Hoagies, Cheesesteaks, Pork Italiano

[Holly Moore]

I'd have to do them side by side to be sure, but I'm leaning towards Johnny. Then again, it's nice to be holding a beer in my drinking hand.

The bread goes on the grill crust side down to give it some heat without toasting the insides.

[Rich Pawlak]

I'd have to do them side by side to be sure, but I'm leaning towards Johnny.  Then again, it's nice to be holding a beer in my drinking hand.

The bread goes on the grill crust side down to give it some heat without toasting the insides.

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What Holly said.

But I think both steaks are very very close, and very very similar in quality and flavor, and quality of rolls. I''ve had both versions this week, and they are both superior steaks.

[jmbrightman]

I'd have to do them side by side to be sure, but I'm leaning towards Johnny.  Then again, it's nice to be holding a beer in my drinking hand.

The bread goes on the grill crust side down to give it some heat without toasting the insides.

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What Holly said.

But I think both steaks are very very close, and very very similar in quality and flavor, and quality of rolls. I''ve had both versions this week, and they are both superior steaks.

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I tried Johnny's today (wiz with)and found it a step below Steve's Prince of Steaks and Talk of the Town, my two favorite "flipped" steaks.The meat was a bit dry and chewy. The hot sausage I sampled was the superior sandwich, and I will return for that.

[Holly Moore]

Steve's is still my easy-choice favorite. But Johnny's Hot Sausage does nicely when I can't muster the mettle to transverse the mysterious Northeast.

[Jeff L]

Steve's is still my easy-choice favorite.  But Johnny's Hot Sausage does nicely when I can't muster the mettle to transverse the mysterious Northeast.

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I just don't get Steve's at all. Maybe it's because I like my cheesesteak meat chopped. I found it to be just an ok sandwich. Apparently, lot's of folks would disagree as they always seem to be crowded.

That said, I found the steak at Grey Lodge excellent and it wasn't chopped. Something about the texture and quality of the beef really got to me. I think they use ribeye there and that would surely explain the superior taste.

Edited March 30, 2006 by Jeff L (log)

[Rich Pawlak]

Steve's is still my easy-choice favorite.  But Johnny's Hot Sausage does nicely when I can't muster the mettle to transverse the mysterious Northeast.

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I just don't get Steve's at all. Maybe it's because I like my cheesesteak meat chopped. I found it to be just an ok sandwich. Apparently, lot's of folks would disagree as they always seem to be crowded.

That said, I found the steak at Grey Lodge excellent and it wasn't chopped. Something about the texture and quality of the beef really got to me. I think they use ribeye there and that would surely explain the superior taste.

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The Grey Lodge uses "thick cut rib eye", according to their website.

[KatieLoeb]

Lunch today, from George's Roast Pork in the Italian Market. I give you the BBQ Veal sandwich.

Admittedly not the best picture, and the sandwich had been wrapped for about 15 minutes at that point, so it wasn't as pretty as it was right then when it was made. But, it was raining and I wanted to bring it home to my warm dry house to eat it. Didn't make any difference in the taste. Aside from needing to have at it with a knife and fork after the first couple of bites, this was one very tasty sammie. I'd never had the BBQ veal before and I requested the roasted sweet peppers and very light onions on top. A little spicy, and juicy like a Roast Pork Italiano. I'll be ordering one of these again.

[philadining]

Small Roast Pork Italian from John's Roast Pork:

Sharp Provelone, Garlicky Spinach, decent but ordinary Kaiser roll. I suspect the large sandwiches and all the steaks get the much better-looking seeded rolls. But even with this roll, it was an excellent sandwich: the pork was herby, juicy and tender, the cheese sharp enough to bite through, the greens largely a garlic carrier, but adding a nice flavor themselves. I know I'm going to get in trouble for saying this, but I sometimes prefer spinach to broccoli rabe, it sits in easier harmony with the other elements.

This is a great sandwich, and the steaks looked good too. Next time...

Edited April 11, 2006 by philadining (log)

[Diann]

Small Roast Pork Italian from John's Roast Pork...

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So how does it compare to Tony Luke's?

To put it in context... the boyfriend is in town this weekend because I finally have a day off (Good Friday) and he, of course, wants a roast pork Italian. We always hit up Tony Luke's, but since I'll be free on a day when John's is actually open...should we go there instead? Or should we do one sandwich at both places?

[Holly Moore]

Go to Tommy Dinics in the Reading Terminal Market. If still hungry, give John's a try.

[Rich Pawlak]

Definitely visit both places to compare (and get to John's before 2:30PM when they begin to close down for the day), and you might also want to add a quick run north on Delaware Ave., just below Columbia Ave., to Johnny's Hots (also before 3:00PM), who make an estimable roast pork sandwich with greens.

[philadining]

Small Roast Pork Italian from John's Roast Pork...

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So how does it compare to Tony Luke's?

To put it in context... the boyfriend is in town this weekend because I finally have a day off (Good Friday) and he, of course, wants a roast pork Italian. We always hit up Tony Luke's, but since I'll be free on a day when John's is actually open...should we go there instead? Or should we do one sandwich at both places?

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It depends on what you want to accomplish. If it's getting him the best Pork Sandwich, I'd agree with Holly: start at DiNic's then go to John's if you want to have a comparison. But if you're thinking like me, which I think you are, you might just want to seize the opportunity to actually try John's when it might be open. Then again, it's Good Friday, they might take the day off too....

If you go to John's, you don't need to wait behind the folks ordering cheesesteaks, you can skip ahead of them and order a pork sandwich. But I think what you might really want to do is get one cheesesteak and one Pork Italian...

As for how it compares to Tony Lukes: I liked the pork itself better at John's, and I liked the spinach a lot. But at Tony Luke's you can get rabe, and the roll might be a touch better...

I think you owe it to yourself, and to your boyfriend, to spend your entire day off eating various roast pork sandwiches, and reporting back....

[Mummer]

Small Roast Pork Italian from John's Roast Pork...

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So how does it compare to Tony Luke's?

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I prefer John's. I've never done an a - b taste test, so I'll say the pork's a toss-up. I give my nod to John's for the greens and the seeded roll.

Mom at John's told me she serves spinach because rabe is too bitter. I agree - less bitter is more better as it lets the bite come thru from the sharp prov.

[philadining]

Hey Charlie, those seeded rolls did look great, but that's not what I got, probably because I ordered a small. Do they put the large Roast Pork on the better rolls?

[Jeff L]

Hey Charlie, those seeded rolls did look great, but that's not what I got, probably because I ordered a small.  Do they put the large Roast Pork on the better rolls?

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I can answer here, yes, and what's up with you ordering a small anything?

[mrbigjas]

you guys know john's is open on saturdays nowadays, right? i mean all this talk of getting there when it's open and whatnot--it's not as difficult as it used to be...

[philadining]

you guys know john's is open on saturdays nowadays, right?  i mean all this talk of getting there when it's open and whatnot--it's not as difficult as it used to be...

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It wasn't open the last saturday I tried to go... noon-ish a couple weeks ago.

[Diann]

you guys know john's is open on saturdays nowadays, right?  i mean all this talk of getting there when it's open and whatnot--it's not as difficult as it used to be...

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Do you know their Saturday hours?

This particular Saturday we're thinking of heading up to Newark for some rodizio, but it would be good to know for future reference.

Thanks, Holly and Philadining, for the reminders about DiNic's, but honestly, I'm more of a Tony Luke's girl. I think it's the rabe and the crusty roll that I love so much. I HAVE been meaning to try DiNic's brisket and roast beef sandwiches, but I never seem to get to RTM before 2PM on Saturdays and the stand is usually closing up by then.

Must stop by Johnny's Hots -- the Philadelphia surf n turf sounds good!

[mrbigjas]

you guys know john's is open on saturdays nowadays, right?  i mean all this talk of getting there when it's open and whatnot--it's not as difficult as it used to be...

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It wasn't open the last saturday I tried to go... noon-ish a couple weeks ago.

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that's an outrage!

[Rich Pawlak]

Finally got over to Johnny's Hots today for his version of the Roast Pork Italiano:

I added spinach and sharp provalone to my sandwich; broccoli rabe is also available.

Like his version of the cheesesteak, this sammie goes right to the top of the list of great ones in Philly; the bread, juicy pork and greens all work terrifically together.

[Diann]

So we did a semi-roast pork tour -- due to terrible traffic, we didn't make it to John's until 2:55PM, at which time the doors were locked. It's unclear from their signs whether they are or are not open on Saturdays (one sign says yes, another sign says no)...

We did make it to Johnny's Hots, though. Thanks for the inspiration, Rich and Holly! That is some AMAZING pork. I have to say, better than Tony Luke's (just the pork part). The shredded provolone didn't melt on my sandwich, though, so I took points off for that.

And of course, Tony Luke's is nearly always open, so we had (in my mind) the classic. If I could combine Johnny's roll and pork with Tony Luke's rabe and sharp provolone, that would be the perfect sandwich...

[mrbigjas]

all, i have a new candidate for roast pork sandwiches, which someone needs to check out: the inimitable chickie's. yesterday i was ordering up a pile of hoagies for my office and i noticed that they offer roast pork, in both hot and cold versions. so besides my chickies specials and tuna specials and veggie specials, i ordered up a cold roast pork hoagie, and it was delicious.

i didn't order the hot version though, since i had to take it across town and i thought it wouldn't travel. but this deserves checking out by someone, wouldn't you say? they do offer very garlicky broccoli rabe.

[philadining]

This probably doesn't count as a real Philly sandwich for a couple of reasons, but what the heck...

Dropped by Murray's in West Chester tonight

Corned Beef on Rye.

Very good sandwich, even though the rye's a little squishy - but it seems like everybody's is these days...

[philadining]

Koch's: L.B.K. special - turkey, roast beef, slaw, russian on rye. Delicious sandwich, even though it was not my first choice, but they'd run out of brisket...

The food seems to be pretty much the same at Koch's, although it's a little surreal to not have a volley of bad jokes flying over the counter along with the sandwiches... and there was a very disturbing sign advertising a veggie cheesesteak posted a few places in the store. Seemed way out of place. Anyway, go,of course it won't be the same without a single Koch in Koch's, but they still make a hell of a sandwich.

Edited July 4, 2006 by philadining (log)

[Rich Pawlak]

Koch's: L.B.K. special - turkey, roast beef, slaw, russian on rye. Delicious sandwich, even though it  was not my first choice, but they'd run out of brisket...

The food seems to be pretty much the same at Koch's, although it's a little surreal to not have a  volley of bad jokes flying over the counter along with the sandwiches...  and there was a very disturbing sign advertising a veggie cheesesteak posted a few places in the store. Seemed way out of place.  Anyway, go,of course it won't be the same without a single Koch in Koch's, but they still make a hell of a sandwich.

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The last remaining brother is running the joint now, I read a while back.