*goes to the Texadelphia site*

Mozzarella on a steak...what a crock of shit. I am no longer going to sit idly by while you infect us with your b.s. from Texas. I'M TAKING A STAND! ;)

(Seriously, it sounds interesting, especially the sauces. I'll have to check that place out if I'm ever down that way. :) )

CRAPPY CHEESE STEAK ALERT

The Ultimate Deli--Grant Ave. and Academy Rd., NE Philadelphia: First off, I placed my order at 9:10pm and they close at 10...plenty of time. I was told my order would arrive in 30-45 minutes, which is the standard response from most places. Now, this place is less than 2 miles from my house, so I figured it would be closer to 30 minutes. So we waited...for over an hour. Our food finally arrived at 10:15pm.

I ordered a bacon cheese steak and onion rings. The onion rings were soggy as fuck and cold. The steak was tasteless and rubbery and not packed with enough meat to my satisfaction. I could have bought a couple of 40s with my $5 instead of that damned steak. I hereby officially place this restaurant on my shitlist.

This reminds me of a song...

"When I get mad, and I get pissed
I grab my pen and I write out a list
Of all the people that won't be missed
You've made my shitlist."
--L7

:)

Let's see. Quality cheesesteaks in the Philly burbs:

* The John's Pizza empire. (For the uninitiated, John's Pizza in Frazer, Mike's Pizza in West Chester, Mr. Pizza in Edgmont, Berwyn Pizza in Berwyn and Roger's Bistro in Exton are all the same family.) John's is the original, on Route 30 just past the Home Depot. Awesome food, with John himself (a classy curmudgeon) working the register most of the time.

* I mentioned Drexel Hill Style Pizza in Broomall (West Chester Pike & Route 320) once before, but I'll do it again. Royal Steak (two kinds of cheese, onions, peppers, mushrooms and sauce) is the steak of choice, but nothing on the menu is bad.

* K & G Pizzeria in West Chester (West Chester Pike & Five Points Road) has good cheesesteaks that are less greasy than the norm.

And considerably out of the Philly burbs:

* Billuchio's, "home of the Billy cheese steak," in the Lycoming Mall near Muncy, PA (between Williamsport and Bloomsburg). Amoroso's rolls, nice atmosphere (Mafia-related movie posters are everywhere), and a teriyaki-barbeque sauce that defies description but really WORKS, surprisingly enough. Get the Teriyaki Steak with onions, peppers, provolone and a little marinara, and you're ready to rock.

I can second the motion on Berywn Pizza....been there done that, very good.

Vito's in King Of Prussia is also very good with both cheesesteaks and hoagies, but almost impossible to find unless you're a native. But if you 're in the area, call them up; they deliver.

I'll plump for
 

my favorite sandwich and steak shop outside of Phila, Pudge's in Blue Bell.
They have another branch now but I forget where.

Fat sandwiches and steaks and reasonable prices. Voted Best of Philly at least once but I forget when.

Brian

Pudge's II is on Ridge after the Egypt Rd fork as you are coming out of Norristown. It is not as good as Pudge's I. Both specialize in the chopped/integrated/Roxborough style.

Avoid at all costs the place in Reading Terminal Market!

You mean "as you are driving through Jeffersonville". :-)

If you're there looking for steaks, might as well go to "Amadeos Too". Baldini's (across the street at Schyulkyll) is decent also.

suburban cheesesteaks
 

Joe's on US 30 in Wayne.

I used to work in St Davids and get steaks from there occasionally; I miss them.

Don't knock it 'til you try it, Chief. Like I said, double meat's the way to go.

The Cheesesteak Project
 

The cheesesteak project

How they scored

I really have to wonder who they found to give the highest marks to steaks that contain spinach and broccoli rabe. That's just so wrong. If I wanted vegetables, I would have ordered a cheesesteak hoagie.

They did three steaks from each place. Cheesesteak (onions + American or Wiz), chicken cheesesteak, and the place's specialty steak. That last category is where you get the weird green crap.

Philadelphia magazine did their "Best Of" issue last month. For cheesesteaks, they gave the best award to Lorenzo's at 9th and Christian, and Chink's on Torresdale Ave. in Wissinoming. Never been to either, so I might have to check them out.

The readers picked Pat's as best...*shakes his head and does his best Joey Tribiani voice* WHY GOD, WHY?!

Tony, you'll be pleased to know that the White House Sub Shop in AC got best hoagie.

I want one. Now.

Gotta eat 'em all
 

I'll be coming up again soon. And I'm stopping at Pat's first thing.
I miss a good, greasy cheesesteak. Lorenzo's is also a good choice. I've converted more than one skeptic there.

Didn't I read an article in the Inky about some teenagers who embarked on a quest to identify the best cheesesteak in the area for a school report or project or some such? And where they found a good pork sandwich in the process? Somewhere near Oregon and I-95 I think it was. Anyone remember?

Brian

Re: Gotta eat 'em all
 

See Nic's link on page 9 of this thread. :)

Thank you. I knew I read that article somewhere.

I'm going to keep the link since I'm bringing a friend and his son with me the next time I come up and I want to give them a good cheesesteak, but I disagree with their opinion of Pat's. I love Pat's. Or maybe it's just that I spend my first few years just two blocks up the street? Nah!

Brian

I don't know how you can eat that slop. ;)

Seriously though, to each his own. I personally don't like the steak itself from there. Too rubbery and fatty. I don't care a whole lot for Geno's either, but I'll take them over Pat's. If I get a day off, I DO want to try that place down on Snyder Ave. (or Oregon Ave., or wherever that place is in South Philly).

here I come again
 

Coming in next weekend. I'll have a friend and maybe his son (if we can't get a babysitter)
to eat good food and see the sights. The kid'll like the Mutter Museum and the Franklin Institute.
Dad will like other things that are geared to adults.

Anyone who wants to do a Cellar GTG someplace with good food and maybe good drinks too is invited to voice their vote for discussion. Never forget Timothy's on the Main Line has decent ribs!

Brian

If anyone is down in Delaware (*shudder*) and you want a kickass burger and malt, drop by The Charcoal Pit. There's one north on 52 (which is an exit off of I95) and is only about 20 minutes south of downtown Philly.

I hope you enjoy.

And then you can head back on 202 and stop by the only Krispy Kreme in 100 miles.

Not for long though. The new one at Cottman and Bustleton opens November 7th. You give me a holler, and we'll grab some donuts and coffee.

See? SEE!

As soon as I leave town the talk picks back up.

Next time I'm not telling anyone I'm coming...I just will show up in town and you may see me at your favorite watering hole and I will ignore you!

BLEAH!

Brian

FoodTV does Philly. The Best Of.
I think I might have to make a road trip. Pat's looked pretty good.
"Ah, yea, gimme a cheese wit'."

Two words: "Pat's sucks." :)

If you must have a South Philly cheesesteak, go with Geno's (across the street from Pat's) or Philip's (on Passyunk and 24th).

What made them pick Pat's? Is it an historical place, or do you think they were given a little persuasion after Pat saw them at Geno's?

The official name of Pat's is "Pat's King of Steaks," which should give you some idea...it's been around about 700 years. The true locals (Shepps, Maggie, etc.) would probably better know the history behind cheesesteak development in Philadelphia.

I used to work down the street from the two places shortly after I moved to Philadelphia. I found Pat's steaks to have a bit too much fat...the steak was tough and rubbery. Geno's isn't that much better IMO, but it has a better taste. Everybody and their mom has eaten at Geno's (with the photos to prove it)...I dunno if Pat's has the same deal or not.

Truth be told, you can get a steak almost anywhere in the Philadelphia area. As you continue to consume them, you learn the difference between South Philly and Roxborough styles, the places that have been around for ages (like Pat's and Geno's), and where your personal preferences lie. I tend to favor a Roxborough-style steak, and generally go with chicken, though Maggie will shun me for it. :)

I just don't think it should be called a cheesesteak. It's not a cheesesteak unless there's beef in it.

It probably shouldn't be called a cheesesteak if there's no cheese in it either. I saw that Pat's uses Cheez-Whiz, which has always seemed to be a very malleable plastic to me. Though I do guess it's alright if you smother it with greasy beef.

Whiz is the standard at some places (like Geno's), unless you specify otherwise. Most of the places I frequent use white American or provolone.

With enough grease it goes down OK. There is a satellite branch of Pat's in the building where I worked at my first job (Wayne and Chelten Aves.) ....I probably should say "was"; I've no clue as to whether it's still there; this was back in 1972. You do get used to the Cheese-Whiz, and it's not really bad. Provolone is my preference, though.