The Great Philly Cheesesteak (Philadelphia, Penn: live, restaurant, shop)

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

Well come to Bowling Green and get their so called Philly Cheesesteaks, and I promise you, you won't finish it....and be extremely disappointed....

From Penn Station? I think there's a location in Bowling Green ... When the chain first opened a few decades ago in Dayton, it was passable. Now not even close since it's grown beyond a few locations.

Your experience in the quest for a decent cheesesteak sounds a bit like mine when I first moved to this area from Cincinnati almost 20 years ago - the spouse had heard about a local restaurant that served Cincinnati chili. The beans were in the chili (not on top where they belong), and it was served over mixed up with macaroni in a bowl (instead of over spaghetti on an oval platter). Not an oyster cracker in sight! I was traumatized. LOL - now I make my own from scratch. Wish I could remember the name of the place - I don't even remember where it was.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by tribecavsbrowns

Italian-Americans came up with it.

You know, Italian-Americans, the people who...invented Philly steaks.

Right. And they’re called pizza steaks, which are a direct descendant of, but ultimately distinct from, the OG cheesesteak.

[cremebrulee]

MarketStEl The bus is called the Phlash. It's a tourist loop bus that runs from Old City to the Art Museum. It still runs.

The place where you used to get cheesesteaks in the RTM is probably gone, but both Carmen's and Spataro's have picked up the slack.

The mall you knew as The Gallery is now called Fashion District Philadelphia. It got a top-to-bottom makeover about two years ago; the makeover really hasn't reversed its fortunes, which is why the 76ers have floated a proposal to build a new arena atop its west end. Chinatown, of course, is up in arms about this, but there don't seem to be too many fans of this proposal anywhere else, even though I don't think it would screw up traffic as badly as any other possible location thanks to this sitting right atop both Jefferson Station on the RRD and the 11th Street station on the MFL, with connections to the Broad-Ridge Spur via the mall's concourse level.

Thank you for this, I didn't know? It was about time they updated that ol mall....lol and yes, the Phlash bus, couldn't remember what they called it....

And since this is the home of the hoagie, why shouldn't the two sandwiches meet in the form of the cheesesteak hoagie, which is what a cheesesteak with lettuce, tomato and raw onion is called?

yupper, we'd call them Webers, and God only knows who gave them that name....? But they were delicious...

As for American cheese: Well, you're entitled to your opinion, but American cheese — which is a processed loaf cheese that combines Cheddar (and in some cases Colby) cheese(s) with emulsifiers that keep the oil from separating out and the solids from curdling when it's heated — was created precisely for the uses cheesesteak shops and fast-food restaurants put it to. It melts smoothly and evenly where Cheddar or Colby often won't.

I prefer American cheese, with a tiny bit of mayo on the roll, not much....

Should your travels ever take you through Kansas City, however, I do recommend you give Grinders a try, since it's run by an actual Philly native who knows what a cheesesteak should look and taste like. (BTW, STRETCH doesn't use Whiz, either. American is the default, but you can request provolone.)

Grinders are awesome!

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

LOL, I put the sauce on the philly cheesesteak, or once in a while when I'd go get one, I'd ask them for sauce mixed in with the steak...but that's just me....and apparently I wasn't the only one, b/c he kept sauce there for others who asked for it.

My wife loves the sauce! And I mean the pizza sauce...lol. I cant do it....Im willing to try it again though....too much of a foodie to remain stuck up for long

[cremebrulee]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

My wife loves the sauce! And I mean the pizza sauce...lol. I cant do it....Im willing to try it again though....too much of a foodie to remain stuck up for long

usually they will spoon it over top, but once in a while I enjoy it mixed in with the steak, before they put it in the roll....depends on my mood...lol

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

usually they will spoon it over top, but once in a while I enjoy it mixed in with the steak, before they put it in the roll....depends on my mood...lol

Gotta say, the way you describe it I do believe it would sell...lol

[selhars]

This continues to be a great thread...

I am literally laughing to myself.....suprised no one has brought up the the mind boggling to me....wait for it, wait for it....chicken cheesesteak!! UGH. Talk about blasphemy.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by selhars

This continues to be a great thread...

I am literally laughing to myself.....suprised no one has brought up the the mind boggling to me....wait for it, wait for it....chicken cheesesteak!! UGH. Talk about blasphemy.

The buffalo chicken cheesesteak is the greatest variation of a cheesesteak though

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by selhars

This continues to be a great thread...

I am literally laughing to myself.....suprised no one has brought up the the mind boggling to me....wait for it, wait for it....chicken cheesesteak!! UGH. Talk about blasphemy.

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

The buffalo chicken cheesesteak is the greatest variation of a cheesesteak though

I like me a good chicken cheesesteak (Buffalo or otherwise). But I put it in a different category from a regular cheesesteak, just as I view a chicken sandwich differently from a hamburger.

I say this as if I eat cheesesteaks all the time. I probably have two or three per year.

[selhars]

^^ I know, right. I don't even have that many.