Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Hoagies, Cheesesteaks, Pork Italiano


KatieLoeb

Recommended Posts

That sandwich sure looks good. How is the non-sandwich fare there?

they make really good empanadas (although i like mine spicy), their plantains are excellent. i've only had their pork as an entree, which came with rice and beans and plantains. i've had their cuban sandwich and it's awesome. you'll have to go and send back a report. :)

"The perfect lover is one who turns into pizza at 4am."

Charles Pierce

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Roast Pork Italian from Tony Lukes in West Philly (Spruce Street just east of 38th)

gallery_23992_2151_2713.jpg

It's not quite the match of the south Philly version, but it's close... the pork was a little chewier than it should have been, but the provelone was sharp, the rabe was bitter, the juice was garlicy, the roll was pretty darn good, and the sandwich was jammed with meat. A pretty respectable offering. They're open until 2am most nights, and often easier to get to than Oregon Ave. The vibe is kind of wrong, but you can't have everything.

The place was oddly empty, and the few folks that stumbled in were students ordering chicken steaks. Book-smart, but sandwich stooopid, I guess...

gallery_23992_2151_62717.jpg

I keep forgetting how weird this sandwich smells, between the garlic the sharp cheese and the rabe, it's a bit funky... But tasted good.

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Roast Pork Italian from Tony Lukes in West Philly (Spruce Street just east of 38th)

gallery_23992_2151_2713.jpg

It's not quite the match of the south Philly version, but it's close... the pork was a little chewier than it should have been, but the provelone was sharp, the rabe was bitter, the juice was garlicy, the roll was pretty darn good, and the sandwich was jammed with meat. A pretty respectable offering. They're open until 2am most nights, and often easier to get to than Oregon Ave. The vibe is kind of wrong, but you can't have everything.

The place was oddly empty, and the few folks that stumbled in were students ordering chicken steaks. Book-smart, but sandwich stooopid, I guess... 

gallery_23992_2151_62717.jpg

I keep forgetting how weird this sandwich smells, between the garlic the sharp cheese and the rabe, it's a bit funky...  But tasted good.

How funny! I'm listening to Prince and "Jughead" was playing just as I read the line "sandwich stooopid". Cosmic confluence... :laugh:

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The place was oddly empty, and the few folks that stumbled in were students ordering chicken steaks. Book-smart, but sandwich stooopid, I guess... 

...

I keep forgetting how weird this sandwich smells, between the garlic the sharp cheese and the rabe, it's a bit funky...  But tasted good.

1 - Sandwich stooopid for sure. Dammit, I was hoping the arrival of a Tony Luke's on Penn's campus would expose the kids to the joy of a roast pork sandwich, but no takers, apparently.

2 - But it's such a GOOD funky smell! I love it when I go to Tony Luke's, drive home with my loot, and the next day I open the car door and you can still smell the garlic and provolone scent clinging to the seats. MMMMM. I'll take that over a little pine tree hanging from my rearview mirror any day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...and the next day I open the car door and you can still smell the garlic and provolone scent clinging to the seats. MMMMM. I'll take that over a little pine tree hanging from my rearview mirror any day.

Diann,

I think you have something here...Roast Pork Italian air freshener. Instead of a little pine tree, you have it shaped like what else! Beats the pine tree. Beats the fresh-car leather scent. MARKETING GENIUS!!

Karen C.

"Oh, suddenly life’s fun, suddenly there’s a reason to get up in the morning – it’s called bacon!" - Sookie St. James

Travelogue: Ten days in Tuscany

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I sacrificed myself for the good of this board and revisited a couple of cheesesteak joints I'd posted about upthread. In addition to great eats, I wanted to update my phone photos with ones taken with my new Casio. (An Exilim EX-Z750.)

gallery_8050_1946_25443.jpg

This is a Cheesesteak Italian from Dakota Pizza Company in Wynnewood, across the parking lot from Sang Kee Asian Bistro. You can have one during your wait for a table there. It is, indeed, broccoli rabe, with roasted peppers and sharp provolone. There were a few seeds on this roll. I don't think I had fried onions on the one upthread.

gallery_8050_1946_17208.jpg

This is a "Charlie special" from George's food cart at 23rd and Chestnut. The tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and sweet peppers go onto the grill and steam into the meat above it. I bust George because he almost always uses American rather than provolone. (But it's my choice to order on his cell rather than watching to make sure.) In response to a question upthread, George did mind somebody's cart around 16th and Walnut for a brief period several years ago.

Since it was in my camera...

gallery_8050_1946_11969.jpg

...yesterday, I ate this Suprimo from Primo's on Chestnut Street. Fresh mozz, prosciutto and roasted peppers. I liked the upthread Sulmona better as it has a symphony of flavors and this one screamed salt. (Not enough to keep me from finishing it, however.)

Charlie, the Main Line Mummer

We must eat; we should eat well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...and the next day I open the car door and you can still smell the garlic and provolone scent clinging to the seats. MMMMM. I'll take that over a little pine tree hanging from my rearview mirror any day.

Diann,

I think you have something here...Roast Pork Italian air freshener. Instead of a little pine tree, you have it shaped like what else! Beats the pine tree. Beats the fresh-car leather scent. MARKETING GENIUS!!

Good to know MKTG101 is finally paying off. Joint venture, anybody? (You provide the capital, I'll provide the genius.)

Charlie, that Cheesesteak Italian looks good...I'll have to check out Dakota Pizza Co.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...and the next day I open the car door and you can still smell the garlic and provolone scent clinging to the seats. MMMMM. I'll take that over a little pine tree hanging from my rearview mirror any day.

Diann,

I think you have something here...Roast Pork Italian air freshener. Instead of a little pine tree, you have it shaped like what else! Beats the pine tree. Beats the fresh-car leather scent. MARKETING GENIUS!!

I like the way you women think... but we don't need to stop there, for the high-end market, there's the SK-series: squash soup with lemon vapors, or the 5 bleu cheeses with lavender scent, although the receptacle for the boiling water might be hazardous in traffic. Maybe if there's just some way to fill my backseat with butterscotch foam, I'd be set.

But in the short term I think I'll just take the easy route, whenever I'm in south philly, or west philly or the RTM, I'll just get a fresh roast pork sandwich to hang from the rear-view mirror.

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Food scented car fresheners?

:blink:

OK - now I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you've all gone around the bend.

No more roast pork for any of you! It's devouring your brain cells!

:laugh:

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first of Mummer's suburban sandwich spread.

A cheesesteak hoagie from Mama's Pizzeria on Belmont Avenue in Bala-Cynwyd.

gallery_8050_1946_11231.jpg

There's a lot of meat, cheese and some hidden fried onions on that baby!  Best eaten there or only a few minutes away.  (Not minutes away in the Zaberer's sense.) :cool:

What comprises a "true" Philly cheesesteak has been hotly debated elsewhere in eG, but I would opine that the steak and cheese hoagie (or sub) above is what most of us non-Philly natives think of when someone mentions "steak and cheese". Is it a Philly cheesesteak? No. Is it a great sandwich? Damn tootin', baby :raz:.

"My only regret in life is that I did not drink more Champagne." John Maynard Keynes

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

OK, mark the day on your calendar, you can tell your grandkids that you were there the day this great sandwich started its climb to fame. Soon to dominate the hoagie world, I'm sure of it. I give you:

gallery_23992_2186_24991.jpg

The Chicken Larb Hoagie

OK, the name needs some work...

But really, it's delicious. I just took (cold) leftover Larb (or in this case "Laab" from Vientiane Cafe) and slapped it onto a hoagie roll with some extra lettuce. With the the herbs and the spiciness it's getting into Bahn Mi territory, but I haven't ever seen anything exactly like this for sale. It would probably be good with the Larb hot too... Try it!

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You folks've mentioned Primo multiple-y in this thread, and I went rather messily out of my way in Bethlehem PA the other day to pop in on one of their newest locations, practically on top of the US22 expressway at Schoenersville Road (same exit as Westgate Mall)

(explanation: I do not drive, and the recent snowing + thawing made for an icky, gooey hike from the nearest bus stop...happily I have the right kind of shoes)

I wanted a Sicilian (sorry, no pix) - dry-cured capicola, Genoa salami, sharp provolone - but caught them at a time when the rolls hadn't been replenished, and had to take it as a wrap. Still, it was magnificent...the most solid sandwich I've seen in years! Hopefully the weather will stay dry until I get back there again...

BOB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You folks've mentioned Primo multiple-y in this thread, and I went rather messily out of my way in Bethlehem PA the other day to pop in on one of their newest locations, practically on top of the US22 expressway at Schoenersville Road (same exit as Westgate Mall)

(explanation: I do not drive, and the recent snowing + thawing made for an icky, gooey hike from the nearest bus stop...happily I have the right kind of shoes)

I wanted a Sicilian (sorry, no pix) - dry-cured capicola, Genoa salami, sharp provolone - but caught them at a time when the rolls hadn't been replenished, and had to take it as a wrap.  Still, it was magnificent...the most solid sandwich I've seen in years!  Hopefully the weather will stay dry until I get back there again...

Coincidentally, I had the Silciian for the first time on Saturday. It'll now be amongst my regular Primo's rotation (espacially since they just opened a new Primo's in my town), which includes the Sharp Italiam, Soprano and Suprimo.

John

"I can't believe a roasted dead animal could look so appealing."--my 10 year old upon seeing Peking Duck for the first time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

gallery_7493_1206_67880.jpg

At Rich's urging in RTM thread, finally got to Carmen's for a late lunch today. Couldn't resist the sopresetta sandwich special, with aged provolone and sweet peppers. A straightforward sandwich that let the trinity of stuffing shine. And very good bread. (Liscio's? I saw boxes from them and Amoroso beside the stand.) For a true taste test and comparison with others, I'll have to try the Italian hoagie next time.

Bob Libkind aka "rlibkind"

Robert's Market Report

Link to comment
Share on other sites

gallery_7493_1206_67880.jpg

At Rich's urging in RTM thread, finally got to Carmen's for a late lunch today. Couldn't resist the sopresetta sandwich special, with aged provolone and sweet peppers. A straightforward sandwich that let the trinity of stuffing shine. And very good bread. (Liscio's? I saw boxes from them and Amoroso beside the stand.) For a true taste test and comparison with others, I'll have to try the Italian hoagie next time.

Oh baby! That's a beauty, Bob! drool.gif

(That's :fainting and drooling: in case you were wondering)

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Food-scented car fresheners?

:blink:

OK - now I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you've all gone around the bend.

No more roast pork for any of you!  It's devouring your brain cells!

:laugh:

Funny you should mention, Katie...

"Does your car smell like cheese?"

Apparently automakers think this is a bad thing.

A poster in a Chevrolet service department posited the above-listed question, accompanied by a man with a pained-looking expression and a healthy chunk of Stilton. Apparently mold and other contaminants in a car's ventilation system can lead to a musty, cheesy scent inside the car. So carmakers recommend cleaning the ventilation system with a handy-dandy solution that they provide.

Now my own Fressermobile smells nothing like stinky cheese (or even Velveeta, for that matter) but I'm fastidious about keeping my car's interior immaculate. But maybe there's a market waiting to be tapped here. Miss your favorite Italian deli? Try hanging a provolone wedge from your review mirror and you'll think you're back on Arthur Avenue. Can't afford a trip to the Champs Elysees? Stash some Epoisses in your Renault's glovebox and you'll feel like Jacques Chirac as you motor down I-95.

In fact, given the choice between one of those cardboard pine trees and a gouda wheel, I'd pick the fromage to hang from my rearview mirror anytime.

There are two sides to every story and one side to a Möbius band.

borschtbelt.blogspot.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Funny you should mention, Katie...

"Does your car smell like cheese?"

Apparently automakers think this is a bad thing.

A poster in a Chevrolet service department posited the above-listed question, accompanied by a man with a pained-looking expression and a healthy chunk of Stilton.  Apparently mold and other contaminants in a car's ventilation system can lead to a musty, cheesy scent inside the car.  So carmakers recommend cleaning the ventilation system with a handy-dandy solution that they provide.

Funny, I had a strong cheese aroma in my car and I didn't think I would ever get rid of it! All of my efforts failed and it finally just dissipated. I love cheese, but...

edited to fix the quote

Edited by moosnsqrl (log)

Judy Jones aka "moosnsqrl"

Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.

M.F.K. Fisher

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

thought this might be the best place for this link!

http://www.danburymint.com/heirloom/product.asp?code=SPB-01

Imagine, you can stage your own Cheese Steak Wars right in the comfort of your own home!

Edited by mod*betty (log)

<a href='http://retroroadmap.com' target='_blank'>Retro Roadmap - All the Retro, Vintage and Cool Old places worth visiting!</a>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rich Pawlak and I happened upon this great cheesesteak while chasing down hot dogs at Johnny's Hot's on Delaware Avenue above Spring Garden. We wanted to talk hot dogs. John wanted to talk about the cheesesteak he added to his menu. We let him talk.

The beef for the steak is top round. Prime top round from hanging beef. From Wells Meats, just down the block. John slices it fresh each morning.

gallery_14_105_46262.jpg

The roll is a torpedo roll. Nice crust. Points at the end. From a bakery in Jersey. John grills the beef like pieces of steak. Lays each one out on the grill a piece at a time. Real grilled beef, not steamed like a lot of places. It's been on the menu for almost a year. Now it's the second most popular sandwich. His hot sausage is number one.

gallery_14_105_92733.jpg

I had a whiz with cause that's the pic I wanted. I'll be ordering my next with the grilled peppers he puts on his sausage sandwich.

Holly Moore

"I eat, therefore I am."

HollyEats.Com

Twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...