickin' way!!

Even more dubious is when it's advertised as a "philly steak and cheese". Steak and cheese? It makes me want to cry. And that's what we've got here in Virginia. Steak and cheeses. Ugh.

[mrbigjas]

i'm with holly on this one. another tipoff is the misuse of quotation marks.

[CoolPapaBell]

One of my core beliefs is that any place which puts "Philly" in front of "Cheesesteaks" is a place not to order a cheesesteak.

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I've said that many, many times myself. If there is one exception, Gaetanos has one to describe the specific toppings as a "Philly Cheesesteak" has "cheese sauce and fried onions." Menu here

Worse is when a place claims to serve "Philly steak and cheese". Nobody, I mean nobody calls it that.

The real question is cheesesteak one or two words or does each work?

[Mummer]

One of my core beliefs is that any place which puts "Philly" in front of "Cheesesteaks" is a place not to order a cheesesteak.

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I've said that many, many times myself. If there is one exception, Gaetanos has one to describe the specific toppings as a "Philly Cheesesteak" has "cheese sauce and fried onions." Menu here

Worse is when a place claims to serve "Philly steak and cheese". Nobody, I mean nobody calls it that.

The real question is cheesesteak one or two words or does each work?

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Marlton is soooo far away that a Philly Cheesesteak explanation is essential. But what would you expect from a place that serves an A1 cheesesteak?

Cheesesteak as two words? Frigginidiotic!

Steak and Cheese? Isn't that how you kill a vampire?

[Jeff L]

One of my core beliefs is that any place which puts "Philly" in front of "Cheesesteaks" is a place not to order a cheesesteak.

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what he said

[CoolPapaBell]

Cheesesteak as two words?  Frigginidiotic!

Except the inventors seem to disagree. Check it out.

Edited September 16, 2005 by CoolPapaBell (log)

[KOK]

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Steak and Cheese? Isn't that how you kill a vampire?

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THAT'S the Smile of the Week!!

Kevin

[Carlson1105]

The serve a Steak and Cheese in DC, but the meat, cheese and onions are put on top of lettuce and tomatoes. Nothing like hot lettuce on a sandwich.

[KOK]

The serve a Steak and Cheese in DC, but the meat, cheese and onions are put on top of lettuce and tomatoes. Nothing like hot lettuce on a sandwich.

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Not sure which place thought to bury the lettuce and tomato but it does sound revolting. I've never seen that and hope I never do.

Jerry's (local pizza and sub chain) makes a pretty good cheesesteak and they definitely don't bury the fixins.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Carlson1105]

I worked at the Armand's Chicago Pizza on Wisconson Ave for a few years in College, and they thought of the hot lettuce cheesesteak. They also put mayo on it. Being from Phila, I always ordered it with no mayo, and no veggies.

[monavano]

The serve a Steak and Cheese in DC, but the meat, cheese and onions are put on top of lettuce and tomatoes. Nothing like hot lettuce on a sandwich.

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Not sure which place thought to bury the lettuce and tomato but it does sound revolting. I've never seen that and hope I never do.

Jerry's (local pizza and sub chain) makes a pretty good cheesesteak and they definitely don't bury the fixins.

Thanks,

Kevin

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Don't forget the mayo on that hot steak and cheese. Yup. Mayo.

[philadining]

Well, there is the fully "authentic" phenomenon of the "cheesesteak hoagie", available in many steak shops around philly, which is usually a standard cheesesteak with lettuce, tomato onions, etc, and indeed, mayo.

If it's eaten within about 35 seconds, it's actually pretty good...

[plattetude]

One of the local cheesesteak chains during my college days (CC Peppers at Penn State) called the lettuce/tomato/mayo version the "California cheesesteak".

Christopher

[Carlson1105]

The difference in the cheesesteak hoagie is that the lettuce and tomato are on top of the meat, not sweating under the heat of it.

[Mummer]

Cheesesteak as two words?  Frigginidiotic!

Except the inventors seem to disagree. Check it out.

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Geno's does that, too. I guess that's why, other than a rare late night fix, I get my cheesesteaks elsewhere.

[monavano]

I'm not saying the steak and cheese is bad. It's just not a cheesesteak. It's more of a cheesesteak hoagie. Without the good roll. Nonetheless, edible and I settle for it once in a while.

And feast on the real thing when back in Philly.

I have, however, found good pizza and hoagies nearby, so I have that to keep me going.

[CoolPapaBell]

I live in Atlanta now, but visit there as family still up there, hence the PA/NJ Gullets still of interest. Anyhoo down here I've seen places serve them with Swiss or cheddar and yes mayo is standard on some.

Even one place is close to authentic, but they have this bizarre mustard and catchup concoction served standard. I don't recall ever seeing either served standard anywhere in the Debellaware Valley.

[monavano]

Debellaware!! Oh that brings back memories.

That sure sounds like a strange topping with the ketchup and mustard, but maybe it works.

I like sauce on my CS and I get very strange looks when I ask for it here in VA or anywhere else outside Debellaware Valley. I have to tell them that "yes, go ahead and put some pasta or speghetti sauce on it". Usually, they've never heard it served that way.

[MarketStEl]

I like sauce on my CS and I get very strange looks when I ask for it here in VA or anywhere else outside Debellaware Valley. I have to tell them that "yes, go ahead and put some pasta or speghetti sauce on it". Usually, they've never heard it served that way.

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As you describe it, I believe most places up here call that a "pizza steak."

In such cases, the default cheese is Provolone rather than Whiz or American.

BTW, John DeBella is still on the air, but he's no longer the unquestioned king of rock radio. Howard Stern knocked him off his perch several years ago.

[monavano]

Howard Stern bitch-slapped Debella and sent him crying to his room!!! Yeah, i do pizza steaks, but don't tell anyone. And, I order chicken if I can. Chicken cheesesteak with sauce.

Whiz....yuck.

[Holly Moore]

Cheesesteak as two words?  Frigginidiotic!

Except the inventors seem to disagree. Check it out.

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Geno's does that, too. I guess that's why, other than a rare late night fix, I get my cheesesteaks elsewhere.

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Got me curious so I went to my most trusted reference for all things cheesesteak, HollyEats.Com, which happens to have pictures of both menus.

Pat's menu spells cheesesteak without the space. Geno's menu never mentions a cheesesteak but speaks rather of a "Cheese Whiz Steak" or a "Steak with Cheese".

My guess is that both steak shops went to some fancy-schmancy web design company whose staff's only exposure to cheesesteaks has been at Barclay Prime. Or the owners' kids did the site.

[Jason Perlow]

A philadelphia cheesesteak outside of the Philly metro region? Doubt it. The  "worlds' best"? No frickin' way!!

As I understand, Tony Luke's in NYC is a legitimate outpost of an actual cheesteak place in Philly. But its probably the only example. They even bring in their meat and bread from Philly.

http://www.tonylukes.com/

[rlibkind]

As I understand, Tony Luke's in NYC is a legitimate outpost of an actual cheesteak place in Philly. But its probably the only example. They even bring in their meat and bread from Philly.http://www.tonylukes.com/

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But no one ever eats a cheesesteak at Tony Luke's in Phila. -- if you don't eat roast pork with greens and provolone, you die.