If you want a cheesesteak at the Mall, you can't go to the foofy food court. You gotta go to the original food court, to the place just called "Philly Cheesesteaks". You'll still pay too much, and it's not the best cheesesteak, but it's definitely a legitimate cheesesteak.

Of course, if big mounds of chicken are your thing...

Cheesesteaks
 

D'Allesandros.... awesome cheesesteaks. I have to find excuses to send the ambulance out there from time.

Also, I must recommend Amadeo's Too in Norristown ... not quite up to the D'Allesandro's standard, but tasty!

Re: Cheesesteaks
 

For some reason, the Amadeo's (both original and Too) cheesesteaks always make me feel queasy. Not the usual "I've just ingested a large quantity of grease" queasy, and it usually hits even before I've finished half. YMMV

Re: Re: Cheesesteaks
 

The BIG advantage (for me) of Amadeo's Too is that they deliver to Building 50 ... I'm kept prisoner during my shift (no breaks for the suicide hotline/commitment office), so I guess I've developed a tolerance.

Re: Cheesesteaks
 

We had Amadeo's for lunch on Saturday. Although a bit pricey, it was absoultely delicious! I highly recommend the Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak.

Also, a nod to another steak I had a few weeks ago from Victoria's Pizza in Morrell Plaza (Frankford and Morrell Aves.). I highly recommend the Northeast Special Steak, with imported ham and tomatoes. They actually erred on the order, as I ordered it as a chicken steak. But in any case, it was excellent...well worth $4.75.

A new steak review
 

As I walked into my apartment building Thursday, I happened to see a new fast food menu laying on the carpet...apparently, one of the lone ones Rho and I don't have.

The place is Old Country Pizza (3209 Willits Rd. in Torresdale). At first glance, it appeared to be another pizza/Italian joint located on just about every corner in this part of the city. But I took a gander at the menu and saw some different menu items. Being the cheesesteak b**ch that I am, I went for the Buffalo Chicken Steak, with hot sauce and bleu cheese. Not bad, but not the best I've had, and certainly not worth $5.50. However, it was brimming with chicken. Unlike any other steak I've had, the meat was actually shredded, not chopped fine or in strips...unusual. All in all, our meal was not too bad, although a bit on the high side for a cheesesteak meal.

A lot of folks like to start Christmas Club accounts, but I'm thinking I'd like to start a Cheesesteak Club account. I put my savings into the account, then when I find new cheesesteak establishments, I can withdraw a small amount to fund my meal.

Like I need to gain any more weight here. ;)

The end of an era???
 

It would seem that after only living in Philadelphia a year (as of Sept. 30th), my days of cheesesteak connoisseurship may be severely curtailed, if not over.

Off and on for the past few months, I've been experiencing chest pains. I wasn't having symptoms of a heart attack, more like bronchitis. I also figured that maybe I had pulled a muscle, or slept on my left side wrong. In addition, I was without health insurance from the beginning of July until September 1st, so I was hoping to hang on until then. The pains would come and go, but nothing serious...until noontime today.

As I was taking a claim, a severe pain hit me in my chest...I then felt a head rush so intense that I felt as if I passed out for a second. The pain lessened, but I felt very woozy. I then went on my lunch and figured I would see how I felt afterwards. The pain and wooziness continued...by this time, I was in tears. For the first time I can recall, I was truly terrified of dying. By 1:30, I decided this was enough and left work. Given that my doctor and hospital are within 2 blocks of my house, I decided to make the 45-minute drive back home. Trying to call my doctor was useless--couldn't get through. Since I have the option of going to the ER directly (w/o a doc's authorization), I chose to do so.

To my surprise, I was seen rather quickly, and the staff at Frankford-Torresdale Hospital were very courteous. At one point, they had to wheel me from the ER over to radiology. Rather than use a wheelchair, they wheeled my whole bad, which was actually fun.

Fortunately, I was told that I didn't appear to have a heart problem. When I went in today, I had a pulse over 110 and a temperature of 100 degrees. (Which could probably be attributed to my fear.) My EKG looked okay and my rhythm was normal. But then I got the bad news:

--First, they tell me that my heart may be abnormally large. They say it could be proportional to my size (b/c I am a big guy), but they're not sure. More tests will be needed.

--Secondly...the obvious:

RN: "Do you smoke?"

Sycamore: *looks guilty* "Yeah..."

RN: "Well, I smoke, so I'm not going to give you a big lecture. But we noticed that you have diminished lung capacity, which could be due to your smoking."

As I said, the obvious. I've only been smoking for 6 years, but I smoke...a lot. I've tried to quit on several occasions, most recently in January. I've seen people with voice boxes and have seen the pictures of emphysema-damaged lungs. I already know that they're bad for me.

But for some reason...something went off inside. I'm not sure what to call it...an alarm, a sign...I dunno. After being released from the hospital after 3 or so hours, I decided to have a bit of a gorge:

--one 2-liter bottle of Dr. Pepper
--one 2-liter bottle of Sunkist Orange
--one pack of Marlboro Milds
--one king size Almond Joy
--a $9 buffet at the Farm (at Franklin Mills)

I will probably have a cheesesteak tomorrow...preferably from Philip's in South Philadelphia.

I can't say for certain that I can easily kick my bad habits. I may even cheat along the way. But I already had one alarming situation in June, when Rho was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure. I knew my time was coming...and that time was today.

I certainly feel I have a right to enjoy life to its fullest, including surveying the world for that next awesome cheesesteak. But I'm only 2 weeks shy of 26, and I'm not ready to wreck my body so easily. It's time to not take it to such excess...

Good news...sorta
 

Well, they can't seem to figure out what exactly is wrong with me, but it seems to be a muscular problem. But this is what shocked me...

I live in the 2nd fattest city in the US. My diet has only gotten healthier in the past week and a half. I have gained 20 pounds in the past 2 years, and I am a rather large man. However, all my blood tests came back normal, so it appears that I am still relatively healthy. Then I got my cholesterol score:

208.

208?!

Are you shitting me?! That's all?! Granted, it needs to come down, but I figured it would be over 300. All those cheesesteaks were not for naught. ;) But at least I'm trying to clean up my act before I completely fall apart...

Syc,

I'm really glad to hear it wasn't your heart.

Best of luck to you.... I hope you don't have to give up the cheese steaks completely!

- Pie

Me? Give up cheesteaks? I'll die with one in my hand!
 

I haven't tested out any new ones recently...I've been hitting the usual spots. Until tonight. And so, I present my newest offering:

Speedy Pizza (Fairdale and Knights Rd., NE Philadelphia): Their white pizza is to die for, but I decided to go with a chicken cheesesteak tonight. The steak is reminiscent of Ishkabibble's in South Philadelphia, with huge chunks of chicken crammed into a standard hoagie roll. Quite tasty, and well worth $4.65.

I gotta go down to Phili to get some cheese steaks. mmmmmm :) :D :) :D ;)

where do you live scampo?

I could mail you one, but I don't think the Postal Service would appreciate that...especially at a time like this. ;)

lol
 

lol. i live in southampton, ny.

The cheesesteak crusader returns...
 

Cholesterol be damned!!! :)

Moffett's--On W. Tioga St., between Broad St. and Germantown Ave., across the street from Temple University Hospital: An accidental discovery. Hospitals creep me the hell out, so while Rho was undergoing minor surgery last Thursday, I stepped out for a smoke and saw this hole-in-the-wall. Went for the standard chicken cheesesteak with ketchup and mayo. Quite good, with enough grease to make it honest. $4.50. Bonus with this place--they sell beer. While you're polishing off a steak, wash it down with a cold one.

Hmmm...I wonder how many places in the city of Philadelphia alone sell cheesesteaks. I can think of 8 places in my own neighborhood that will deliver one to me. And this is Northeast Philadelphia...the foo-foo part of town. I can only imagine the numbers in South Philadelphia. Time to do some research...

Re: The cheesesteak crusader returns...
 

Ex*CUSE* me? This must be some other meaning of "foo foo " with which I'm not familiar. :-) Old City...Chestnut Hill...the Main Line...but the *Northeast* is "the foo foo part of town"? Somebody needs to show you around town, Syc. :-)

Amadeo's Too rocks hard. I live about three minutes from there. Amadeo's (one, presumambly) catered lunch at Micro Focus for most of the time I worked there. I can confirm they deliver to Building 50, because there's a note on the wall at the restaurant behind the register about how the Norristown State patients aren't allowed any caffinated drinks. :-)

But seriously....your heart is enlarged, your lung capacity is dimished...and you're worried about *cheesesteaks* and blowing off the smoking issue? You really *don't* believe in statistics, do you? I wouldn't worry about concealed carry by citizens--you're still a bigger danger to yourself than any handgun.