Given the parameters, Pat’s/Whiz (specifically steak wit (onions), whiz). Yes, there are qualitatively better versions. But they’re not in the poll.
Jim ’ s Steaks at 4th & South. Sorry, but Pat ’ s and Gino’s is tourist fare just as going to Bookbinder’s for seafood is a travesty.
At Jim’s, it’s Whiz, onions, mushrooms. Amoroso roll, scooped.
Of course, Lee’s Hoagie House makes a very respectable cheesesteak.
Why did they name Bristol after a rock n roll song by the Dovells?
Yeah, that’s the one the locals steered me to (it’s got two floors of seating, right?). Didn’t understand it. Pat’s was so much better, at least on that day. Maybe I just hit Jim’s on a bad night, but my experience was like Chronos’s.
“Philadelphia cream cheese” is available in Western-style supermarkets in Thailand, and I just happen to have a small tub of it in the fridge. Inspecting it closely just now, amid all the Japanese writing I see it’s made in Australia.
I’m curious. Are the people who think of Pat’s as a tourist trap actually from the city? I’ve only seem to have seen that attitude online and I don’t know where the people saying it are from. I’ve never encountered a person from Philadelphia offline who feels that way. I’m not saying everyone from the city loves Pat’s. Far from it, Pat’s is rarely anyone’s favorite. I just haven’t heard anyone refer it to a tourist trap, or a place for tourists. They just talk about how their spot is better.
Of the choices given, Pat’s / Provolone. There’s something about the ambiance of doing the Philly lean (standing on the sidewalk, leaning forward so the grease drips on the ground rather than you) but for a good steak samm’ich, there’s better than either of them; Dalessandro’s, or Larry’s come to mind.
Sounds good, I’m in!
What do you mean by “their spot”? As I recall, they’re staring at each other across the same intersection.
I grew up there. As far as Pat’s vs. Geno’s-- which line is shorter?? 
Always NO to whiz. For me it’s provalone, fried onions, salt, pepper (or hoagie spread) and ONE straight line of ketchup.
“Their spot” = whatever restaurant that particular local thinks is better than Pat’s or Gino’s.
Ah, not that Pat’s spot is better. Got it now. Thanks.
I have never been in Philly and I have never tasted a Philly CheeseSteak.
So, can anyone give me an idea as to what they taste like?
Alternatively, would anyone have any pictures or recipes that accurately describes them?
I know I can Google them. However, I prefer to ask someone who may know what they taste like and who has had some first hand experience and who has actually tasted them. How would they compare with, for example, NYC pizza?
They taste like the food of the gods. They taste like a magical food. There’s really no way to put it into words. Unless you put whiz on them, then they taste like crap.
Since you haven’t been to Philadelphia you don’t realize that the pizza there is better than New York. Imagine a New York pizza made with top quality ingredients.
Oh my! I have always wanted to visit Paris because I have heard the food there is an entirely cosmic experience.
Now, I have added Philly to that list and I thank you very much for that.
A cheesesteak isn’t complicated: It’s just beef, cheese, and a roll. If you want to make one yourself, it’s pretty easy to get a decent one.
Step 1: Get some thin-sliced beef. It doesn’t need to be particularly high-quality. Shred it with a couple of spatulas as you’re grilling it. Add some fine-chopped onions or mushrooms near the end, if you want.
Step 2: Shape it into an oblong the length of your bun on the grill.
Step 3: Put a few slices of your preferred cheese on top of the pile. Let it melt a bit.
Step 4: Turn a partially-sliced hoagie bun upside down on top of the pile of meat and cheese. Slide a long-bladed spatula under it, and flip the whole thing over. Serve.
Let’s all meet at Campo’s for lunch one day!
This is all very true. I’ve made plenty of delicious cheesesteaks at home. I think the hardest part about making it at home is finding a good meat, and getting it sliced to the appropriate thinness.
That being said, even the very best attempts at home don’t hold a candle to the ones from a greasy cheesesteak joint. The grease that permeates every molecule of a place creeps into the soul of your sandwich, the lingering onion aroma gives the sandwich an extra kick (even if, like me, you order your sandwich without), and the millions of sandwiches cooked on the grill before leave messages of support to the current sandwich giving him or her the courage to do a good job and be delicious! It would take centuries of making sandwiches for yourself at home to create a breeding ground of such deliciousness!
True, true. I was just trying to give an idea of what a cheesesteak is-- Making one at home will usually be decent, but you can get better various places. But once you’ve tried a decent one, the answer to the question “What’s a really good cheesesteak taste like?” is “Like that, except better”.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that the roll needs to be crusty and firm. A proper cheesesteak, you should be able hold in one hand without it falling apart. The oft-mentioned Amoroso rolls are a prime example, but if you can’t get those in your area, those are the qualities to look for.
Any place that makes the same thing over and over again for decades – cheesesteaks, pizza, noodles, whatever – has an advantage over home cooks (provided they maintain a standard of quality). Their equipment gets seasoned, the pasta water is sated with starch, etc.
You know places that use the same pasta water for decades??
mmm
My personal opinion.
I like cheesesteak sandwiches but it’s not a huge thing with me. I’ve had cheesesteak sandwiches in Philadelphia and they don’t seem that much better than some I’ve had in other cities.
I love pizza and I do think NYC pizza is generally better than most pizza. I have had mediocre pizza in NYC and great pizza in other places. But I’d say that NYC pizza is, on average, better than other pizza.