I second. What a great cheesesteak. Also, the best Meatball Parm hero!
I was in Philly and tried the northern one of the two (yeah I know they aren’t more than 50 ft away, but I had just walked a bunch). It’s the one with all the law enforcement patches.
I knew from watching on TV you were “supposed” to order with Wiz - so I did. I love cheesesteak. I gotta say I was REALLY disappointed. Even imagining it with provolone - I just don’t think it was that good. It was plenty big - I’ll say that. I was going to bring half back with me, but I just threw it away.
I’ll try the other one - next time with provolone. I like to walk around philly, but tend to be around walnut/locust and don’t go much easter than 9th or wester than 16th or so. If someone has a better suggestion around that area - I’m all ears.
You don’t go naming your sandwich after a tasty ingredient, and then not use that ingredient in the sandwich. You just DON’T.
You’d be surprised. Some of the food carts in center city make a really good cheesesteak. And, I’m not even talking about about the fancy “See where we are on Twitter!” sort of truck. Just the normal kind.
I guess it’s a bit out of the way. But, The Reading Terminal has a couple of good cheese steak spots (and a ton of other foods).
Other than that. I’m not real sure on Center City cheese steak spots. Old City has Campo’s and Sonny’s, but that’s all the way over there. Joe’s Pizza in Rittenhouse is a great spot for a slice of cheese. But, that’s pizza and not cheesesteaks.
All of this cheesesteak talk is making me think that we need to have a dope cheesesteak taste test. The peppers are on me!
Actually I didn’t want to complicate my area restrictions, but I do go north up whatever street that is to a little north of the convention center/Reading Terminal. I’m willing to be flexible if it is worth it - and there are other things near by (especially photography worthy things 
)
I was there two weeks ago - ordered a cheese steak - with provolone - and it was excellent. The fries were awful - some sort of soggy messy goop I can only imagine you have to eat with a fork. But I asked about cheesesteak
A lot of people consider direct heat to be a necessity for proper barbecue, rather than a disqualifier. Having grown up in whole hog country, where these people are generally found (NC), I lean that way myself.
Seriously, though, I’ve never heard anyone say direct heat is a deal breaker. I see it all the time in the south.
Direct HIGH heat is a totally different story…
If they were cheese fries that were some sort of soggy messy goop. My mouth is watering and I want some.
If they were non cheese fries that were some sort of soggy messy goop. I’m going to throw up, and write a strong letter of complaint to the powers that be.
Oh, there’s lots of stuff near Sonny’s and Campo’s. Elfreth’s Alley, allegedly the oldest street in the US. A great comic book and record store. Penn’s Landing is right down the block. Lots of neat old buildings, and alley ways. Betsy Ross House, Christ Church. That’s all in the general area.
I’ve never been to Campo’s. Come to think of it. But, I enjoyed Sonny’s when I went there. Especially, since I was able to wash it down with ice cream from Franklin Fountain. Take that lactose!
Well, that’s because it’s made in Philly, so, yeah. You wouldn’t call it a “Philly cheesesteak” there anymore than you would call “Buffalo wings” such in Buffalo. So the location is kind of important. Outside of the general Philadelphia area, it makes sense to call them “Philly Cheesesteaks” to specify what style it is. There’s different kinds of steak sandwiches.
We went to both Pat’s and Geno’s in Philadelphia two years ago, but I can’t remember which one was which. I do recall the wife and I both liked a different one better, although both were good, but now I can’t even remember which ones those were.
I seem to recall we liked Whiz.
My original post actually mentioned pit-style barbecue as being direct heat barbecue, but then I thought I was wrapping myself in just too many fine details, erased it, and started over. (I really did.) My preferred method is low, direct heat, over wood, but I tend to do barbecue at slightly higher temps than most (275 to even 300F). But direct heat, with my equipment (a Weber Smoky Mountain), requires much more attention, so most often I go the indirect method.
It’s not unusual, in my experience, for people to make that distinction. Even the Wikipedia article on barbecue mentions it. To me, it’s a continuum. When you get to direct heat, even low, over charcoal, I personally think, if I’m being pedantic about it, that it crosses over from barbecue to grilling, but the taxonomy of cooking methods isn’t all that important, really. If you see my former posts on this topic, you’ll see that I’m kind of non-committal when it comes to wood vs charcoal and direct vs indirect. But, if I want to be honest, cooking over charcoal, whether direct or indirect, without the presence of smoking wood gives the final result a flavor I associate with “grilling” moreso than “barbecuing.” But that’s being especially pedantic and far outside the scope of the topic of this thread. Frankly, I’ll admit, most people don’t give a shit.
I might mention the first Philly cheesesteak I tried was at Jon’s Bar & Grille on the corner of South and Third, located in the building that was the birthplace of Larry Fine of Three Stooges fame. It was terrible.
Interesting poll results so far.
If it’s Whiz, Pat’s over Geno’s 10-2.
If provolone, Geno’s over Pat’s 7-1.
Total, Pat’s over Geno’s 11-9.
And whiz over provolone 12-8.
mmm
The point is, though, if the menu calls it a “Philly cheesesteak”, it’s guaranteed not to be the same style as is found in Philadelphia.
And kaylasdad99, I have no idea how cream cheese is supposed to be relevant to either Philadelphia or cheesesteaks. Cheesesteaks have “cheese” in the name, and unsurprisingly include cheese. They do not, however, have “cream” in the name.
I’ve never had one, but based on the poll, I would order Pat’s with Whiz.
There is a place in NYC called Shorty’s (on 9th b’twn 41st and 42nd). The owners are from Philly and claim to be the most authentic outside of Philly. I find their steak sandwiches delicious. Has anyone here tried it, and how do they compare to the Philly legends?
Also, a previous poster mentioned cheesesteaks that come with lettuce, tomato and mayo. These are delicious too, but really almost a different type of food.
No “almost” about it. Lettuce, tomato, and mayo are completely foreign to the cheesesteak as known in Philadelphia. Onions are standard, mushrooms are fine, and occasionally you’ll see peppers, but any other vegetable is right out, and they come with no sauce but melted cheese.
If there are lettuce, tomoto and mayo involved the place will often call it a cheesesteak hoagie.
Correct. Lettuce, tomato, and ugh mayo are not part of an IEEE standard cheesesteak.
I disagree. The cheesesteaks at Philly’s Best in Chicago are reasonable simulacrums of The Real Thing (down to the Amoroso rolls), and they’re called “Philly Cheese Steaks” on the menu. I’ve had other “Philly Cheese Steaks” that, while not great, were the same fairly minimalist style that you’d find in Philadelphia. Some get it right; some don’t, but it’s reasonable to use as a descriptor, just like the “Buffalo” in “Buffalo wings.”
The term Philly Cheesesteak has evolved over time, resulting in many species. I agree, the name is indicative of nothing, just as you mentioned earlier with the term ‘Barbecue’.
The claim of the “first cheesesteak” allegedly has something to do with kosher food requiring the cheese and meat to be cooked on separate stoves or somesuch so the wiz was in a can on one stove while the meat cooked on another. Or something like that - I don’t know Kosher.
For the record, the best cheesesteak I ever had was in the cafeteria on top of the Main Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. When they upgraded it they lost whatever they have and it hasn’t been as good since.
So my modern vote goes to either Jim’s or Tony Luke’s.